College kids enjoy spring break. The rest of us can, too.

But instead of the beach or the ski slopes, we’re going back to school on this day trip, down the interstate to the University of Washington.

The U-Dub is big and diverse, a city within a city, with libraries and museums, cozy cafes and fast-food emporiums, beautiful gardens and striking architecture, all situated on a 643-acre campus with views of the Lake Washington Ship Canal and Mount Rainier.

For day trippers, it offers some of the pleasures of campus life without the schoolwork and the tuition. All you need is a good map, walking shoes and a sense of adventure.

The university was founded in 1861 in downtown Seattle and moved to its current campus location in 1895, where it’s an ever-expanding presence in the U District. With thousands of students and staff flooding onto campus every day, it really is a small city.

Architecture junkies will find a wide array of styles, from classic collegiate Gothic to cutting-edge contemporary, a close-up view of a century of building design. There are historic treasures with terra-cotta details and frills along with drab slab-side designs from the mid-20th century.

Art and natural history fans can get their fixes at two of the region’s top museums. The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture houses a treasure trove of specimens and artifacts such as dinosaur bones and American Indian art, and it’s a wonderful place to take kids.

The venerable Henry Art Gallery is a showcase of contemporary art with changing exhibits and program. The museum, founded in 1927, was the first public art museum in the state. A 1997 renovation and expansion quadrupled its size, with room for new galleries, a cafe and gift shop and a sculpture court.

The leafy beauty of the school’s sprawling campus is another reason to visit. There are specialized gardens, arboretum-quality trees and plants and a significant collection of outdoor art.

Every spring the UW puts on one of the biggest horticultural displays in the region when the Japanese cherry trees burst into clouds of pink blossoms in the historic Liberal Arts Quadrangle, known simply as the Quad.

Here, amid the grandeur of the collegiate gothic-style buildings, the cherry blossoms offer a dazzling display of color for a week or two. As the petals begin to fall, they cover the ground like pink and white snow.

Underneath those trees you will find students reading and napping, chatting and tossing Frisbees. This is the image of campus life that colleges like to show on publications. The survival of these trees as they age is a source of continuing concern on campus and another reason to see them now.

The students are frequently on spring break just about the time the cherry blossoms hit their peak. Timing the academic break — this year it’s the last week in March — is easier than timing the blossoms. The UW Visitor Center takes calls from the public wanting to know when the buds burst into bloom (206-543-9198). This year the trees should begin to bloom around the third or fourth week of March.

It’s quiet on campus when the students — flip-flops on their feet and cell phones on their ears — are on break. But better to visit when classes are in session and everything is open. The campus is so big it never feels crowded.

Begin a walking tour in Red Square, the massive expanse of red brick known officially as Central Plaza on the west side of the campus. A bronze statue of George Washington dominates one end of the plaza. “Broken Obelisk,” a steel sculpture by Barnett Newman, is at the other. On a clear day, you can see Mount Rainier from along what’s known as Rainier Vista. We’ll go there in a bit.

The plaza is surrounded by several buildings, the most important of which is Suzzallo Library. This beautiful Gothic structure on the east side of the plaza ranks among the finest buildings in the state and at the top of our must-see list.

The ornate, Tudor-style reading room is magnificent. It vaulted ceiling soars to 65 feet and at 250 feet in length, it’s an impressive space. Elaborate decorations, stained-glass windows and rows of gleaming oak bookshelves highlight the interior, a true “cathedral of learning.”

The Quad, to the north of Red Square, is the architectural heart of the campus. This is the classic Ivy League setting of graceful old buildings arranged around a courtyard. A look inside any of the buildings reveals layers of renovations over the years to keep them as functional on the inside as they are handsome on the outside.

On a warm day you’re likely to hear music — a piano sonata, a soprano rehearsing — wafting from the Music Building. The Art Building, home to the UW School of Art, frequently has exhibits showcasing student art.

From the Quad, walk northwest to find the two oldest buildings on campus. Denny Hall, built 1893-94, was the first building on campus when it moved from downtown Seattle. The turreted, French Renaissance-style building is home to the UW’s historic Victory Bell, in a cupola on the roof. The other notable landmark is Parrington Hall, built in red brick in 1902.

For contrast, continue west of Denny and check out William H. Gates Hall, a modern, six-story building opened in 2003 for the UW School of Law. This glass palace is sleekly contemporary inside and out. Throughout the tour, take note of the campus landscape with its towering trees and tree-sized shrubs.

It’s time to take a break at the Burke Museum Cafe for coffee and a pastry, or soup and a sandwich, if you insist. The 18th century French pine paneling and the clubby atmosphere make this my favorite place to refresh. Others prefer the cafe within The Henry Art Gallery.

Back at Red Square, it’s a quick walk to Drumheller Fountain, aka Frosh Pond, with its sparkling fountain spraying water high into the air. A century ago, this area was part of the 1909 Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition, designed by the famed Olmsted Brothers. The location’s sweeping view of Mount Rainier (hence the name Rainier Vista) is spectacular.

This lower end of the campus, dedicated to science and engineering, offers its own rewards. Architecture Hall to the west, built in 1909, is the last major building remaining from the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition with a virtually untouched exterior. Landmark buildings such as this speak to the optimism and vision of generations past.

Another hidden gem on the lower campus is the UW’s Medicinal Herb Garden, 2.5 acres with more than 1,000 species from around the world. Wander the beds to see plants used in ancient and modern times to treat various ailments, or used for food, fiber, dye and other purposes.

Let’s end this tour with a slice of pizza at the Husky Union Building — the Hub. I enjoy the easy buzz of the Hub as students queue up for fast food and relaxation. There’s a pleasant, glassed-in dining area where you can people-watch and rest your feet before the trip home.

Spring break is over.