I think you mentioned that you’re going to visit UCLA soon. I’m biased as an alumnus, but UCLA has an awesome campus. IMO, it looks and feels like what many of us imagine to be the platonic ideal of a college campus, unless one wants crusty old gothic architecture.
Funny story: Last summer while on vacation, I took my then 15-year-old daughter to UCLA in the hope that it would inspire her. It was 70 degrees and not a cloud or hint of smoggy haze in the sky. Things were going so well until I noticed in the brochure that OOS annual costs were north of $70k. Huge backfire! It’s what woke me up to current realities and made me realize that I needed to start doing a lot of research. I love UCLA and will continue to sing its praises, but it’s not worth ~$300k for this middle-class family.