Cal Poly Pomona - Undergrad - Awesome because we learn by doing - had a great time skiing/partying (GPA reflects this), but learned a lot and discovered my insane passion with the dirt and prehistoric subsistence patterns (GPA also reflects this), sweet because only 45min-1hr from snow/my house. If you're into engineering, I'd highly recommend it, as that's what it's known for.
Eastern NM University - Graduate - KICK ASS for archaeology, the oldest paleoindian site in the United States is 5 minutes driving distance from my door and I'm a graduate student of archaeology, so I get to work on a site that people come from all over the world (no joke, we get people from everywhere visiting the site) to see that's in my back yard. Downside: 3 1/2 hours from ski resorts. :( Other plus side: they don't have tractors to plow the road so if it snows more than an inch or so, they shut down school and everyone hops on their John Deere tractors and help plow, I'm in the process of figuring out how to acquire my own tractor.