State College for the Family

State College, Pennsylvania, otherwise known as Happy Valley, is often a destination for business travelers and students headed to Penn State for one reason or another. However, the city hosts many events and festivals that draw countrywide crowds. If your family is one of them, whatever your reason for visiting this central Pennsylvania city, here are some of the best places to stay, play and eat.

Stay

The Hyatt Place State College is one of the area’s newest hotels. The modern property sits right in the middle of downtown, making it a top pick if you’re visiting specifically with the downtown area of State College in mind. Near lots of local restaurants and shops, there’s plenty to see and do, and, if you visit during the summer, you’ll avoid the college crowds.

For a local stay just outside of the downtown enough to avoid the student masses, but close enough you can still walk into downtown to dine and shop with ease, look to The Nittany Lion Inn. This historic building is picturesque in every sense and it has an award-winning dining and beverage program. It hosts lots of unique dining experiences throughout the year, from PA on the Patio in the summer (featuring live music and a grilled-right-before-your-eyes menu that’s all sourced locally) to wine dinners with a geographic focus.

Play

The Penn State Arboretum is a fun place to go with the kids that doesn’t even get that busy. There are plenty of photo-worthy stops along the walking trails and the Children’s Garden is packed with cool features that even parents will want to climb in, over and through.

White Blossoms at Penn State Arboretum © Cbboughton | Dreamstime.com

If your family is the active type, head a bit further out of town to Mount Nittany, where you can climb in the matter of as little as half an hour (depending on the trail you take) to reach beautiful vistas.

Eat

The Field is a popular favorite for dining outside of busy downtown, but you’ll want to go for lunch to guarantee you don’t have to wait. The specialties on the menu include mammoth burgers with inventive toppings, fries poured right onto your table and topped with scrumptious complementary ingredients and handmade milkshakes piled high with sugary goodness.

Of course, you can’t visit State College with the kids (or at all, for that matter) without stopping by Berkey Creamery. Headed by the Department of Food Science at Penn State, Berkey Creamery gave birth to ice cream’s most iconic duo: Ben and Jerry. Sample a long list of mouthwatering flavors, all ridiculously fresh, going from cow to cone in a matter of days.