Suppose for a moment a die-hard fly fisherman with a few blank squares to fill on his calendar were to tack a map of Pennsylvania on the wall, and then randomly throw a dart with intentions of fishing the nearest trout stream to the dart’s point of impact. If his aim were as true as a standard dart-board’s bullseye, his dart would land right around the middle of the state – smack dab in the heart of Happy Valley.

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.

On August 27, experience the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Miami’s Carnival right here in Happy Valley with HavanaFest.

“It is a street festival with two bands, a DJ, Caribbean dancers, a full traditional Cuban meal, Cuban coffee, beer and wine. You can even learn to roll your own cigar in a very laid back atmosphere,” Tony Ghaffari, owner of Your Cigar Den, and organizer of HavanaFest, said.

New Mover Welcome Pack offers fun and treats with no strings attached!

Starting in July, people moving into Centre County will be welcomed to the area Happy Valley-style compliments of Penn State Health Medical Group. They’ll be receiving a New Mover Welcome Kit, which features a white board-style magnet To Do List and a gift card for two free cones at Penn State Berkey Creamery. Not only that, but each recipient has a chance to win a grand prize Adventure Pack filled with experiences, tastes and activities that promise to be the start of a great Happy Valley experience.

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.