25 Beautiful West Coast Campuses You Have to See to Believe

12. Occidental College – Los Angeles, CA

Occidental College, or “Oxy,” is one of those rare campuses that feels at once intimate and expansive, scholarly and effortlessly cool. Set in the hilly Eagle Rock neighborhood of Northeast Los Angeles, its mission-style buildings—characterized by red-tile roofs, arcades, and stucco facades—are surrounded by olive trees, eucalyptus groves, and grassy terraces. The campus feels like a quiet, tucked-away enclave, but just a short drive from downtown LA’s dynamic cultural scene. Occidental is known for its small class sizes, interdisciplinary thinking, and offbeat intellectual culture. It’s long been a haven for creatives and visionaries—alums include actors, artists, activists, and even a young Barack Obama. The vibe is collaborative and quietly ambitious, where discussions about climate change or postcolonial theory are just as likely to happen on the quad as in the classroom. With its fusion of classic California beauty and progressive, hands-on learning, Oxy offers a campus experience that’s as thoughtful as it is visually serene.