Autumn in Happy Valley is bursting with vibrant experiences! From exploring colorful state parks and sampling local brews to attending festivals and apple picking, there’s no shortage of fall fun. Cheer on the Nittany Lions, take a scenic drive, or enjoy a cozy hayride—Happy Valley has it all. Grab your sweater and dive into this season’s ultimate bucket list!

The Nittany Lion Inn, a joint partnership with Rockbridge and Scholar Hotels, celebrated its official reopening on Sept. 3 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Penn State University president Neeli Bendapudi, The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau president Fritz Smith and Gary Brandeis, CEO of Scholar Hotels.

If you love that fall feeling, Happy Valley is calling. From football tailgates against a vibrant autumn landscape to weekend-long retreats perfect for strolling, shopping and snuggling by the fire, it’s the coziest place to be. When you want to warm up with a beverage or a hearty meal, you’ll find a range of spots that promise both comfort and flavor.

Happy Valley is packed with so many things to do and see, it can be overwhelming to know where to go and what to do next. Once you’ve made your way through the list of the most popular outdoor adventures, like hiking up Mount Nittany, biking on a gravel road in Rothrock State Forest, and exploring Penn’s Cave and Wildlife Park, searching out less well-known adventures is a great next step. Let us help guide you to some new and exciting experiences in underrated spots and unique places for every interest.

There is nothing like experiencing gameday in Happy Valley – the tailgating is second to none and Beaver Stadium is the most electric atmosphere in all of college football. Not to mention the Penn State Nittany Lions have playoff aspirations this year and are ranked inside the Top 10 in preseason polls for only the 12th time since 1990. The football game may get you to travel to State College, but there is much more to do in and around Happy Valley this fall.

Here’s a look at some of the best reasons to extend your stay in Happy Valley this football season:

There are plenty of things to still do in August at the Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery! Play some Bingo, Hand-Paint a Mason Jar, or enjoy a night of Flights and Bites!

“Exciting news! Happy Valley Women's Cycling (HVWC) is transforming into a community club in 2025, focusing on inclusivity for female cyclists. This is a fantastic opportunity for more women to join and be part of a supportive cycling community.” -Tanya Campbell.

For the last four years, Millheim has been organizing events that highlight the arts and music. This year, the organizing folks of the Valley Community Business Alliance (VCBA) are kicking off the Route 45 Getaways event that runs from July 26th to August 4th with events focused on the first weekend on July 27th and 28th in Millheim during their SummerFest.

What are the best birding areas in Happy Valley? This would have been a tough question to definitively answer a decade ago, but with the advent of Cornell University’s eBird, the process is simple. EBird keeps track of all submitted checklists and compiles the results by state, county, and local hotspots.