Overview
State College is a home rule municipality (styled as a "borough") in Centre County, Pennsylvania. Along with the adjoining College Township, it is home to the University Park campus of the Pennsylvania State University.
8 sights · 3 things to do · 12 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 9 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about State College
Pennsylvania State University
Penn State, home of the Nittany Lions, is the main campus of a university system with nearly 100,000 students in all. The State College campus has over 45,000 students, and its undergraduate enrollment of over 40,000 mak…
Nittany Lion Shrine
Sculpture of the Penn State mascot, the Nittany Lion. Said to be one of the most photographed locations in Pennsylvania.
Palmer Museum of Art
The Arboretum at Penn State
Frost Entomological Museum
Shaver's Creek Environmental Center
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 81°F; winter lows dip to about 14°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jun and Jul. (climate data from nearby Titusville)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- SCE State College Regional Airport, State College — 4 mi away. Directions
- AOO Altoona Blair County Airport, Altoona — 42 mi away. Directions
- PIT Pittsburgh International Airport, Pittsburgh — 126 mi away (major hub). Directions
Megabus serves State College with numerous buses from New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Toledo, and Chicago. Greyhound has more limited service to State College, with buses mostly from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Pennsylvania State University, The State Theatre, Nittany Lion Shrine
- Lunch Little Szechuan
- Afternoon Matson Museum of Anthropology, The Arboretum at Penn State
- Dinner The Tavern
- Evening Phyrst
Day 2
- Morning Scotia Barrens
- Lunch Otto's Pub and Brewery
- Dinner Barrel 21
Day 3
- Morning Shaver's Creek Environmental Center
- Lunch Lupita's Authentic Mexican Food
- Dinner Gigi's Southern Table
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
There are the usual number of chain restaurants and various student eats spots, but a number of must-attend restaurants also exist.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By plane
Go University Park Airport (SCE)
non-stop flights to Chicago, Detroit, Washington and Philadelphia.
By bus
Megabus serves State College with numerous buses from New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Toledo, and Chicago. Greyhound has more limited service to State College, with buses mostly from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Each company uses a different station, Greyhound buses use the State College Bus Station on 152 N Atherton St, approximately a half mile (10 minutes' walk) from the center of town. More inconveniently, the Megabus bus stop is located at a Walmart parking lot, on 1665 N Atherton St. (Public transport to downtown is available nearby.)
Ourbus serves bus service from State College to New York City & vice versa. These buses operates from 152 N Atherton St, N. Atherton Street Bus Terminal, about 1/2 mile (10 minutes' walk) from the college.
By car
State College is connected to nearby cities by the following highways.
- I-80, which traverses the state and goes towards Cleveland westbound and towards New York City eastbound, connects with I-99/US 220 north of State College.
- I-99/US 220, which connects State College with I-80 to the north and Altoona to the south. US 22 meets I-99 in Altoona and continues on to Pittsburgh.
- US 322 connects State College with Harrisburg to the east. The Pennsylvania Turnpike continues on from Harrisburg to Philadelphia.
Get around
Most of downtown State College can be seen by simply walking around the compact downtown and university campus. Although a car is convenient to get to the outskirts of town, a bike is sufficient.
If you prefer to take public transportation, CATA provides on-time bus service to most of the county. There are also free buses running through the downtown area, as well as through campus. Most State College routes run from 6AM until 2:30AM (shortly after last call) the following morning.
See
See Pennsylvania State University
Penn State, home of the Nittany Lions, is the main campus of a university system with nearly 100,000 students in all. The State College campus has over 45,000 students, and its undergraduate enrollment of over 40,000 makes it one of the five largest university campuses in America by undergraduate enrollment.
See Nittany Lion Shrine
Sculpture of the Penn State mascot, the Nittany Lion. Said to be one of the most photographed locations in Pennsylvania.
See Scotia Barrens
Ghost town just outside of State College. Scotia was an iron mining town until the early 1900s. There are a few concrete structures remaining, now covered in graffiti. Exploring further from the main hub reveals an abandoned car hidden in the pine forest.
Do
- Watch a Penn State football game.
- Ride your bicycle: There are many dedicated paths and bike lanes around town. Nearby Rothrock State Forest, which has hosted world-class mountain bike races, has miles of trails for all levels of mountain biking. Many of the country roads surrounding State College are also ideal for road cycling. The Centre Region Bicycle Coalition has more information on cycling in the State College area.
- 4th of July fireworks.
- The Pennsylvania State University IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, known colloquially as THON, is the largest student run philanthropy in the world raising money for pediatric cancer care and research at the Hershey Medical Center administered by the Four Diamonds fund. It is a 46-hour dance marathon held typically the penultimate weekend of February. Entry into the Bryce Jordan Center is free and open to the public during THON.
Buy
There are a number of small shops downtown along College and Beaver Ave. Nittany Mall is also only a few miles away.
Eat
There are the usual number of chain restaurants and various student eats spots, but a number of must-attend restaurants also exist.
Eat Lupita's Authentic Mexican Food
State College's most authentic Mexican cuisine is in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant located inside a Uni-Mart. A Downtown location also exists. Serving Oaxacan street food.
Eat The Tavern
Upscale downtown restaurant serving classy cuisine, including fresh local salads and wagyu steaks. Adjacent to Penn State, and a town mainstay.
Eat Penn State Berkey Creamery
The largest university creamery in the nation. Serves ice cream and sherbets, as well as snacks, milk and coffee.
Eat Kimchi Korean Restaurant
Best Korean food in town. Offering easygoing options including bulgogi, bibimbop & galbi, plus lunch deals.
Eat Otto's Pub and Brewery
Microbrewery with many local beer options, and pub-style food including burgers, mac and cheese, and pizzas.
Eat Barrel 21
Locally sourced cuisine, including craft sandwiches, with whiskey tastings and cocktails made with in-house spirits.
Eat Meyer Dairy Store
Yummy ice-cream and fresh bottle milk. Old fashioned flavors of ice cream can be found here.
Eat The Waffle Shop
Extremely popular breakfast and lunch diner famous for waffles, pancakes and sandwiches.
Eat Gigi's Southern Table
Farm to table Southern cuisine and soul food served in a rustic dining room
Eat Little Szechuan
Mouth-wateringly authentic Szechuan cuisine served in a no-frills eatery. Popular with Chinese transfer students. Classic Chinese dishes are also offered
Eat American Ale House
Beers on tap with ever evolving menu, as of this writing focused on seafood and Creole cuisine
Eat Way Fruit Farm Downtown Market
Downtown location of markets with seasonal fruits & local vegetables for sale. Cafe lunch menu including hearty sandwiches and soups
Drink
Drinking is what State College is known for, second only to football. Whether you prefer sports bars, dance clubs, or Irish pubs, with over 20 bars in a mile radius, everyone is sure to find something to their liking.
Drink Phyrst
The Phryst is one of State College's basement bars with a dedication to local music scene, friendly atmosphere, pool tables. Order a cheesesteak or a famous egg roll and enjoy local music.
Sleep
Go next
- Greenwood Furnance State Park is located approximately 30 minutes southwest of State College using PA-26 and PA-305. It offers camping, hiking, fishing, and other outdoor activities in season.
Nearby
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