From rowdy tailgate parties to rhythmic step shows, college campuses are often-overlooked destinations that offer travellers a wealth of "only-in-the-US" experiences.

Crisp weather and changing leaf colours herald more than just the beginning of autumn in much of the US; they also mark the return of millions of students to colleges across the country.

Unlike their overseas counterparts, many American universities feel like distinct towns or cities, complete with their own restaurants, historic buildings, museums, parks and other public attractions clustered around a defined campus. Over the decades, these colleges have developed a culture so distinct that they've defined an entire genre of globally beloved films.

To the outside world, choreographed halftime shows at raucous football games or massive outdoor parties on college campuses might seem like Hollywood fantasies, but a great number of US universities offer these (and many more attractions) that are open to the public, making college campuses under-the-radar destinations offering international visitors access to unique "only-in-the-US" experiences.

From tailgating at college football games to catching "step shows" at a historically Black colleges, here are a few unique experiences travellers should seek out at different types of universities.

From August to January, millions of fans pack university stadiums around the US to cheer on their school's team and watch some of the nation's top college football players who will turn pro after graduating. As American as apple pie, college football is so popular at many universities (particularly across the US South and Midwest) that the college experience is essentially synonymous with the sport, and during home games, campuses come alive with pre-game tailgate parties, where fans camp out in car parks near the stadium to socialise, drink and eat before the game.

According to Clarence Wardell, an alumnus from the University of Michigan located in Ann Arbor, the game itself is only part of the fun. Traditions like marching band performances at halftime and school-specific fight songs are another big draw: "It's the tradition, the little quirks that each school has [that are] just such a part of the environment and atmosphere," Wardell said. "Everyone's singing in unison on the fight songs. It's, in some ways, kind of a spiritual experience."

The University of Michigan is home to the largest college football stadium in the country – a massive, 107,000-person-capacity venue nicknamed "The Big House" "The first game I took my now-wife to was Michigan [versus] Notre Dame," Wardell said. "Michigan had this amazing comeback in last two minutes. This stadium was just ...electric."

Beyond Ann Arbor, here are two other places to seek out the quintessential college football experience:

Pennsylvania State University (State College, Pennsylvania) – In what's been described as "one of the best atmospheres in football", once per season, fans from both teams are encouraged to wear all white and make as much noise as possible as they pack the "Nittany Lions'" stadium for the annual Penn State White Out. The visually stunning spectacle is also famously loud: fireworks erupt from the stadium's east and west ends, and the sound of more than 106,000 fans screaming in unison is so deafening that seismologists have occasionally mistaken the event for an earthquake.

Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) – At Louisiana State University, Tigers fans have elevated tailgating to an art by hosting........

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