For Fritz Smith, president and CEO of The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, the love for hospitality started at a very early age, in a place fueled by tourism.

“I grew up in Washington, D.C., a place where the two major industries were government and tourism,” he said. “You saw thousands of people visiting the Washington Monument and going in and out of the Smithsonian Museum buildings almost year-round. Something inside me said, “I bet those people are spending a whole lot of money while they are here!”

Dave Gerdes spent nearly 40 years in sales and marketing for major hotel firms like Marriott, Hilton International, Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Omni before coming back to Happy Valley to serve as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. He says that his career happened because of a road trip detour to visit an old roommate.

Pine Grove Hall’s Executive Chef Tory Glossner is a Happy Valley native, but creating and serving up some of the area’s most innovative and tasty dishes wasn’t always on his bucket list.

Keriann Smith came to Happy Valley to get her degree in Hospitality Management from Penn State. She got a lot more in return. “I instantly fell in love with Happy Valley and the community,” she said. “I love being outdoors whether it’s snowboarding in the winter or One-Wheeling in the summer.”

Hyatt Place Sales Manager Tiffany Wren says that she fell into working in hospitality by accident, and has watched it blossom into a career she loves.

Enjoy Happy Valley like the locals do with a midweek adventure!

Happy Valley isn’t just for weekends. In fact, there’s something magical about workday Happy Valley — it’s less crowded, more local, and just as jam-packed with culture, arts and events.

Looking for your next adventure?

Explore Centre County with the Central PA Tasting Trail! Get your passport and travel through Centre County tasting the wine, beer and spirits.

This summer, enjoy a new culinary scene in Centre County as our area’s talented chefs create dishes available for one week only. Try new tastes at your old stand-bys or see what’s cooking at that place you haven’t been to.

Summer is upon us and Exploring Altoona and Happy Valley has never been easier or more inviting. With parks, pools, ball games, hiking trails, and festivals all at the ready, pull out your calendars and start making those summer bucket lists, starting off with DelGrosso’s Amusement Park.