Situated in Central Pennsylvania between the big cities of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, State College is a charming college town that’s a world unto itself. It’s nestled against the Appalachian Mountains in an area known as Happy Valley, and is home to Penn State University, more than 42,000 students, and outdoor adventures galore.

Penn State University Park is a spawling campus that provides tons of breath-taking backdrops for your photos. For many alumni, there are locations on campus that hold special meaning both while they were a student and during their returns to the area. Here are 11 “can’t-miss” locales throughout campus where you can grab a memorable shot to share on your social media and treasure in the years to come.

State College, Pennsylvania, may be best known as a college town, but that’s not the only reason that people decide to spend time there. Located in central Pennsylvania and surrounded by protected forest, State College is filled with outdoor experiences to enjoy that have nothing to do with a football field. Locals have long known what more and more people are discovering—that State College is a great place to spend time outside. Here are some of their favorite spots to explore.

State College is a playground for a variety of tastes and lifestyles. Whether you like outdoor activities, retail therapy or intellectual pursuits, this area is ripe with opportunities each and every day.

Whether you’ve lived here for decades or are just settling into our region, there are many levels to being “local.” From standards like Arts Fest to deep tracks like Meyer Dairy, here are several ways to experience the area like a true local at every level.

Ah, State College. For many visitors, coming here is a pilgrimage back to ye olde college stomping grounds. But others travel to Central Pennsylvania on business or for reasons unrelated to tailgates or graduation; they never drank the Nittany Lion Kool-Aid and are not sure what all the blue-and-white hype is about, or where to go to find out about it.

Tons of families converge in State College for one main reason in the fall: Penn State football. But many alumni who are happy to be back in the valley for a few days bring with them something they didn’t have when they were Penn State students: Kids!

State College may be the heart of Centre County, but the rolling farmlands, meandering creeks and quiet beauty of the surrounding valleys is part of what makes this area such a great place to live and visit. And it doesn’t get prettier than Penns Valley.

As home to Penn State University’s main campus, State College gets most of the glory in Centre County. But a beautiful borough 12 miles to the north has been an important piece of Pennsylvania’s history. Bellefonte, settled in 1795 and incorporated in 1806, is the county seat and has produced five of the Commonwealth’s governors plus two others who served as governors elsewhere (in California and Kansas). The contributions of all seven are commemorated with a memorial in Talleyrand Park.