CITY SPOTLIGHT:

YOUR GUIDE TO STATE COLLEGE

State College

Know Before You Go: About State College

Great food and beverages, fine arts and plenty of gorgeous scenery, State College is a must-visit Pennsylvania destination.

With find food, fine beverages, fine arts and plenty of gorgeous scenery, State College is a must-visit Pennsylvania destination. The city itself is rich in both history and culture. That should be reason enough to visit.

Venture Out Into the Valley

Penn State Nittany Lions football games are just one attraction in State College. Hiking boots on, everybody! Adventure up Mount Nittany for spectacular views of the town and surrounding area, or try Rothrock State Forest, with its 300 miles of trails for hiking or mountain biking. Rent row boats, canoes or sailboats at the Stone Valley Recreation Area or stroll the wooden boardwalk at the Millbrook Marsh Nature Center to bird watch. If you come in July, join the throngs at the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts to enjoy top-notch musical performances on outdoor and indoor stages.

Hot Season, Cold Season

Your State College getaway will look—and feel—completely different depending on when you visit. Summers are warm here, with an average high of 80 in July, but come January, the thermometer plunges to a chilly 19 degrees. The town gets approximately 84 inches of precipitation, distributed quite evenly throughout the year. Winter's precipitation often takes on the form of snow and summer brings raindrops. Still, you can count on dozens more days of sunny skies than cloudy ones each year.

One-Horse Pony

One good motor can keep a town humming, and for State College, that motor is the university. The University Park campus of Penn State dominates the town, economically and demographically. You'll enjoy biking through the campus, which is the town's biggest employer, followed by the state government and the school district. Other important industries include health care, retail and hospitality sectors.

So Many Ways to State College

University Park Airport isn't the biggest airport in the world, but you won't be alone if you arrive by plane. The airport is buzzing with business travelers, visitors and students. Take a cab or shuttle from the airport to your hotel. Alternatively, it's easy to drive to State College from any direction since it’s close to highways like Interstate 80 and Interstate 99. The closest Amtrak is in nearby Lewistown and there's a Greyhound station in town with connections to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and other nearby cities. Once you are settled in, you'll find public transportation readily available, especially to and from the university, as well as taxis.

Ready to travel? Find hotels in State College.

Things to Do in State College

The Allegheny Mountains serve as a backdrop to this college town filled with Penn State football, fishing and festivals that all add up to a great trip!