18 Things to Do in Happy Valley, PA in Winter

Happy Valley, Pennsylvania is a cozy place for a winter getaway. If you’re ready to brave the cold, then you’ll love these things to do in Happy Valley in winter.

From skiing to ice skating to exploring local art and local brews, there are so many fun things to do in Happy Valley in winter. You haven’t really experienced Happy Valley if you haven’t visited to play in the snow!

I made the trip up to Centre County specifically for some cold-weather fun. As a Southerner, I don’t get to do things like skiing and outdoor ice skating often, and I hardly ever get snow, so I was excited to visit during a particularly cold and snowy week for the full effect.

Bundle up and get ready to discover just how fun winter in Happy Valley, PA can be!

A special thanks to the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau for sponsoring our trip! As always, all opinions are my own.

Best Winter Things to Do in Happy Valley

1. Go skiing or snowboarding at Tussey Mountain

Tussey Mountain is a ski lodge in Boalsburg, PA with trails for skiing, snowboarding, and snowtubing. This is actually a great ski resort for beginners, which is perfect for me and Kevin since we’ve only been skiing one other time in Bavaria.

Their easiest run, the Little Bear beginner slope, was just our speed. The beginner area even has its own double chair lift (yay for being able to practice getting on and off a chair lift!). The resort also offers private and group lessons.

If you’re more advanced, a larger chair lift serves their advanced slopes and terrain parks like Grizzly, Upper Tuscarora, and Winter’s Way.

There is also one slope for snow tubing that is open part of the winter; when snow tubing is closed, that slope is opened up to skiers and snowboarders.

2. Hit the rink at Pegula Ice Arena

Pegula Ice Arena in State College, PA is where Penn State hockey plays, but they have public skating sessions on their Community Rink. We went for one of their evening skates, and they dimmed the lights and turned on the disco ball for a fun atmosphere.

Be sure to take a look in at the Varsity Rink that’s used for Penn State hockey games. You won’t be able to skate on it, but it’s impressive to see!

3. Skate outside at The Rink at Talleyrand Park

One of my main reasons for wanting to visit Happy Valley in winter was to go outdoor ice skating at The Rink at Talleyrand Park in Bellefonte, PA. This small community rink is free to skate on and has the perfect backdrop of the park and Victorian town.

The rink is maintained by volunteers and there’s no Zamboni, so the ice isn’t as smooth as an indoor rink. But I’m pretty used to our Southern outdoor ice rinks in Atlanta, so I’m no stranger to un-ideal ice and was able to make do! The snow had left a bad patch in the middle, but there was a well-worn ring around the perimeter that you could easily skate. I found a good spot for spins and jumps, with the perfect backdrop of the town, so I had plenty of fun!

If you have your own skates, then this is a great budget winter activity! If you don’t have skates of your own, you can rent a pair from the visitor center at the Bellefonte Train Station. I brought my own skates for this trip, but Kevin used the rental skates and he actually liked them pretty well!

4. Walk around a snowy Penn State

Pennsylvania State University, known simply as Penn State, is at the heart of Happy Valley in State College. The campus is beautiful in the snow, so take a stroll to some of these historic spots:

• Old Main — This is the campus administrative building. Built in 1930, the building and its tall bell tower are a focal point of campus.
• Nittany Lion Shrine — Penn State’s mascot is the Nittany Lion (a mountain lion), so of course the campus needs a large sculpture to commemorate their mascot.
• Hintz Family Alumni Center — This building is connected to University House, which was home to 11 of Penn State’s presidents from 1864 until 1970, and is surrounded by a series of gardens.
• “The HUB” HUB-Robeson Center — This is the student center, and it’s open to the public with some interesting things to do inside, which I’ll tell you about below.

5. Warm up inside the HUB-Robeson Center

The HUB-Robeson Center is the student union building, and it’s open to the public. You should definitely stop in to warm up because there is a lot of interesting art, aquariums, and the bookstore with plenty of Penn State gear.

The HUB-Robeson Galleries displays arts from students and contemporary artists for free public exhibitions. You’ll find art in the HUB Gallery, along Art Ally, in wall cases, and on surfaces throughout the student center.

Near the west entrance to the HUB, there are two medium-sized saltwater aquariums filled with colorful fish and coral.

6. Stay in a cozy room at the Graduate State College

The Graduate State College is the perfect cozy hotel for a winter getaway in Happy Valley. We stayed here and fell in love with their studious vibes.

Our guest room was like an elevated dorm room (I’m getting Ned Nickerson vibes, but I might be reading too much Nancy Drew) with plaids and pinstripe décor, football motifs on the headboard, a football player lamp, and a throw pillow with Penn State’s iconic “We Are” phrase embroidered across it.

The lobby is like a cozy library where you can hang out among vintage books, lion accents, and Penn State memorabilia. The hallways leading to the guest rooms are covered in a bookshelf wallpaper, and the carpet design by the elevators looks like a bunch of tiny stadiums.

Even the keycards look like old student IDs from Penn State alums. We had actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key and businesswoman Betty James (she came up with the name for the Slinky).

You can read my full review of the Graduate State College here.

Book your stay at the Graduate State College here.

7. Go indoor rock climbing at Climb Nittany

Climb Nittany in Boalsburg offers indoor rock climbing with top ropes, lead climbing, and bouldering plus a gym, which is perfect for when you’re still feeling adventurous but don’t want to go outside into the cold.

You can join a Discover Climbing course if it’s your first time climbing. If you’ve climbed before but it’s your first time at Climb Nittany, you’ll need to do a proficiency test in order to belay or lead climb.

When we arrived, we did their short orientation and got a quick tour of the facility. Since we’ve climbed before, we knew that we were only really interested in bouldering. We spent a couple hours at it and conquered a few hard runs!

8. Take a winter hike in Rothrock State Forest

Rothrock State Forest has nearly 300 miles of hiking trails. A lot of their trails can be accessed behind Tussey Mountain in Boalsburg.

With the winter weather, road conditions can be iffy. Be cautious driving on the potentially icy roads.

We decided to hike at Galbraith Gap, which has hiking and mountain biking shared-use trails. You can connect to a lot of different trails from here and make it a long or short hike depending on what you’re in the mood for or what the weather conditions are.

We had some pretty icy conditions, so we didn’t hike very far, but I did enjoy the snowy scenery through the trees and along the stream at the beginning of the trail.

9. Visit the Palmer Museum of Art

The Palmer Museum of Art in State College has a large and diverse collection of works spanning cultures and centuries. They have rotating exhibitions, so stop in to warm up and see what’s on view this winter.

Their permanent collection has nearly 11,000 works of American paintings, sculpture, and prints; African and Ancient American cultural objects; Asian ceramics, sculptures, and works on paper; contemporary ceramics, European paintings, sculpture, and prints; photography; studio glass; and modern art.

The museum is free and perfect for a winter visit!

10. Stroll through snowy gardens at the Arboretum at Penn State

The Arboretum at Penn State is just behind the Palmer Museum of Art. The gardens are perfect for a snowy stroll.

During the winter, the Arboretum has seasonal plantings in their winter displays, from Fraser firs to incense cedar to different cypress and dogwoods. Evergreens are, of course, the stars of the seasonal displays.

When we visited, everything was covered in snow, and it made for a magical afternoon walk. The Childhood’s Gate Children’s Garden was a highlight with a lot of fun sculptures, a glass house, and a fake cave. The Joel N. Myers Sundial was also interesting, though it was a cloudy day so we couldn’t see the sundial in action.

11. Take a tour of Penn’s Cave

Penn’s Cave is another great way to escape the cold. This cave is always 52°F year-round, so it’s downright toasty compared to a winter day in Happy Valley.

Penn’s Cave is America’s only all-water cavern. They offer a guided cave tour, done entirely by boat. On the tour, you get to see the cave’s incredible formations, pillars, and columns, learn how the cave was discovered, and maybe even see some animals like bats hanging around the cave. At the end of the cave, the boat actually exits into Lake Nittanee.

There is also a Wildlife Park at Penn’s Cave, but it is closed during the winter. You can still see some animals, like bison and elk, as you drive onto the property and from the boat tour on Lake Nittanee.

We had a great time on this tour! The tour guides are a lot of fun and crack a lot of jokes.

12. See local art at the Bellefonte Art Museum

The Bellefonte Art Museum is another great art museum in the area where you can see works by local artists as well as a moving Underground Railroad exhibit.

Their exhibits rotate regularly, but they always highlight local artists and include a gallery with works from around the world

This art museum is located in a historic home from 1810. The home is believed to have been used as a station on the Underground Railroad, and work on the home has uncovered an attic space that may have been a secret cupboard for hiding those escaping slavery. You can see the cupboard as well as art work depicting the courage and suffering of the enslaved African Americans.

13. Take a tour of Bellefonte with Local Historia

Local Historia has put together a bunch of different tours around Bellefonte where you can get to know the history of the town.

Their self-guided tours include an Underground Railroad Tour, an Ironmasters Walking Tour, a Victorian Homes Tour, and a Historic Walking Tour.

They also have seasonal tours like the Spooky Speakeasy event, a haunted walking tour of Bellefonte, and a Haunted Altoona walking tour.

They offer private guided tours that can be a general local history walking tour, a ghost tour, or a custom tour.

We did a private driving history tour of Bellefonte where we learned about the town’s Underground Railroad history, the town’s architecture, and the many Pennsylvania governors who came from here. A driving tour was a great way to see so much of Bellefonte and escape the winter cold as well!

14. Have an ice cream break at Meyer Dairy

Meyer Dairy is local store where you can get farm fresh milk and ice cream made from local dairy cows.

This is a great place to stock up on local goods like milk, bread, cheese, honey, jam, peppers, syrup, artisan pasta, artisan spreads and dips, snacks, and eggs. We definitely would have bought a bunch of stuff if we didn’t have to take a flight home!

I highly recommend getting an ice cream flight to try four different flavors; they have over 40 flavors to choose from, and some are pretty unique. We went with Oreo, Black Raspberry, Chocolate Peanut Butter, and Butter Pecan. All were delicious!

15. Visit the Birthplace of Memorial Day in Pennsylvania

Boalsburg is considered the birthplace of Memorial Day in Pennsylvania. I won’t get into the whole history of Memorial Day because a bunch of different places claim to be the birthplace, but what we know is that here in Pennsylvania, the tradition started with three women decorating soldiers’ graves in October 1864.

Emma Hunter, Sophie Keller, and Elizabeth Myers placed flowers and wreaths on the graves of two local men who had died during the Civil War. They also decorated the graves of soldiers who had died during the War of 1812 and the Revolutionary War. They decided to decorate the graves on July 4, 1865.

There is now a statue in Boalsburg Cemetery that commemorates the women. The “Honors to the Fallen” Memorial Day Statue is a life-sized bronze statue of the three women placing flowers at a grave.

16. Eat local at top restaurants

Winter doesn’t stop the food in Happy Valley from being delicious! Here are a few of my favorites for a warm, comforting meal on a cold winter’s day:

• The Corner Room — A State College classic for breakfast, brunch, and lunch
• Flour & Stone — Italian restaurant, perfect for a cozy date night
• Breakfast on Boal — Breakfast spot in Boalsburg
• The Tavern — Classic American restaurant with a lot of history in State College
• The Field Burger and Tap — Burgers and boozy milkshakes
• Robin Hood Brewing Co. — Pub foods to go with their local brews
• Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks — Fresh farm-to-table local food
• Local Whiskey — Irish pub and whiskey bar

17. Warm up with an alcoholic drink

What’s more warming than a local beer or craft cocktail?

Happy Valley is home to the Central PA Tasting Trail with plenty of craft breweries distilleries, wineries, and cideries to choose from. Many locations also have cocktails and mocktails to choose from as well.

Beyond the tasting trail, there are just a lot of great places to drink in this college town. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Flour & Stone — I recommend the Boozy Limonata with gin
• The Tavern — The Tavern, and its historic back bar called Adam’s Apple, is known for the Original Sin, a blend of cherry brandies, triple sec, sours, and champagne. It’s the classic way to start a night out in State College!
• The Field Burger and Tap — They’re known for their boozy Hard Shakes. I recommend the boozy Cookies & Cream.
• Robin Hood Brewing Co. — Award-winning IPAs, wheat beers, and experimental brews. It’s a stop on the Central PA Tasting Trail!
• Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks — Craft beers brewed in Millheim. It’s a stop on the Central PA Tasting Trail!
• Local Whiskey — Has a huge whiskey collection

18. Shop local at Way Fruit Farm

Way Fruit Farm is a family-owned, local fruit farm that has a year-round store selling local goods. They farm apples, strawberries, cherries, peaches, plums, pears, and other seasonal fruits.

Most fruits will already be harvested by the time winter gets here. But there are some apple varieties that have a longer lasting supply available into winter and spring, so you can still get some fresh apples.

The Way Café and Bakery serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I recommend stopping here for breakfast and getting an apple cider donut and some hot mulled apple cider.

At their store, you can find local produce, canned and dry grocery items from the area, fresh baked goods, and cute gift and home decor items. There’s everything from honey and jams to soaps and photography.

We bought some wildflower honey, clover honey, and fresh bread to bring home with us!

How to Get to Happy Valley

If you’re driving, State College is easily accessible by I-99 and and US-322. Other towns in Centre County, like Boalsburg and Port Matilda, are also right off these routes. Bellefonte is easily accessed by I-99 near the I-80 junction.

If you’re flying, probably the most convenient airport will be State College Regional Airport (SCE). This airport has nonstop flights from Philadelphia, from Washington DC, and from Chicago through American Airlines and United Airlines.

Another great option for flying is the Altoona-Blair County Airport (AOO) in Martinsburg, PA. This airport has two flights daily (one flight on Tuesday and Saturday) to and from Charlotte. Their prices are super cheap (starting from $69; I got tickets for $140 per person), you’re going to get the same service as a commercial flight, and you’ll have way more leg room. The trade-off is that you’ll need to rent a car and drive 1 hour to State College from there.

No matter how you’re arriving, I do recommend having a car for this trip. So be sure to rent a car either at SCE or at AOO.

Happy Valley Winter Activities Map

Ready to explore Happy Valley when it’s a winter wonderland? Use the map below to find all these snowy locations listed in this post.

I hope you have an amazing getaway with these fun things to do in Happy Valley, PA in winter!

The Graduate State College

We loved our stay at the Graduate State College! The hotel is located just off the Penn State campus, and it’s the perfect place to stay in Happy Valley.

The entire hotel is awash with Penn State pride. The guest rooms have the feel of an elevated dorm room, the hallway walls are covered in a bookshelf wallpaper, and the keycards look like old student IDs from famous Penn State alums.

Happy Valley in Winter FAQ

More Winter Vacations

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• Graduate by Hilton State College Review: Top Happy Valley Hotel

Cheers!

Paige

What are your favorite things to do in Happy Valley in winter? Let me know in the comments!