F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote that “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” That sentiment can certainly be felt in Happy Valley when the arrival of Penn State students, thousands of football fans, and the refreshingly cool weather brings a renewed energy and reasons to get out and explore! Here are some of our favorite family adventures coming up in the next few months.

Punkin Chunkin’ Fall Festival
Bald Eagle State Park, 149 Main Park Road, Howard

Carving pumpkins, roasting their seeds, and puréeing their insides for cozy pumpkin soup and pie is nice and all. But… have you ever launched a pumpkin through the sky to see how far you could make it fly?! Now’s your chance: the Punkin Chunkin’ Fall Festival, hosted by the Howard Fire Company each year in October, is “a one-day festival filled with fun, food, and flying pumpkins!” The free event features “multiple pumpkin launchers (mini and large), food concessions, craft vendors, hayrides, children’s games and activities, pumpkin pie eating contest, emergency vehicles, and more.”

Visit clintoncountyinfo.com/event/fall-punkin-chunkin-festival for more information.

The Arboretum
336 Forest Resources Building, University Park

Penn State’s gardens aim to be “a place of beauty and renewal, a venue for the arts, and a pathway to discovery and enrichment.” Throughout the year, the Arboretum, directed by nature, transforms itself — offering visitors a reason to return each season. In the autumn, the Arboretum becomes a hub for all things pumpkin, with a Pumpkin Giveaway on October 1 and a Jack-O’-Lantern contest and Pumpkin Festival on October 6. Year-long, too, the Arboretum hosts various educational programs and special events. And even if you aren’t actively learning about PA Paleontology or “Stories Under the Sky,” simply absorbing the Arboretum’s fresh fall foliage is enough to nurture the mind, body, and soul.

Visit Arboretum.PSU.edu for more information and a schedule of upcoming events and activities.

Way Fruit Farm
2355 Halfmoon Valley Road, Port Matilda

Nothing screams FALL! quite as loudly as a pumpkin patch, and Way Fruit Farm has those of us craving autumn vibes covered in a major way. Way’s fall schedule is packed with events to bring you back to the farm time and again, beginning with a Music Festival (September 15-16), a Fall Craft Show (September 22-23), the Pumpkin Patch Opening and Way Fruit Farm History Day (September 29-30), a Harvest Craft Show (October 6-7), and the Eric Jones and Everything Pumpkin event (October 13-14).

Visit WayFruitFarm.com for events and details.

Mt. Nittany
State College

Mount Nittany Conservancy conserves more than 800 acres of beautiful Mount Nittany, labeling the peak itself “both the cultural and environmental symbol of Penn State and the Nittany Valley.” There’s no better time to take a hike up Mount Nittany than the fall, when the leaves are ablaze in all their majesty, the air is cool and comfortable, and a few wildflowers persevere before Old Man Winter arrives to cover them up with his white blanket. If you haven’t been up Mount Nittany yet, make it a priority this season. And if you’ve “been there, done that,” remember there are “more than eight miles of trails and many scenic views” to be found on the mountain!

Visit Nittany.org for trail maps and parking information.

Winter

After the leaves fall, head off to enjoy some of Happy Valley’s indoor fun! It’s also never too soon to begin making your 2024 plans, and your New Years’ resolutions should certainly include making memories at these exciting destinations!

Climb Nittany

328 Discovery Drive Boalsburg

If you’re looking for a way to mix-up your indoor exercise regimen, learn something new, and hone a skill that can be put to the test when spring rolls around, head on over to Climb Nittany, Boalsburg’s indoor climbing gym that’s designed “for anyone, at any age” to incorporate the sport of climbing into their fitness routine. Climb Nittany offers memberships and classes for individuals (youth included!) and groups, with a special two-week-free Discover Climbing introductory package.

Visit 5.life/climbnittany for hours and more information.

Discovery Space of Central Pennsylvania
1224 N. Atherton St, State College

In the dead of winter, it can be tempting to let one’s mind and spirit hibernate. But there’s no excuse with the Discovery Space so near at hand. The non-profit science center is “designed to provide engaging experiences with science and technology that spark curiosity and creativity.” The space features fun, hands-on activities for both children and adults offered through exhibits, programs, projects, and crafts. It’s also available to rent and is a great place to host parties and get-togethers!

Visit discoveryspace.org for hours and more information.

Penn State All-Sports Museum
The southwest corner of Beaver Stadium, opposite the Bryce Jordan Center

Even if you’re not a big fan of Penn State athletics, you will be after you visit the Penn State All-Sports Museum! The space is jam-packed with inspiring stories and memorabilia honoring “the athletic history and heritage of one of the greatest universities in the nation.” Here visitors encounter artifacts that bring to life the achievements of the greatest Nittany Lion student-athletes. A special exhibit, “I Am a Penn Stater: Nittany Lions in World War II,” features diaries, letters, photographs, and other items that chronicle “the contributions of Nittany Lion varsity lettermen and Women’s Recreation Association athletes during the conflict and follows their service from training in the United States, to fighting on battlefields around the globe, to postwar occupation duties.”

Visit gopsusports.com for more information.