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.

One thing that I love about Pennsylvania is its wealth of public hunting grounds. Happy Valley and the surrounding area have more than their fair share of the public land pie. Public land open to hunting includes state game lands that are managed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and state forest lands, which are operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). DCNR also handles state parks, many of which are also open to hunting.

The streams in Happy Valley are legendary for their pristine water, and it doesn’t happen by accident. Clearwater Conservancy is dedicated to conserving and restoring our natural resources through land conservation, water resources stewardship, and environmental outreach across central Pennsylvania.

Happy Valley has many beautiful vistas, with the Allegheny Front to the north and several ridges running through the area. Several can be found with an easy drive to a parking lot, whereas some require some rubbernecking while driving, and still others can only be viewed after a challenging hike. What follows is not a complete list, but rather a taste of what is available.