College Football's 10 Most Scenic Stadiums

As a visual person, whatever I can catch with my two eyes I do and I do it fast. As a sports fan I tend to take in the aesthetics of college football within seconds of tuning into a game.

The uniforms; the type of surface they are playing on; the format of the digital scoreboard shown on screen.

But the one thing I take in more than any other when watching a spectacle like college football is the environment, more notably the scenic magnitude of the stadium.

My trips to college football games in my life have been limited to Sanford Stadium, the Georgia Dome, and the Louisiana Superdome. I will say, as a Georgia fan, that Sanford Stadium is not the most scenic gem in the world.

So which ones are? Well, my interest in football facilities and geography has sparked this top ten list of the most scenic places to watch a college football game.

Enjoy!

Sun Devil Stadium–—Tempe, Arizona

I really like how this stadium sits in the valley, which just so happens to sit on a river.

Good view, plus the stadium's wraparound walkway on the open end is pretty cool. This stadium not only provides for great views, but it also is a good place to go when you don't want to get soaked or iced in.

The Arizona State Sun Devils call this field home, which was also shared with the Arizona Cardinals until University of Phoenix Stadium opened in Glendale.

Bronco Stadium—Boise, Idaho

Boise State has become a national icon thanks in part to two things—their winning ways, and their blue field.

Bronco Stadium is the only major stadium in the country with a colored playing surface. The stadium only holds 30,000 people, however the open ended construction provides a really nice view of the hills to the north.

Just on the other side of the scoreboard is the basketball arena, a flowing river, and a good look at downtown Boise. But, it's the blue field that makes this place a must see.

Heinz Field—Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Both ballparks in Pittsburgh get rave reviews regarding the view.

Heinz Field overlooks the "point", which is the area where the two rivers meet—with the downtown metro area smack dab in the center.

Any stadiums with good city views are winners in my book, as someone who is infatuated with the developments of human architecture.

Heinz Field is more known as being the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, however it is also the home site for the University of Pittsburgh Panthers, who have been bringing in more fans lately and thus have drawn in some pretty great atmospheres.

Beaver Stadium—University Park, Pennsylvania

Though it may be difficult to see the local rolling hills from your seat in this giant, 107,000 seat stadium, the scenic part of Penn State's home field shows up only on weekends.

It's the 107,000 people, all clad in white shirts and waving white streamers that makes for one of the coolest atmospheres in the world of sports.

The best part is when they all, and I mean all, begin to dance to "Zombie Nation".

Husky Stadium—Seattle, Washington

Husky Stadium isn't the biggest structure in the world, but its placement makes it one of the marquee places to witness a college football game.

Not only can it get pretty shaky when fans are screaming, thanks to its structural material, it's views are outstanding. It sits just north of downtown Seattle with it's east end zone facing Union Bay, where tons of boats gather on game day (shown above).

Also, if you are sitting in the right place (hint hint: upper-east seats on the north deck) you can catch a glimpse of Mt. Rainier, one of the most intriguing parts of the Seattle area.

The mountain is a whopping 60 miles away, yet is perfectly visible from Husky Stadium as well as other parts of Seattle. Now, maybe that isn't exciting for everyone, but as a Georgian who can't see a "mountain" until it's five miles away, I'm sure the view would be pretty amazing.

Memorial Stadium—Berkeley, California

The man in the foreground of this photo gets the idea.

Cal's home stadium is tucked up on the hills that overlook the amazing Berkeley campus along with San Francisco on the other side of the water.

The hill it sits on provides an easy peek for spectators who do not have official game tickets, where people have become infamous for using trees as their stadium seats (and living in them, but that's another can of worms).

Louisiana Superdome—New Orleans, Louisiana

Sure, the Superdome is an enclosed stadium, however the visuals from inside and out are spectacular--and surreal.

It's not just any football stadium, but rather a national icon and a symbol for hope and redemption.

This giant spaceship looking structure served home to many Hurricane Katrina victims. As a visitor for the 2008 Sugar Bowl I was incredibly overwhelmed being in that stadium.

It was like a religious experience! The roof, which has lights around the rim, seems to continue to go up and up. Unlike the Georgia Dome, this dome is dark at all times and you sometimes have to look up to remind yourself you are on earth and not in space.

The dome serves as home to the Tulane Greenwave, however it is more notable as the host site for the Sugar Bowl.

I definitely recommend at least one visit to this place before your life is over! It's breathtaking, and in my mind blows places like Cowboys Stadium out of the water.

Lavell Edwards Stadium—Provo, Utah

Oh, did I mention what else blows my mind? Mountains?

I prefer visiting my mountain cabin in north Georgia over the beach thanks to the mountain views.

Considering the view here from Provo makes "my mountains" look like molehills, I can only imagine how stunning this view must be in person.

Nippert Stadium—Cincinnati, Ohio

The city of Cincinnati has become known for its awesome blend of old fashioned German architecture and modern architecture.

It's evident in the three major ballparks in the area, and as a college stadium there may not be a more impressive piece of architecture than Nippert Stadium.

Still undergoing an on and off expansion project, the stadium has recently been adorned with impressive buildings that surround it on both ends.

The overall feel creates a really enclosed and confined space that gives a dominating home field feel to it. I haven't been yet, but considering my brother goes to Wright State I will be making a pit stop in the near future at U of C to get some shots of this place!

Bobby Dodd Stadium—Atlanta, Georgia

Though this stadium isn't nearly as big as its rival stadium up I-85 and 316, its views are a gazillion times better.

While large and in charge Sanford Stadium seats the whole state of Georgia, Bobby Dodd's compact size allows for placement smack dab in the middle of midtown Atlanta.

The result: one of the coolest views you can get anywhere, NFL or college. Not a lot of college venues are located in major cities, and none of them put you right in the middle of the skyscrapers. This may be a biased pick coming from someone who lives in metro Atlanta, but being on Tech campus is always fun thanks to the scenery (minus the chance of getting robbed).