Writer Teresa Mull started out here in Happy Valley — even growing up in the house that Philipsburg’s founder, Hardman Philips, built — before heading off to Dallas, Texas and Rome, Italy, and jobs in Washington, D.C. and Teton Valley, Idaho. And then, she got homesick.

We talked to her about why she’s made Happy Valley her permanent home, her insider picks for culture and fun, and what every Happy Valley visitor has got to try. Read on!

“People are often surprised to learn that I was not born and raised in Happy Valley,” Matt Maris says. Considering that the high school teacher owns and runs Local Historia, an ode to Happy Valley’s historic past, the surprise is legitimate.

When Hector Cruz visited Happy Valley for the first time — visiting his daughter at Penn State — he didn’t know anyone. He says finding a place to eat was tricky. “Reading a review is just not the same as talking to someone about their favorite places to eat,” he says. “You can’t ask them questions or ask for recommendations.”

This April, Bob Cameron is writing a new chapter in his life. For the past seven years, he’s been the director of the Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum in Boalsburg, keeping the stories of Happy Valley’s past alive and in living color. Over those years, he worked to revitalize the historic destination, working with more than 600-900 volunteers per year to implement projects ranging from miles of trails to a walking bridge to new gardens and arboriculture.

If you, like me, have ever braved the surprisingly chilly morning air of MID-May to take a number and get in line for the bibliophile dream that is the AAUW STATE COLLEGE Book Sale, then this message is for you. The sale is back from Saturday, May 14 through Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at Penn State’s Snider Ag Arena and it’s just as wonderful as you remember.

This year, Penn State will celebrate Homecoming on October 22 as the Nittany Lions battle Minnesota. In the days leading up to the game, Homecoming Week will celebrate the WE ARE spirit with Allen Street Jam, the return of the Best of Penn State Carnival, and the iconic Homecoming parade.

RE Farm Café at Windswept Farm is a unique dining experience where you “can see our farm from your table,” says LLC Managing Member Duke Gastiger. The café itself is sustainably built, their chefs (called composers) spend time tending the vegetables as they are grown, and every food either comes from the farm itself, or from a tiny network of sustainable growers. The result? Reviewers gravitate to the word “amazing.”

Philipsburg Find a peaceful, historic getaway just minutes from Penn State in Philipsburg. Enjoy the annual Philipsburg Heritage Days, shop in their charming downtown or get outside with an excursion to Black Moshannon State Park.

On Saturday, March 26, the Nittany Valley Amish Community will be holding their crowd-favorite Nittany Valley Benefit Dinner featuring the menu of a traditional Amish wedding.