The accessible trail at Soaring Eagle Wetland near State College, Pennsylvania.
Amy Bertrand/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/TNS
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — There’s a reason they call it Happy Valley.
The Centre County area of Pennsylvania was given that name in the Great Depression because it seemed the county was generally not hit hard financially because of the presence of Pennsylvania State University.
But Edward Stoddard thinks there is more to it.
“What’s not to love,” says Stoddard, the communications director for the area’s travel arm, called the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, of course.
He points out that he himself moved there because of the great connection to the outdoors. “We have 750,000 acres of public lands, six state parks and opportunities for fishing, kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, skiing, bird-watching, geocaching.”
One of the most famed of those outdoor spaces is Mount Nittany, which rises high behind the stadium where the Penn State Nittany Lions play in front of 100,000 fans. Mount Nittany features eight miles of trails with jaw-dropping views, especially in the fall, when resplendent colors dot the landscape, both up close and in the distance.
For a less strenuous hike, try the Soaring Eagle Wetland. The first part, Galen and Nancy Dreibelbis Birding Area, offers two accessible blinds where you are sure to spot a variety of finches, wood ducks and more. Bring your binoculars. The second part is an accessible route through wetlands to the fishable Bald Eagle Creek, a path made possible through the Wildlife For Everyone Foundation. Large numbers of big trout are stocked there by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. Another trail keeps going through the grass and along the creek.
Bellefonte
The week I visited was not even a football weekend, but hotels in State College were booked or way overpriced, so I looked outside the college town proper and discovered a true gem. Bellefonte, the county seat of Centre County, is a throwback to another time, with modern twists. A river runs though the town, providing small waterfalls and a riverwalk frequented by locals and tourists alike.
The downtown area boasts quaint shops, from record stores to boutiques to coffee houses. The architecture, mainly Victorian, is magnificent to behold.
Our Fair Lady Bed and Breakfast was our home base. Tami and Bob Schuster met in high school in a production of “My Fair Lady,” thus the name and the names of the rooms: Eliza, Higgins, etc. They married, raised three kids then bought the 1883 Victorian and did extensive remodeling, opening it in 2007. The previous owner was a lumber baron, Tami told us. And the exquisite woodworking is just one of its many charms. Other charms include the Schusters themselves, who helped us set out a Scrabble game in the living room and provided a yummy breakfast. ourfairlady bnb.com
Penn State campus
The campus itself has a number of don’t-miss things to do beyond taking in a sporting event.
Nittany Lions
The most Instagrammable spot, says Stoddard, is the famous Nittany Lions Shrine at the south end of campus. On our visit, a short line had formed of people (and pets) waiting to get their photo with the famous statue. In 1942, artist Heinz Warneke spent months carving the lion and its base out of limestone. Several traditions surround the statue, including the homecoming ritual of guarding the lion overnight. Various campus groups take part in the school-spirit event that started in an effort to prevent vandalism.
All Sports Museum
Penn State offers a chance to see its giant stadium up close. The All Sports Museum is located inside Beaver Stadium, but it would be worth a visit even without the astounding elevator ride to the upper echelons of the second-largest stadium in the Western Hemisphere.
The museum is a tribute to Penn State’s athletics, from golf to gymnastics, ice hockey to football and basketball. And even if you are no Nittany Lions fan, you will appreciate the style and design of this museum, which punches above its weight. At the end of your walk through its two stories, meet back at the front, where a guide will take you to your stadium view. Even empty, it is certainly impressive. $5 suggested donation; gopusports.com
Arboretum
Not many college campuses can boast a botanical garden on site, but Penn State has a lovely one. Though the land on campus was set aside in 1914, it wasn’t until a $10 million gift in 2007 that it became a reality. H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens opened to the public in 2009. The gardens, filled with wildflowers, plantings, pavilions, a bird-watching house, fountains, sculptures and more, fill 10 acres, with an additional 20 acres planned. It’s free to visit, and there is a dedicated parking lot. arboretum.psu.edu
Palmer Museum of Art
Right next to the Arboretum is an impressive building in the final stages of development. The 71,000-square-foot museum is expected to open in spring. The museum will house a collection of American art — “paintings, prints, photographs and sculpture will be organized into multiple sections, including the American West, urban scenes, still lifes and domestic interiors, and abstraction,” according to PSU’s website.
Where to eat
Leave your car at the Arboretum and walk to your next destination: the Berkey Creamery. Part of the university’s department of food science, it’s the largest creamery in the United States. It’s also one of the biggest ice cream shops I’ve ever seen, smack dab in the middle of campus. There are coolers of dairy products and a line to purchase those. But on my visit, the longest line was to purchase ice cream. You get one flavor only, of about a dozen, in a cup or cone. The line moves fast and feels a bit like the “Soup Nazi” episode of “Seinfeld.” But that ice cream was as good as it gets.
We had several other terrific meals around town. I did not expect to find great Southern food in Pennsylvania, but the fried green tomatoes eggs Benedict I had at Gigi’s Southern Table proved otherwise.
In Bellefonte, the titular beautiful spring is actually in the middle of the town, covered to look like a swimming pool in the off season. Apparently, spring water is a big thing in the area. So much so that a series of distilleries, wineries and breweries make a big deal of using this great-tasting water on the CA Tasting Trail. Otto’s Pub and Brewery is one of the best known for its variety of craft beer on tap. You can find the beers around town, or dine at the brewery, which sits in the same parking lot as its sister restaurant, which is also a distillery. Barrel 21 is more than just a tasting room for its bourbons and whiskies — it’s a chef-driven restaurant with locally sourced food and a trendy bar with clever cocktails. Dine well, then work it off with a hike up Mount Nittany.
IF YOU GO
Getting there: State College is an 11-hour drive from St. Louis — well worth it for the fall foliage, if you go that time of year. There is an airport nearby (University Park), where you can arrive via United or American (usually with a stop).
More info: happyvalley.com
