25 Beautiful West Coast Campuses You Have to See to Believe

11. Santa Clara University – Santa Clara, CA

Santa Clara University is a tranquil jewel in the heart of Silicon Valley, combining Old World charm with the modern pulse of tech innovation. At its heart lies the beautifully preserved Mission Santa Clara de Asís, a whitewashed adobe church with red-tiled roofs and bell towers, surrounded by fragrant rose gardens and fountains. The campus is laid out like a contemplative cloister, with palm-lined walkways, Mediterranean-style arches, and quiet courtyards that radiate a calming, almost spiritual energy. Yet for all its serenity, Santa Clara is anything but sleepy. This Jesuit institution is rooted in a tradition of social justice, intellectual rigor, and global citizenship. Students engage deeply with the ethics of technology, business, and public service—often in partnership with the surrounding Silicon Valley ecosystem. Whether you’re studying AI in a sleek lab or walking past blooming jacarandas on your way to Mass, the experience here is one of harmony between past and future, heart and mind.