It’s one thing to walk around State College and take in the sights, smells, and sounds of Penn State’s campus and the downtown. But it’s another to be transported by your own personal tour guide who makes the journey entertaining and informative — not to mention restful and nice and dry! Enter Vamos! Lion Chariot, a locally owned and operated pedicab service.

“We like to have fun on our rides,” says Vamos general operations manager Todd Miner. “We have bells and whistles, literally.”

In its eleventh year of business, these pedicab rides are by now a go-to tradition in State College for adults and kids alike. Miner labels what Vamos offers as “transportainment,” because drivers offer “an educational and instructional component with tours,” along with music, promotional partnerships, and, true to the company’s motto, plenty of other “reasons to smile.”

The concept of the pedicab experience is “to hop on and have a good time getting around.” While tours are primarily of the Penn State campus, Miler says Vamos is “proud to offer” a variety of short-distance trips, such as rides to and from Beaver Stadium for people who have a challenge walking longer distances.

Much more than simply getting from Point A to Point B, Vamos chariot rides are about making the trip memorable, with drivers sharing the history of the area and telling fun stories along the way. The open-air experience (though there is a roof in case of wet weather) makes for a “really relaxing way to see the area,” says Miner. Cabbies are also happy to stop at different locations for pictures and can often be found pawsed in front of the Lion’s Shrine.

Other popular tours involve stops at Penn State’s beautiful Arboretum, with a sweet ending at The Creamery for ice cream. Riders are also welcome to “see the treasured works of art downtown, boutique shops and restaurants” and the fraternity mansions of the adjacent Highlands neighborhood through the Art & Architecture tour of downtown State College.

The pedicabs can be rented for special events, too, such as weddings in which the bride and groom are looking for a unique way to arrive at their reception, or for which guests who need a ride from a parking lot to a wedding venue. Chariot rides also make for a great surprise birthday element, as unsuspecting people can be picked up and whisked away to a party they weren’t expecting! And they’re also romantic. Miner says he’s done plenty of “date rides,” and that riders “feel like a prince or princess with their own chariot” as they are driven to a bar or restaurant for an extra-romantic first date or anniversary celebration.

Vamos maintains in its fleet multiple chariots of different sizes, and the company can fulfill requests for larger groups, given enough notice. Reservations are preferred, but “if we’re out and about and the chariot is empty, everyone’s welcome,” Miner says.

To learn more about Vamos! Lion Chariot pedicab service and to make reservations, visit https://www.vamoslion.com/ or call (814) 404–2782.