Only saw a bit of the town when we took our daughter for a college tour last November. They had the X-Mas lights up and a street closed off with kids meeting Santa. It was very beautiful. The downtown seemed like it had a bit of everything. Also, saw some of the more nationwide restaurants and stores down Atherton.
So I was just curious about how people think of the town itself and things to do around it?
Thanks!
About 99% of State College is directly or indirectly related to Penn State. As you no doubt noticed driving there, it is the most remote major university on the US. It is not an easy day trip to any major city.
@TomSrOfBoston That’s fine with my daughter. We live 40min from NY and she is not a big city person. She liked the fact it was a small town.
The weather is absolutely gorgeous here today. 
I like that State College and the surrounding areas are very walkable, and where walking fails there’s the bus system. I was invited to a Halloween party on Saturday, read the wrong bus schedule, ended up walking for about an hour off-campus. There were sidewalks the whole way and streetlights for much of it. So far I have not really wished that I had a car; it’s not hard to get around the area close to the university.
I tend to avoid downtown on weekends, but that’s just because it can get kind of crowded with the party people out en masse.
I’ve lived in truly rural PA, suburban NJ, and then in SC for more than 20 years. It is incorrect to say 99% of the city is related to PennState – lots of people work for the medical center, contractors, major businesses, and the school district. It’s about 3 hrs to Philly, Pittsburgh, or DC/Baltimore. There’s an airport, a MegaBus, and a greyhound station. But we are a major concert/performance venue in our own right.
The town is pretty conservative, the U is pretty liberal, and that is energizing. The population is culturally diverse and something is always going on for those who care to find it. There is good public transportation, lots of bike paths and hiking trails. For 5 or 6 Saturdays in the fall you have to put up with traffic, and ditto for Arts Fest and Fourth Fest, but those are seasonal. We have lots of active seniors and permanent residents to anchor things. We are volunteers, and pioneers.
I love it here. Every spring I watch the Amish ladies at the farmer’s market talk with their Chinese customers, who are chatting with some guy in a turban or a woman in sari or an elderly European lady or a college student from Russia all in this little city. Pretty neat.
“It is the most remote major university on the US.” I don’t know about that. My alma mater, the University of Illinois, was out in the cornfields, about the same distance from Chicago as PSU is from Baltimore.
@zipbags My kids love it at Penn State (two there now and two applied this year!). One of the things I love the most is that they never feel like they need a break from campus because they have everything they need there and it doesn’t feel like they are just on a campus, but at home. It means they don’t come home except for holidays lol but that is exactly what I wanted for them!
My son is a freshman and will be home for the first time for Thanksgiving (I hope - have to pin him down on that one LOL.) He is incredibly busy and never runs out of things to do. Perfect place for him. Now, for a more hipster type, roam through the city kind of kid, I wouldn’t imagine State College would cut it. Also not a great place for foodies - I’ve been there four times and while there are plenty of eating establishments, so far all my meals have been meh (any recommendations??)
Tadashi Japanese is outstanding…tiny place, you can’t show up there with 8 people and expect to be at same table, but really terrific sushi, ramen, yakitori and yummy bites.
We’ve enjoyed stops at Mad Mex for spicy burritos and fun salsa choices in a huge sports bar/busy Mexican cantina atmosphere.
Good and creative pub eats at Kildare’s with nice atmosphere.
Breakfast at the Nittany Lion Inn has all the favorites and some unique and delicious chef’s specials that have me dying to go back.
Irving’s has nice coffee and breakfast bagel sandwich specials.
So many places to eat and don’t forget the dining commons are always open to visitors and have been some of our most enjoyable casual and fast meals on campus!
Between Creamery ice cream and ordering Grilled Stickies a la mode in every restaurant that offers them, several weeks of dieting always follows each trip to State College.
We’ve eaten well for the most part there, but a couple places we thought were just ‘meh’…
The Tavern? Adorable and cozy inside, nice wait staff, food is just OK. Those menu selections are fine, but can’t have changed in 30 years. Stick to steak or prime rib, and apple pie…you would leave happy with those choices. Avoid the chicken.
The Diner is good for grabbing a couple boxes of Stickies stacked high in the window, but not so awesome for sit-down dining. Tired and greasy.
Anyone else have good/bad restaurant reviews? We’re in our first year as PSU visitors, and have several years ahead so always needing tips!
We love Kelly’s, which is down the road a wee bit in Boalsburg (it’s the one with the cow on the roof!!) Locally sourced, very fresh food creatively prepared. Downtown, Cozy Thai is very popular, although I find it unremarkable but ymmv, and the atmosphere/service is good; you can find it across from the library. Spats (corner of Pugh and College) is underrated and tasty but often crowded. Can’t go wrong with Irving’s!! Harrison’s, which works out of the Garden Inn on College Ave as you come into town, is an excellent farm-to-table choice even if it is basically squeezed into a corner in the lobby of a hotel. Into town the other direction is the venerable Home D pizzaria/grill/bar. Good food, if not innovative. North end of town features Otto’s, which is awesome ambiance, friendly service, lots to choose from but often very busy. Which I would think is a good sign. When we have company, we take them to Otto’s or Kelly’s. Or Meyer Dairy, where you can see the cows who provided your ice cream …
The Toftrees resort just redid their restaurant, and now it is called The Field. The buzz is good. Alehouse (also out in Toftrees) has been a local hangout for jazz and excellent food forever.
This is amazing…thank you!
Kelly’s used to be our go to but we’ve been disappointed the last couple times; we’ll probably be back at Zola for work dinners. I hate the Tavern; no amount of ambiance can make up for their mediocre (at best) food. India Pavillion is great Indian food; my son, who lived in Cambridge MA for nine years and had an Indian suite-mate said it’s as good as anything they got up there. India Pavilion and Herwig’s are both BYOB so they are really reasonable for dinner. A lot of locals like Spats, though I find it a little loud and overpriced. Faccia Luna has the best crab cakes in town and good pizza. Nittany Lion is hit or miss; they do have the best Eggs Benedict.
If you’re up for an adventure, drive out Rt 45 to Milheim for dinner at the Elk Creek Cafe and Aleworks. The food is locally sourced and often good. On the way out you are likely to pass Amish buggies on the road and if you watch you’ll see farms with no power lines running to them and on Mondays, I think, their traditional laundry out on the clotheslines.
I was going to recommend Spats. We accidentally ended up there one night by pure luck and it was really good. Tried to get in there on Parents weekend but could not.
I love State College. I think it’s a perfect blend of ‘big city amenities’ like big name concerts, sports, festivals, etc… and small town walkable quaintness. Plus I like the outdoor options such as Stone Valley and Bald Eagle for kayaking, hiking, etc… We live in Pittsburgh but my husband and I are both alumni, and very often we talk about retiring to State College. Just not sure I want to retire to that much snow, lol. But we have 15+ years to worry about that. We are in the eastern suburbs of Pgh so it only takes us 2 hours to get there. But my daughter drove to NYC with friend from PSU and it took her about 4 hours. It’s about 3.5-4 from Washington DC and Philly etc…So it might be in the middle of “nowhere” (although I think it’s some of the most beautiful ‘nowhere’ in Pennsylvania!), but there is plenty to do and see there and it’s not far from a big city if that’s what you want for a day or two.
Faccia Luna’s parking, though, what a pain 
And I was going to mention India Pavillion but somehow thought it was closing or something. Herwigs certainly is unique, but the yelling…
Good catch for Elk Creek – what a great place!
I graduated from Penn State in 1987 and I can say that it was the best 4 years of my life. I am a women and never felt unsafe. If you are not from the North East it will take you a while to get used to winter but is still fun. Your child must really want to go to a big school and must be willing to get out there and meet people. I was in a sorority and loved it. Dining and eating is great. Lots of choices. Good Luck. We are hoping our son goes there. He is a junior in HS right now. Go State!
@mainlinemom My friends graduated from PSU a year or so before you. They joke that all of the new stores and restaurants outside of the downtown weren’t there. My daughter was accepted 2 weeks ago and already has committed. So we are all very excited. Since my wife and I both went to a much smaller school (Hofstra). We are looking forward to the Football games. Since my wife and I both were in a sorority/fraternity. We are hoping she will also look into it.
when we looked at other schools for our daughter who graduated from Shenandoah University it amazed me how isolated some schools are. You would have to take a bus just to get toothpaste. The thing about state college is that your daughter will be able to get just about anything withing walking distance. Everything is very close. Mclanahans has a little bit of everything. Waffle shop and the diner are great for breakfast. If you want a great dinner, the tavern is a Penn State staple. I also know that the on campus eating has significantly improved due to demands from students. She will have a great 4 years. Congrats! I will tell you to plan very far in advance if you are going to visit or go to a game. Hotels rooms come at premium. I would book for move in day now if they will let you. We have stayed at the Penn State conference center which is on campus and easy access to downtown.
@mainlinemom We booked a hotel for the night before move in. Our friends whose daughter goes to PSU now. Told us to book a hotel room about 1/2-45min out of town for football.
The town definitely has everything she will need. From 2 Walmarts to an Urban Outfitters…even a local favorite Wegmans. Sure she won’t want for anything. My daughter also doesn’t mind the small town. My older daughter who goes to UDel. Needs to be near a city.
Yay!!! I just want to say — town may have been super safe in 1987, but it is much less so now. I think many new students are so taken by the “cute little town” factor that they get stupid. Your daughter should not walk alone after dark/midnight esp, particularly through the neighborhoods. (typically walking to an apartment) – campus is generally safe. I have lived here for decades now, and while assaults and near-assaults are not big-city common, it’s dumb to be out by yourself, and really really really dumb to be out after drinking. And every year there’s some incident with a guy who trolls a dorm, trying doors. Really.
@greenbutton Yeah…No place was safe. Remember those same concerns when I was in school. We gave the lecture to my older daughter and will give it to my younger daughter…Never walk alone at night…etc.