<p>Colorado College is in Colorado Springs, a city of ~400K at the foot of Pikes Peak. So you get the advantages of both a city and some of the best outdoor recreation areas in the world. Money magazine designated Colorado Springs America’s “Best Big City” in 2006. Outside magazine placed it first on its “Best Cities” list in 2009. Colorado College also offers what is probably the best weather of any top 50 LAC outside California (with the possible exception of Davidson in NC). </p>
<p>The ultimate urban LAC has to be Barnard (for women only).</p>
<p>Other schools cited in posts above are fine colleges, but not necessarily in (or even very near) desirable urban locations (depending on what you want). Goucher is across the street from a suburban shopping mall. Carleton and St. Olaf are outside a small rural town; Minneapolis might seem awfully far away when you don’t have a car and it’s 10 below zero outside. Definitely go visit some of these places if the setting is very important to you.</p>