From state parks hikes to cheese shop tastings, these are a few of the best things to do in Happy Valley PA.

With 10 state parks and forests, several small towns, and seemingly endless options for delicious and locally sourced bites, Happy Valley makes a great base for exploring central Pennsylvania. I recently spent a few days there on a workcation, popping into coffee shops and coworking spaces in the morning and hopping around to different trails and towns in the afternoon.

I stayed in State College, the largest community in Centre County and home to Penn State University. This town alone offers plenty to do, from shopping at local bookstores and perusing art museums on campus to walking the gorgeous paths of the arboretum.

But beyond State College, Happy Valley has even more to offer. Surrounded by 750,000-plus acres of public lands, the county is an outdoor lover's dream. I hiked up mountains with sweeping views, walked around picturesque lakes, and rode bikes through forests with vibrant fall foliage.

If you’re looking for a workcation destination in the Northeast, Happy Valley is a great option. And in case you’re still on the fence, did I mention the farm-fresh ice cream scene here? 

Things To Do in Happy Valley

From museums and antique shops to caves and hiking trails, there are all sorts of different things to do in Happy Valley. I stayed for a few days during the week so that I’d have time to explore several small towns and state parks. Below are a few of my favorites!

Explore the Arboretum at Penn State

The Arboretum at Penn State features a 10-acre botanical garden and 14 acres of meadows laced with walking paths. It’s such a beautiful and peaceful place to go for a stroll in nature just steps from downtown State College and the bustling campus.

There’s a children’s garden, ponds, and water features, but one of my favorite spots was the bird house, a little wooden structure where humans can sit and watch the hummingbirds flutter and little critters eating and hopping around. Beyond the botanical garden, the arboretum continues to more remote reaches, and you can hop on Bellefonte Central Rail Trail for a hike or bike ride.

The Arboretum is open daily from dawn to dusk and admission is free. It’s right next to the Palmer Museum of Art, so it’s easy to combine the pair into one outing. 

Visit the Palmer Museum of Art

The Palmer Museum of Art just opened in a new location at The Arboretum at Penn State and it’s absolutely stunning! Its collection of over 10,000 items is the largest between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, making it a top cultural center in Happy Valley. 

Several rooms across two floors hold groupings of Impressionism paintings, modern Pennsylvania art, ancient artifacts from Africa and Asia, and glassworks, including an impressive Dale Chihuly piece running along the staircase wall.

The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday and admission is free (but make a donation if you can).

Hike in the State Parks 

With six state parks and four state forests in the Happy Valley area, there are so many incredible places to hike that even a week here isn’t long enough to hit all the trails. You can follow easy boardwalks along a bog at Black Moshannon State Park or take on challenging treks that trace miles of mountain ridges. 

During my stay in Happy Valley I hiked the trails below.

• Black Moshannon State Park: The Bog/Hay Road/Indian Trail Loop (moderate, 1.4 miles) and the Lake Loop Trail (easy, 0.7 miles)

• Rothrock State Forest: Bear Meadows Loop to Jean Aron Path (moderate, 3.5 miles)

• Colyer Lake: Colyer Lake Loop (easy, 2.6 miles)

• Mount Nittany: White Trail to Mike Lynch Overlook (moderate, 1.4 miles) and the Mount Nittany Loop (moderate, 5 miles)

Tour Penn’s Cave and Wildlife Park

Visitors to Penn’s Cave can cruise through an all-water cavern and join nature wildlife tours. Small flat-bottom boats take guests through winding passages and caverns of stalactites and stalagmites and to a natural entrance that connects to Lake Nittanee just outside.

The property’s 1,600 acres provide a haven for birds, elk, cattle, and deer. Guided bus tours through the habitat offer a chance to spot the wildlife and farm animals, as well as butterflies in a special garden.

The cave and onsite Penn’s Cave House hotel opened to tourists in the 1880s and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While the hotel no longer hosts guests, you can still see the structure next to the visitor center and gift shop.

Explore the Small Towns 

While the streets of State College buzz with college town energy, the rest of the communities around Happy Valley are pretty small and quaint. In fact, most of them have a population well under 10,000. 

That doesn’t mean a lack of things to do, though. From a quirky museum in Boalsburg to antique shops in Bellefonte, to a cool theater in Philipsburg, each town offers something different to explore. 

• State College

The biggest of the bunch, State College’s population swells on Penn State game days. The campus offers cultural hubs like the Palmer Museum, beautiful walks in the Arboretum at Penn State, and tasty scoops at the historic Penn State Berkey Creamery.

The walkable downtown district is a great spot to buy collegiate souvenirs, sip coffee at local cafes, and shop locally at stores like the Squirrel and Acorn Bookshop and The Nittany Quill (stationary and gifts).

• Bellefonte 

With Victorian-era bed-and-breakfasts and antique stores, the streets of Bellefonte take you back in time. Don’t skip the Bellefonte Art Museum or rotating galleries, Talleyrand Park for walking paths along a creek, and the Bellefonte Historical Railroad for vintage train rides.

• Philipsburg 

Philipsburg’s best feature may be its proximity to the beautiful Black Moshannon State Park, but the downtown zone is worth a visit, too. Along Front Street and surrounding blocks, you’ll find gems like the 1917 Rowland Theatre for movies and live shows, unique stores like Shindig Alley for retro furniture, and The Dead Canary Brewing Company, which hosts open mic nights, music, and workshops. 

• Boalsburg 

Less than 5 miles down the road from State College, tiny Boalsburg offers easy access to Rothrock State Forest and a compact Main Street with just a handful of shops and restaurants. There are also a pair of notable museums here — the Pennsylvania Military Museum with Armed Forces exhibits, and the Boal Mansion Museum, which preserves a notable local family’s historic home and eclectic collection of artifacts.

Go for a Bike Ride

This local group aims to get more women into gravel and mountain biking with weekly rides for beginners, coaching, skills camps for girls, and more. Joining the group rides is the perfect way to get outdoors if you’re traveling solo and to meet the local riding community and learn more about the trails in the area.

Follow the Agventure Trail

Happy Valley is full of agventures, from farm stands to dairy shops to field-to-fork restaurants. The agricultural roots of Centre County date back over a century and you’ll still spot endless fields and farms as you drive through the countryside. Penn State University even started as the Farmer’s High School in 1855.

Below are a few spots that I made it to on my trip.

• Goot Essa Cheese

Artisanal cheese tastings and fresh jam pairings — yes, please! The family-owned Goot Essa (“good eating” in Pennsylvania Dutch) produces small-batch, hand-crafted cheeses. Tastings and cheese and condiment pairing are offered in the shop and during special events you may also have a chance to visit the cheese caves and see the products maturing.

• Tait Farm

Tait Farm has a Harvest Shop where you can grab local produce and cooking products. The farm makes dozens of all-natural products, including dip mixes, sauces, fruit spreads, condiments, and more.

• Meyer Dairy Store

If you’re looking for some delicious local ice cream to try, you can’t go wrong with Meyer Dairy. A local favorite, the ice creamery and Meyer Farm are family-owned, dating back to 1887.

You can pop into the shop to purchase fresh milk and butter or order scoops, flights, sundaes, and floats to enjoy at tables in the parlor. I had a scoop of the black raspberry, but it was hard to pick from the wide selection! 

• Nittany Valley Creamery Dairy Barn

You can eat your ice cream cone with views of corn fields and farm houses at the Nittany Valley Creamery. The Dairy Barn in front of the family-owned farm serves scoops to eat outdoors at picnic tables, or you can grab containers, ice cream cakes, yogurts, flavored milks, and other products to go. Bring cash for this one as they don’t take cards.

• Way Fruit Farm

I chowed down one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in a long time at the cafe at Way Fruit Farm — a BLT with hickory bacon, thin sliced apples, and sharp cheddar. This sixth-generation family farm has a huge store full of produce and locally made products, plus an eatery open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

See Quirky Exhibits at the Boal Mansion Museum

An estate of the Boal family for more than 200 years, this local mansion museum is an interesting and quirky stop in the town of Boalsburg. The historic home is packed to the brim with relics and artifacts collected over eight generations by a family with strange ties to historical figures.

A marriage to a relative of Christopher Columbus at one point resulted in the acquisition of the Columbus Chapel, which now sits on the estate. You’ll want to set up a guided tour to visit this museum and sort through the complicated history.

Visit the Bellefonte Art Museum

Located in the historic Linn House, the Bellefonte Art Museum offers free admission to a handful of gallery rooms. The themes rotate monthly and highlight local artists as well as special cultural exhibits. 

One of the most interesting features, though, is the “Journey to Freedom” exhibit on the top floor, which tells the local history of the Underground Railroad. It’s thought that the home was used as a safe house, and you can see the attic rooms where people would have stayed.

Dine Around Happy Valley

With its deep agricultural roots, it’s no surprise the farm-to-fork scene is thriving in Happy Valley. There are so many incredible places to eat that you’ll never get around to all of them during one trip. 

• Flour and Stone

The newest concept from the owners of the popular Pine Grove Hall in Pine Grove Mills, Flour and Stone serves an elevated Italian menu that’s absolutely delicious. I had the goat cheese ravioli with brown butter and preserved plums, but was also tempted to order the mushroom and truffle farrotto or squash and pear pizzetta with goat cheese (next time). I had the classic olive oil cake for dessert and it was moist perfection!

• The Field Burger and Tap 

The restaurant at a country club on the outskirts of state college has both beautiful views from the deck and incredible burgers and shakes. The meaty menu includes a section dedicated to the Penn State coaches —  I ordered The Big Gadowsky, a wagyu burger topped with Pennsylvania bacon, cheddar, pierogies, sauteed onions, and sour cream.

• Allen Street Grill 

Allen Street Grill in downtown State College is perfect for a date night or special occasion (ask for window seating in your reservation to take advantage of the campus views), with a casually elegant vibe. 

A compact menu offers a selection of elevated meat, fish, and pasta dishes, plus mouth-watering starters like steak tartare and burrata cheese with marinated olives. I had the roasted carrot soup and vegetarian spaetzle dumplings with a lemon picatta sauce. Everyone at the table went wild for the paw paw cheesecake for dessert.

• Irvings Bagels 

If you’re looking for a quick breakfast and coffee stop in downtown State College, let me turn you on to Irvings Bagels. The cafe is large enough to plop down with your laptop for a spell, or you can grab loaded bagels, wraps, and sandwiches to go.

• Gamble Mill 

With a legacy dating to 1786, Gamble Mill in Bellefonte has been renovated into a dinner and drinks destination with an attached inn and special events speakeasy. Creekside at Gamble Mill is open for Saturday brunch and dinner Wednesday through Saturday and The Republic bar offers craft cocktails and mocktails, wine, and brews. 

• Poppy & Co Cafe

Poppy & Co is a homegrown lunch spot in Philipsburg where you’ll catch the locals chowing down on sandwiches, cheesesteaks, gravy-smothered specials. There’s also a bakery counter with freshly baked cookies you don’t want to skip.

• We are Inn 

Attached to a small hotel, the We Are Inn in Philipsburg is best known for its steak sandwiches and caesar salad dressing. I had the former, the “Chef Pat’s Way,” loaded with steak, Whiz and American cheeses, hot cherry peppers, fried onions, mushrooms, and ketchup.

Where to Work Remotely in Happy Valley 

Planning a workcation to Happy Valley? Mid week is a great time to visit State College and surrounding towns as hotels will be cheaper and emptier than on the weekend. If you need to get some work done while you visit, here are a couple of spots to plop down with your laptop. 

• Coworking spaces

The SpringBoard coworking space in downtown Bellefonte offers high speed internet, comfy seating, office amenities like printers and paper, and private phone booths and conference rooms for meetings. Monthly memberships are available but visitors can grab day passes online and check themselves in with a door code, making it easy to work for a few hours. 

• Cafes 

If you love working in a coffee shop as much as I do, Webster’s Bookstore Cafe in downtown State College is a great option. There are several seating areas surrounded by books to settle in for some work, plus coffee and brunch at the food counter. 

• Hotel lobbies

Guests of the Scholar State College downtown can work from the hotel’s lobby area. A long, co-working table has outlets to plug in, and a couple of extra seating areas offer comfy chairs and couches. There’s also a bistro on-site open during breakfast and dinner hours.