Visitors who travel to Happy Valley know that hotels and lodging fill up quickly during football season and special event weekends. It’s important to plan ahead, but it also helps to know all of the options that are available in State College and the surrounding areas. Centre County offers plenty of traditional hotels, bed and breakfasts, and lodges. Some of the lesser-known establishments offer breathtaking views and serene farm or forest settings.

Who doesn’t love eating outdoors? Whether you are at home on your back porch or on the patio at your favorite restaurant, nothing beats sitting outside in great weather enjoying a good meal. There are so many great restaurants across Happy Valley, and those bites are even better when you can take in all the sites and sounds of nature.

Las Cafeteras, known for its protest songs and use of traditional instruments to connect cultures and generations, will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a variety of free community events starting Oct. 9.

You may not think you have a sweet tooth—until you see the amazing desserts available in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania. A rotating menu of fresh baked goods can be found throughout Happy Valley, but look away now if you’re definitely not interested in sampling a variety of sweet somethings.

Fall is my favorite season in Centre County, and I make no apologies for it. Football’s back, with all that comes with it: tailgating, grilling, seismic cheering at Beaver Stadium. Apples and pears and a beautiful array of root vegetables flood our farm markets in a final burst of harvest abundance. Sweaters and vests come out of storage as sweaty Summer slides into frosty Fall.

Whether you are a local resident or an alum visiting for a weekend, everyone has their favorite spots to eat and drink in Happy Valley. Who hasn’t had a great time at Zeno’s, the Phyrst, Otto’s, or the dozens of other great places in State College?

What is your party hungry for? These Happy Valley cuisine-art establishments literally cater to their customers’ taste buds—whether that vision is large-scale hoe-down backyard barbecue, a long work lunch or a private sit-down menu tasting.

Dogs in a Pile is natural talent emerging from the tides of musically significant, sunny and seaside Asbury Park, New Jersey. The sounds-of-summer favorite has performed for sold-out crowds up and down the coast and at shows in more than 40 cities. Its effect on boardwalk visitors has inspired an in-demand hazy IPA and a rabid fanbase. Fans of Frank Zappa, prog rock, earworm showtunes and jam-band staples should take note.

Alumni will say there are a few things that every student must do while at Penn State: climb Mount Nittany; take a photo at the Nittany Lion Shrine; enjoy a scoop of or more at the famous Berkey Creamery; spend a sunny day at Whipple Dam; or stroll through the Arboretum. As the official tourism promotion agency for Centre County, The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau (HVAB) has plenty of inspiration for ways to enjoy the beautiful valleys and unique communities that comprise our big Happy Valley. Start by adding fall fun to your list at some of the county’s most popular farms and farm markets.