Roaring Good Times

It’s not just wild, predator-driven football at Penn State. State College dwells amid startling natural wonders paired with fine dining and wineries that will turn your simple getaway into a restorative escape

- Laura Monroe Elliott

State College harbors a population of 42,000 people. But when the Penn State Nittany Lions take the field in the fall, Beaver Stadium becomes the fourth largest city in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It’s true that football is paramount in State College, but that’s not all this town has to brag about. Here you’ll discover picturesque natural beauty, a fisherman’s paradise, relaxed farm-to-table restaurants, and world famous ice cream. It’s no wonder they call it Happy Valley.

LION’S SHARE OF TRADITION

From the storied history built by Joe Paterno to an exciting new era with James Franklin at the helm, Penn State is an iconic brand among college football’s elite. Game days bring as many as 115,000 diehard fans to State College, almost tripling the town’s population.

When you consider its distance from the state’s largest cities—three hours from Philadelphia and more than two hours from Pittsburgh—you begin to understand how important this team is to Pennsylvania.

It’s no surprise that tailgating is a pretty big deal too. As the second largest stadium in the western hemisphere with a capacity of 106,572, historic Beaver Stadium is surrounded by a 500-acre open-field area. What was once a cow pasture is now a sea of blue and white before every game.

Penn State fans can thank a traffic jam for their tailgating tradition. In “100 Things Penn State Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die,” author and alumni Lou Prato explains it like this: