Outdoors

152 articles

people holding pumpkin

Welcome to Happy Valley, PA! Get off campus for fall-themed fun and more

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.

Hiking Overlook

Seven Best Hikes Near Penn State University

One of the best ways to enjoy the outdoors in Happy Valley is by taking a scenic hike to a mountain vista or by a bubbling creek. These popular hiking trails near Penn State will take your breath away - in more ways than one!

Ironman2

IRONMAN Race Set for Happy Valley

When most people hear IRONMAN, they probably think Robert Downey Jr. or maybe Black Sabbath or even Philadelphia Eagles’ Hall of Famer and the NFL’s last Iron Man, Chuck Bednarik. But for the next three years – and hopefully longer – IRONMAN will have a special meaning here in Happy Valley. Through 2025, nearly 3,000 ironmen and ironwomen will descend upon Happy Valley annually for the IRONMAN 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley Triathlon.

Penn Cave

Adventure begins here: explore our caves

Explore Happy Valley no matter the season! There are seven show caves open to the public in Pennsylvania, and a record three are located in Happy Valley. Here’s how you can enjoy an underground excursion.

Amy Debach_profile

Metro-rural mix made Bellefonte a perfect new hometown for Amy Debach

When Amy Debach moved to Bellefonte in 2006, she was enthralled with the duality of the area — rural yet metro, culturally diverse yet deeply rooted in history. It’s a mix that invited involvement and has kept her here for close to two decades. She spoke to [Bellefonte.com] about the best ways to volunteer and what everyone needs to check out while they are in town. Read on!

The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau publishes up-to-date event information at HappyValley.com/events