The Arboretum at Penn State, located at Penn State’s University Park campus, is a special Happy Valley treasure. The H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens, open daily from dawn until dusk, offer visitors ten acres of specialty gardens. Beyond the gardens lie fields and woodlands for hiking, biking, and observing wildlife. Admission is free.

Before moving to Happy Valley in 2019 — and becoming President and CEO of the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau — Fritz Smith served in leadership in tourism with Visit Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). Over the years, his career took his family from New York City to Philadelphia to Baltimore to Washington, D.C. And when he and his wife Leslie decided on a move, he says that they were drawn to Happy Valley as a chance to slow down and enjoy a life that he says was “a bit less hectic, less expensive, less loud and dirty.”

After a challenging year, Happy Valley, PA is well-positioned to become a premiere four season destination across visitation segments.

Greg Guise puts a new meaning on the term ‘active retirement.’ After graduating from Penn State and working as a videographer in Detroit and then in Washington, D.C. for 40 years, he’s back in Happy Valley. And when I call him, he’s climbing Rattlesnake Mountain to install communications gear for the amateur radio community. It’s “just a way of giving back,” he says just before he drives out of cell phone range. When he calls back, he tells me just why community is so, so important. Read on.

Get involved with Happy Valley entrepreneur networks, Bellefonte’s burgeoning downtown, social media in this area … or really anything involving growth and community in Happy Valley … and it’s just a matter of time before you run into Ellen Matis. She’s the founder of Hello Social Co., a bespoke social media service, serves as Board President for Downtown Bellefonte Inc., and is a member of the marketing committee for the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. Hear why Ellen chose Bellefonte and what every visitor should do when they are in town. Read on!

In collaboration with students, artists, and student-curators, HUB-Robeson Galleries are hosting two student led exhibitions in the HUB-Robeson Center. The exhibitions, titled FRESH and Inside the Frames, exemplify the beauty of personhood and evoke powerful sentiments of self-identity and perception.

The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, joined by Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics, announced a formalized effort to elevate Happy Valley’s standing as a premier sports and entertainment destination through the creation of the Happy Valley Sports and Entertainment Alliance.

Do you have questions about Happy Valley’s history, the nuggets of information that aren’t readily uncovered with a quick Google search? He came here in 1965, “accidentally never left,” and has been telling Happy Valley’s stories ever since.

The next time you are there vacationing, traveling on business, or visiting as part of an event, you’ll likely meet two of the people who make The Nature Inn such an unparalleled destination: sisters Kashia Quay and Lexie Hosterman. Find out what they say makes Centre County so special, why the Nature Inn is a can’t-miss destination in Happy Valley, and what to do on your next visit.