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Visiting University of California campuses gave our family a chance to explore college life up close, compare different environments, and support our teenagers’ search for the right fit.

A person wearing sunglasses, a red shirt, and khaki shorts stands in front of a stone University of California building with large arched doorways and steps leading up to the entrance.

Starting Our UC Campus Tours

Visiting college campuses with your teenager is one of those milestone moments that makes you realize how quickly time passes. It feels like just yesterday our son was chasing bugs in the backyard. Now he’s in college, and our daughter will be applying soon.

Even though we’re not quite ready to let them go, we want to support them as they search for the right fit for their next chapter.

When our son was a junior, we set out on a UC road trip to explore different campuses. Our goal was to give the kids a feel for the atmosphere, culture, and community at each school. Every UC has its own character, whether it’s oceanside views, suburban charm, or big-city energy.

Here are the campuses we’ve visited so far, listed from north to south, along with our family impressions.

University of California Davis (UC Davis)

Modern University of California building with vertical metal panels, large windows, and an overhanging structure providing shade. Young trees and neatly landscaped grounds are in the foreground under a clear blue sky.

UC Davis was one of the first campuses we toured, and our visit coincided with Picnic Day—a lively open house filled with science exhibits, food stalls, and hands-on activities. The timing couldn’t have been better since our son has a passion for entomology. UC Davis is home to one of the nation’s top-ranked entomology departments, and he was thrilled to tour Briggs Hall and examine insects up close.

The campus is large, flat, and known for being bike-friendly. It connects directly to downtown Davis, a safe and walkable community with plenty of shops and restaurants. Many of the academic buildings were built in the 1970s, giving parts of the campus a retro character. Our son enjoyed the atmosphere so much that he enrolled in a four-week STEM program (COSMOS) at the university, which gave him an early taste of college life.

University of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley)

A young person wearing sunglasses and a red T-shirt stands in front of a decorative green wrought-iron gate at the University of California on a sunny day, with trees and people walking in the background.

Berkeley holds a special place in my heart since I’m an alum. We visited while our son was attending a science camp at the Lawrence Hall of Science, which gave me the chance to show him campus highlights and nearby Telegraph Avenue.

Compared to Davis, Berkeley feels more urban and compact. The Beaux-Arts architecture is beautiful, but safety is a concern, especially on the south side of campus near Telegraph, where homelessness and crime are more visible.

Even so, the academic opportunities are unmatched. The Bay Area location means endless cultural events, restaurants, and easy access to San Francisco.

As of 2024, our son is now a student at Cal and loving the school experience.

University of California Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara)

A person wearing sunglasses, a black jacket, and a maroon shirt stands on a grassy lawn at the University of California, with modern, light-colored campus buildings under a blue sky.

On a boys-only trip, we toured UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, and UC San Diego. UCSB instantly impressed us with its stunning setting right on the Pacific Ocean. The campus even has its own beach, and the ocean breeze made it feel more like a resort than a university.

The atmosphere is laid-back and beachy, with many buildings dating to the 60s and 70s. Thanks to a kind JOC reader, we toured the Marine Lab, which gave our son a real sense of student life and research opportunities.

The student town of Isla Vista is walkable and safe, while downtown Santa Barbara is just minutes away. UCSB quickly rose to the top of our son’s list when he was applying.

University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)

Two people wearing black masks stand on a bright green lawn at the University of California, with a large university building, trees, and a clear blue sky in the background. One person gives a thumbs-up.

We visited UCLA as a family during a trip to Los Angeles, and it left a strong impression. The campus is huge and sits in Westwood, close to Bel-Air and Beverly Hills. Compared to other UCs, UCLA feels polished, energetic, and very focused on athletics.

Sports are central here, with facilities like Pauley Pavilion and the football field at the heart of campus life. The mix of historic and modern architecture, wide walkways, and open green spaces make it feel welcoming. Despite being in a large city, UCLA struck us as safe and well-maintained.

For our son, this was another strong contender, and finishing the school tour with Korean barbecue in nearby Koreatown didn’t hurt.

University of California Irvine (UC Irvine)

A person stands in front of a large tree and a modern glass building on a sunny day at the University of California, with steps and landscaped greenery visible in the background.

Just an hour south of Los Angeles, UC Irvine offered a very different feel. The city of Irvine is often ranked as one of the best places to live in the U.S., and the campus reflects that. It’s beautifully landscaped, calm, and well-organized.

The centerpiece is Aldrich Park, a huge green circle surrounded by classrooms and labs. Walking the 25-minute loop gave us a sense of the layout, which felt smaller and more intimate than other UCs. Residence halls sit close to academics, making daily life easy.

UC Irvine offers a safe, suburban option close to beaches, Disneyland, and the cultural mix of Orange County. While it was not our son’s top choice, we could see its appeal.

University of California San Diego (UC San Diego)

A person in sunglasses and a navy blue polka dot shirt stands outside a modern, angular concrete and glass building with geometric balconies on the University of California campus on a sunny day.

Our last stop was UC San Diego, set in La Jolla just north of downtown San Diego. The campus is enormous, with Interstate 5 running through part of it. We only saw a portion, but it was enough to sense the scale and modern facilities.

UCSD stands out for its college system. Students join one of several colleges, each with its own housing, dining halls, and general education program. It’s a clever way to create small communities within a large university.

The architecture is a mix of 1960s concrete and sleek new buildings. The coastal location is beautiful, though the campus felt less walkable without a car or shuttle. Still, the research opportunities are excellent.

How to Get There

All University of California campuses are accessible by car, with many also reachable by train or regional airports:

  • UC Davis: 20 minutes from Sacramento Airport or 90 minutes from San Francisco by car or Amtrak
  • UC Berkeley: 20-minute drive from San Francisco, and you can also reach the campus easily by taking BART, the local train system.
  • UC Santa Barbara: 10 minutes from Santa Barbara Airport or 2 hours from Los Angeles by car
  • UCLA: 30–45 minutes from LA Int’l Airport depending on traffic
  • UC Irvine: 10 minutes from John Wayne Airport or 1 hour from LA Int’l Airport
  • UC San Diego: 20 minutes from San Diego International Airport or 2 hours from Los Angeles by car

Is Touring the University of California Campuses Worth It?

We would highly recommend it if your children are interested in attending UCs. Rankings and brochures are useful, but walking the paths, talking to students, and experiencing the atmosphere in person made all the difference.

Each UC has its own energy, from the surfside calm of Santa Barbara to the urban pulse of Berkeley. For us, these visits helped our son imagine where he might thrive and gave us peace of mind seeing potential future homes.

If you or your children are interested in schools in the Northeast, here’s a look at our campus visits.

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