When Hector Cruz visited Happy Valley for the first time — visiting his daughter at Penn State — he didn’t know anyone. He says finding a place to eat was tricky. “Reading a review is just not the same as talking to someone about their favorite places to eat,” he says. “You can’t ask them questions or ask for recommendations.”

This April, Bob Cameron is writing a new chapter in his life. For the past seven years, he’s been the director of the Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum in Boalsburg, keeping the stories of Happy Valley’s past alive and in living color. Over those years, he worked to revitalize the historic destination, working with more than 600-900 volunteers per year to implement projects ranging from miles of trails to a walking bridge to new gardens and arboriculture.

Happy Valley has such an abundance of farm markets and community supported agriculture (CSA) options that it’s easy to make “eat fresh, eat local” a way of life. Between weekly markets, CSA delivery and local farms, our family enjoys a year-round supply of meat and eggs, dairy products and seasonal vegetables, all grown or raised right here in Happy Valley.

RE Farm Café at Windswept Farm is a unique dining experience where you “can see our farm from your table,” says LLC Managing Member Duke Gastiger. The café itself is sustainably built, their chefs (called composers) spend time tending the vegetables as they are grown, and every food either comes from the farm itself, or from a tiny network of sustainable growers. The result? Reviewers gravitate to the word “amazing.”

A local’s guide to must-see agricultural destinations

Whether it’s trying a craft beverage, picking your own bucket of blooms, bringing home a basket of apples, or touring a cheese cave, Happy Valley Agventures destinations offer something that every visitor to the region can enjoy.

Happy Valley PA has a dynamic shopping scene, with one-of-a-kind finds to be discovered at shops throughout Centre County. You’ll want to spend a few days to shop them all, starting with the top picks listed.

Conserves and restores our natural resources through land conservation, water resources stewardship, and environmental outreach across central Pennsylvania.

Philipsburg’s Heritage Days

Philipsburg’s annual Heritage Days celebration was founded as a way to keep enthusiasm for local history alive.

In 1997, Philipsburg celebrated its bicentennial. The town came together to treat thousands of visitors to a week’s worth of events featuring reenactments, vendors, crafters, presentations, concerts, a parade, and fireworks, among other things.

While it’s home to one of America’s best college towns, Happy Valley has plenty of family-friendly opportunities for fun and adventure. Here are three ideas to get you going.