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State College

Happy Valley — Penn State, the creamery & Mount Nittany

48 places · 6 areas · every one sourced, pinned and status-checked · last checked  · 3 closed, kept for the record. Ordered by tier, then by number of named sources. How we choose

Known forgrilled stickiesCreamery ice cream

Must seeBeaver Stadium

Start with Penn State Berkey Creamery

Old Main, Penn State University Park, in summer
Photo: George Chriss · CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons (resized)

State College

Happy Valley — Penn State, the creamery & Mount Nittany

Downtown State College 3 places · area 1 of 6

College & Beaver Ave

  1. 1 Must see within Downtown State College

    The Corner Room

    A downtown institution on the ground floor of Hotel State College at College and Allen, named The Corner Room in 1926, serving pancake breakfasts at its restored 1930s counter.

    100 W College Ave, State College, PA

    By ,

  2. 2 Worth the detour within Downtown State College

    Allen Street Grill

    A second-floor restaurant in Hotel State College whose floor-to-ceiling windows have looked over College Avenue and campus for over 40 years, serving modern American food and craft cocktails.

    100 W College Ave (2nd floor, Hotel State College), State College, PA

    By ,

  3. Closed — kept for the record 3

    Ye Olde College Diner — CLOSED

    A College Avenue diner, a downtown favorite for decades, famous for its grilled stickies, sticky buns cut into rectangles and fried on the griddle, first served there in 1929.

    126 W College Ave, State College, PA

    By ,

Penn State 8 places · area 2 of 6

University Park campus

  1. Palmer Museum of Art entrance
    Photo: CyberXRef · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons (resized)

    1 Must see within Penn State

    Palmer Museum of Art

    Penn State's art museum in a striking 73,000-sq-ft Allied Works building that opened June 1, 2024 at the edge of the Arboretum, nearly doubling exhibition space to 20 galleries with a store, cafe and sculpture path. Free admission; a genuine regional cultural destination.

    Palmer Museum of Art, The Arboretum at Penn State, Bigler Rd, University Park, PA 16802

    By ,

  2. Pennsylvania State University Food Science Building and Berkey Creamery May 15, 2010
    Photo: Something Original · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons (resized)

    2 Must see within Penn State

    Penn State Berkey Creamery

    Penn State's on-campus university creamery, famous for its ice cream, where Death by Chocolate is a top seller and Peachy Paterno, introduced in 1987, remains a perennial favorite.

    Food Sciences Building, Curtin Rd, University Park, PA

    By , ,

  3. Old Main
    Photo: PSUMark2006 · CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons (resized)

    3 Must see within Penn State

    Old Main

    The symbolic heart of Penn State, crowning the hill above the campus mall. The 1930 Georgian building sits on the site of the original 1859 College Building of the Farmers' High School and houses the Land-Grant Frescoes by Henry Varnum Poor. Grounds open daily; the lawn is the campus's ceremonial gathering place.

    Old Main, Pollock Rd, University Park, PA 16802

    By ,

  4. 4 Must see within Penn State

    Nittany Lion Shrine

    One of the most photographed landmarks in Pennsylvania: a crouching mountain lion carved by sculptor Heinz Warneke from a 13-ton block of Indiana limestone, given by the Class of 1940. Reopened to visitors after a 2021-2022 site renovation; free, open-air, always accessible.

    Nittany Lion Shrine, Curtin Rd near Rec Hall, University Park, PA 16802

    By ,

  5. 5 Must see within Penn State

    Beaver Stadium & Penn State All-Sports Museum

    The 106,000-seat home of Penn State football and its All-Sports Museum, whose Upper and Lower galleries trace over a century of Nittany Lion athletics. Museum open Tue-Sat 10-4, Sun 12-4 (reduced winter hours; home-game-week changes); staff take guests to the club level for a view inside the bowl. Note: the stadium itself is under a multi-year renovation (Project Surge) through 2027.

    Beaver Stadium, 1 Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA 16802

    By

  6. 6 Must see within Penn State

    The Arboretum at Penn State (H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens)

    370 acres of gardens, meadows and woodland walks a mile west of Beaver Stadium, centered on the 10-acre H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens with pollinator habitats, water features, an Overlook Pavilion and a children's garden. Free admission, open dawn to dusk daily.

    The Arboretum at Penn State, Bigler Rd & Park Ave, University Park, PA 16802

    By

  7. 7 Worth the detour within Penn State

    Frost Entomological Museum

    A free insect museum across from the Berkey Creamery, reopened in 2022 after renovation, with a live arthropod zoo and a research collection of hundreds of thousands of specimens. Open to the public 10-4 Monday-Friday; admission free.

    160 Curtin Rd, University Park, PA 16802

    By , ,

  8. 8 Worth the detour within Penn State

    Brazilian Munchies

    A Brazilian snack business that grew from farmers' markets to a food truck and a Pegula Ice Arena counter, serving pão de queijo cheese bread, coxinha croquettes and esfiha.

    Pegula Ice Arena, University Park, PA

    By , ,

Bellefonte & Boalsburg 10 places · area 3 of 6

historic towns

  1. Bellefonte Historic District
    Photo: Pubdog · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

    1 Must see within Bellefonte & Boalsburg

    Bellefonte Historic District

    A remarkably intact Victorian county-seat downtown along Spring Creek, listed on the National Register, built during a 19th-century iron-and-industry boom and once home to seven Pennsylvania governors. Grand houses, the 1889 railroad station and a walkable core of shops and eateries. Free, self-guided.

    High St & Allegheny St, Bellefonte, PA 16823

    By ,

  2. 2 Must see within Bellefonte & Boalsburg

    Boalsburg Historic District (Birthplace of Memorial Day)

    A walkable stone-and-clapboard village that claims the first Memorial Day observance, traced to an 1864 cemetery gathering; the town center is full of shops, cafes and 18th-19th-century buildings and celebrates with a large Memorial Day weekend of events. Free, self-guided.

    Main St, Boalsburg, PA 16827

    By ,

  3. 3 Must see within Bellefonte & Boalsburg

    Temporarily closed · no reopening date yet

    Pennsylvania Military Museum

    Pennsylvania's museum of the citizen-soldier, set on the 28th Division Shrine grounds in Boalsburg. CLOSED to the public since Dec 8, 2024 for a $3.4M modernization (HVAC, geothermal, preservation systems); the ~14-month closure has run past early 2026 and no reopening date is announced. The outdoor grounds and memorials remain worth a look; galleries are shut.

    51 Boal Ave, Boalsburg, PA 16827

    By

  4. 4 Must see within Bellefonte & Boalsburg

    Columbus Chapel & Boal Mansion Museum

    The estate of the Boal family since 1789, whose Columbus Chapel — brought from Spain in 1909 by a Columbus descendant who married into the family — holds the explorer's admiral's desk, two relics of the True Cross and centuries of European art. Guided 90-minute tours Wed-Sun at 2pm; other times by appointment.

    163 Boal Estate Dr, Boalsburg, PA 16827

    By

  5. 5 Must see within Bellefonte & Boalsburg

    Duffy's Tavern

    113 E Main St, Boalsburg, PA

    By ,

  6. 6 Worth the detour within Bellefonte & Boalsburg

    Talleyrand Park & the Big Spring

    Bellefonte's 3.5-acre riverside park along Spring Creek, fed by the Big Spring that pours out 11+ million gallons a day and gave the town its name ("la belle fonte"). Riverwalk, the restored 1889 passenger station, gardens and an Underground Railroad history marker. Free, open daily.

    Dunlap St, Bellefonte, PA 16823

    By

  7. Gamble Mill Aug 10
    Photo: Pubdog · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

    7 Worth the detour within Bellefonte & Boalsburg

    Gamble Mill

    A National Register grist mill (1786/1894) on Spring Creek in Bellefonte's waterfront district, extensively restored and reopened in 2021 as a boutique hotel, restaurant and cocktail bar. A landmark on the Riverwalk; dine or stay to see the interior.

    160 Dunlap St, Bellefonte, PA 16823

    By ,

  8. 8 Worth the detour within Bellefonte & Boalsburg

    American Philatelic Center (Match Factory)

    The headquarters of the American Philatelic Society, the world's largest nonprofit stamp-collectors' organization, in the restored 1900 Pennsylvania Match Factory. Highlights include a fully reconstructed century-old general store and post office, a library and galleries. Open to visitors; check hours.

    100 Match Factory Pl, Bellefonte, PA 16823

    By

  9. Mansion flowering quince 2013
    Photo: CentreHistory · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons (resized)

    9 Worth the detour within Bellefonte & Boalsburg

    Centre Furnace Mansion

    The restored ironmaster's mansion of Centre Furnace — the 18th-century iron works whose owners helped found Penn State — now the home of the Centre County Historical Society and listed on the National Register. Furnished to the Moses Thompson era (1842-1891). Guided tours on posted days; grounds and gardens open.

    1001 E College Ave, State College, PA 16801

    By ,

  10. Closed — kept for the record 10

    Creekside at the Gamble Mill — CLOSED

    A restaurant inside Bellefonte's restored, National Register-listed Gamble Mill on Dunlop Street, which ran for about four years before closing; the mill's bar and inn carried on.

    160 Dunlop St, Bellefonte, PA

    By ,

Happy Valley & Centre County 10 places · area 4 of 6

Pine Grove Mills, Lemont, Penns Valley

  1. 1 Must see within Happy Valley & Centre County

    Mount Nittany (Mike Lynch Overlook)

    The mountain that gives Happy Valley its identity, with 8 miles of trails and seven overlooks above the valley. The short climb to the Mike Lynch Overlook (marker #3, ~0.6 mi up) gives the classic view over State College and campus; the full loop is ~4.8 mi. Limited trailhead parking in Lemont; free.

    Mount Nittany trailhead, 500 Mount Nittany Rd, Lemont, PA 16827

    By

  2. inside Penn's Cave (cave interior is the place)
    Photo: VitaleBaby · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons (resized)

    2 Must see within Happy Valley & Centre County

    Penn's Cave & Wildlife Park

    America's only all-water cavern, toured entirely by boat, plus a wildlife park with a bus safari and off-road mountain tours. Cavern tours run Feb-Dec (daily 9-4 hourly in summer); the farm-nature-wildlife park runs Apr 1-Nov (closed for winter through Mar 31). Paid admission; the cave boat tour is not wheelchair accessible.

    222 Penns Cave Rd, Centre Hall, PA 16828

    By

  3. lake and bog
    Photo: Ruhrfisch · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons (resized)

    3 Must see within Happy Valley & Centre County

    Black Moshannon State Park

    A 3,394-acre park atop the Allegheny Plateau built around a 250-acre lake and one of the state's finest bogs (1,992-acre Natural Area) with orchids and carnivorous plants. The half-mile boardwalk Bog Trail is the signature walk; 20 miles of trails, swimming and boating. Free day use; open year-round.

    4216 Beaver Rd, Philipsburg, PA 16866

    By ,

Altoona & Blair County 11 places · area 5 of 6

Horseshoe Curve, Lakemont, Tyrone

Central PA & the Alleghenies 6 places · area 6 of 6

Huntingdon/Raystown, Lewistown, Clearfield

How we choose

Named sources recommend every place; review sites never do. Each is pinned to its door and status-checked. Closed places stay, marked closed.

Must see
The places to plan a visit around, graded within each area.
Worth the detour
Strong picks, worth going out of your way for.
Deep cut
For the curious: smaller, odder, more local.

Within each area: by tier, then by named sources, never by popularity. We don’t add ratings, prices or opening hours of our own.

Follow changes — an RSS feed of every closure and status check in this guide.

About this guide

48 places in 6 areas, each recommended by at least two independent sources (50 in all) or one institution such as Michelin.

Every place was checked open and pinned between 27 Aug and 24 Oct 2026. Closed places stay, marked closed.

Photos for 17 places; the rest show a designed cover.

How we choose → Insights →

34 sights and 14 places to eat across State College, the Penn State University Park campus and Centre County (Bellefonte, Boalsburg, Happy Valley), each traceable to the source that named it. The town’s canon is its own: Berkey Creamery ice cream, the grilled sticky (the dish Ye Olde College Diner made famous; the diner has closed), tavern wings, Happy Valley beer, plus Old Main, Beaver Stadium and Mount Nittany.

How this guide was made

How the cuisine filters were policed

Every food card names a specific dish — a cuisine label alone doesn’t qualify. State College’s canon is a college town’s own: the Berkey Creamery (Penn State’s own ice cream), the grilled sticky, the dish Ye Olde College Diner made famous (the diner has closed; it stays on the map, flagged, and no other place is put in its stead), tavern wings, Happy Valley craft beer (Otto’s, Robin Hood, Elk Creek), and the diner/breakfast institutions, sourced to the Centre Daily Times, StateCollege.com and Onward State. A cuisine tag names the kitchen’s own tradition, never one dish it happens to serve.

Web-searched and fact-checked

Every place is traceable to a credible source — the Centre Daily Times, StateCollege.com, Onward State, the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, Uncovering PA, Atlas Obscura and official sites. Every address and pin is checked against the official site or a map and every place status-checked open. Yelp/TripAdvisor never count toward the two-source bar.