10 Free Things to do in State College That You Shouldn't Miss

October 7, 2021 Flossie Demartino

State College, as can be imagined from its name, is a college town, the home to the main campus of Penn State, one of the ten largest public universities in the United States. Downtown State College is home to hundreds of businesses that serve the university's students and professors, from boutique shops, to coffee houses, to theaters for the performing arts. The city is also home to the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, which brings 125,000 visitors to the downtown area each year.
Restaurants in State College

1. Penn State University

University Park, State College, PA 16802 +1 814-865-5471 http://www.psu.edu/
Excellent
83%
Good
14%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 620 reviews

Penn State University

Reviewed By xavierfs - Macungie, United States

Freshman move in day. Great organization and easy move in day. Extremely helpful employees directing you. I wish I was the student.... Great school

2. Centre County Historical Society

1001 E College Ave, State College, PA 16801-6898 +1 814-234-4779 http://www.centrehistory.org/
Excellent
83%
Good
17%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 12 reviews

Centre County Historical Society

3. The Arboretum at Penn State

336 Forest Resources Bldg University Park, State College, PA 16802-3604 +1 814-865-9118 http://arboretum.psu.edu/
Excellent
82%
Good
15%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 521 reviews

The Arboretum at Penn State

Reviewed By Trip270430

Considering 200,000 people are within 1/2 mile of this location during every home Penn State football game & you can stop there & feel like you have the place to yourself is awesome & truly overlooked by many. We stayed the weekend at goPSUrv & visited The Arboretum on a Sunday morning.

4. Palmer Museum of Art

Curtin Road University Park, State College, PA 16802 +1 814-865-7673 [email protected] http://www.palmermuseum.psu.edu
Excellent
50%
Good
42%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 109 reviews

Palmer Museum of Art

Reviewed By lois113 - Highland, United States

Very little parking available close to the museum. I went in because it was very hot and was waiting to meet someone. I did enjoy the cool air and the interesting exhibits.

5. Stone Valley Recreation Area

108 Business Services Bldg University Park, State College, PA 16802-1002 +1 814-863-1164 [email protected] http://www.psu.edu/Stone_Valley/
Excellent
60%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
7%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 15 reviews

Stone Valley Recreation Area

6. Happy Valley Vineyard & Winery

576 S Foxpointe Dr, State College, PA 16801-3300 +1 814-308-8756 [email protected] http://www.thehappyvalleywinery.com
Excellent
58%
Good
39%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 36 reviews

Happy Valley Vineyard & Winery

We strive to provide quality wines by beginning with sustainable agricultural practices in the vineyard as well as using energy efficient products to make our wine. We grow premium grapes that produce wines with distinctive varietal character. Although we focus on dry whites and dry reds, our list of thirty plus wines has something that will please every palate.

7. Millbrook Marsh Nature Center

548 Puddintown Rd, State College, PA 16801-6746 +1 814-235-7819 http://www.crpr.org/Millbrook/MMNC-Menu.html
Excellent
70%
Good
18%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 44 reviews

Millbrook Marsh Nature Center

Reviewed By carrieecorcoran - Central Square, United States

Wonderful and peaceful. I loved the boardwalks. Cardinals, blue jays, hawks, different waterfowl, and deer were among the wildlife we saw.

8. Otto's Pub & Brewery

2105 N Atherton St, State College, PA 16803-1527 +1 814-867-6886 http://www.ottospubandbrewery.com/
Excellent
36%
Good
34%
Satisfactory
19%
Poor
5%
Terrible
6%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 121 reviews

Otto's Pub & Brewery

Reviewed By mglas27823 - Gainesville, United States

Nice modern atmosphere and clean. Had a business lunch and would certainly return for a nightcap when it wasn't raining. The creole crab dip was amazing!

9. Mount Nittany

Mountain Rd, State College, PA 16827 http://mtnittany.org
Excellent
41%
Good
41%
Satisfactory
13%
Poor
3%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 32 reviews

Mount Nittany

Reviewed By Pannipannini - Maryland, United States

We were visiting the town and wanted a less than 2 hour hike. We had kids from age 4 to 10, and did the shorter steeper ascent and descent. It was really fun for the kids and the adults. The views are lovely, go early otherwise it is crowded. There are also longer hikes, which we hope to explore next time.

10. The Animal Kingdom

103 S Allen St, State College, PA 16801-4737 +1 814-237-2402 http://www.theanimalkingdom.com/
Excellent
44%
Good
22%
Satisfactory
11%
Poor
0%
Terrible
23%
Overall Ratings

3.5 based on 9 reviews

The Animal Kingdom

The Animal Kingdom first opened it's doors in October 1991 on Allen Street in the very heart of downtown State College, Pennsylvania and the home to Penn State University. The storefront's old-fashioned window panes is the perfect backdrop for our classic stuffed animals and unique toys and gifts. It's hard to resist the pull of viewing our delightful assortment through those windows... constantly inviting the young and the young at heart inside for some playtime.As an independent toy store, we have a passion for customer service. We trust that our experienced, knowledgeable staff will consistently go above and beyond to serve our customers. We hope to always offer that "something special" and instill a sense of magic not only in our store but in the lives of everyone we meet.We believe that supporting the community we serve extends beyond our storefront. Participating as lead sponsors of family-centered events, supporting educational and cultural institutions and family-focused non-profits is part of our business model and success. If you're in the area, we'd truly love to meet you! Please stop in and say hello!Store hours: Monday - Wednesday 10:00am - 5:30pmThursday - Saturday 10:00am - 7:00pmSunday 11:00am - 4:00pm

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