A taste of college life downtown

Downtown, College and Beaver avenues buzz with energy, even in the summer. Explore fun shops like Webster’s Bookstore & Café and Uncle Eli’s Artists Emporium, and for Penn State apparel, stop by the Family Clothesline, Lions Pride, and the Student Book Store. Appalachian Outdoors carries brands teens love, including Patagonia, The North Face, and On Running.

Easy dining & sweet treats

For a sit-down meal, visit State College landmark The Corner Room, where teens will find plenty of variety for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. For grab-and-go, check out Bagel Crust for unique sandwiches, coffee, and smoothies, or Campus Steaks for cheesesteaks and sides, which Penn Staters highly rate. There’s no shortage of options for dessert. Meyer Dairy on South Atherton Street offers ice cream flights, legendary cones, shakes, and sundaes.

Fun and adventure

The Makery of Central Pennsylvania offers Open Studio Saturdays, during which teens can create art projects at one of their maker bars or select a project from their maker kits. Happy Valley’s only public indoor rock-climbing facility, Climb Nittany, even offers a 45-minute course catered to beginners ages 14+. It’s a unique and socially engaging activity for families and small groups. In the evening, head to Northland Bowl for glow bowling, arcade games, pizza, and other snacks.

For outdoorsy teens, Happy Valley delivers. Tussey Mountain’s seasonal thrills include snow tubing in winter and go-karting, mini golf, and concerts in the summer months. At Penn’s Cave & Wildlife Park, the Cave Rock Mountain tour is a fully guided, hour-long private off-road adventure Jeep tour from the “cave rock to the mountain top.” The tour tackles obstacles, moguls, and ravines, climbing to spectacular mountain views on the Penn's Cave estate. Active teens will love hiking or mountain biking at Rothrock State Forest, and the view from the top of Mount Nittany makes it well worth the climb.

Photo-worthy destinations

On campus, snap a selfie with the Nittany Lion Shrine, then check out The Arboretum at Penn State, the area’s indisputable top spot for Homecoming, prom, and senior photos. Downtown, look for eye-catching murals along Humes Alley, Locust Lane, and Calder Way that make beautiful backdrops.

State College makes it easy for teens to have fun with family and friends. Whether you're here for a weekend getaway or cheering on the Nittany Lions, there's always something cool to do — and plenty of ways to make memories.