By Jodie Dello Stritto
In the state of Pennsylvania’s new tourism brand, the Great American Getaway, Happy Valley is featured prominently as a key destination in the Alleghenies region. The Alleghenies includes Centre, Cambria, Blair, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, Bedford and Fulton Counties and is a prime stop for visitors seeking a blend of natural beauty, outdoor adventure and rich history.
Happy Valley offers some of the biggest draws in the region, including college sports, arts and culture, small-town charm and more. Tourists have spent over a billion dollars in Centre County in the past year, illustrating that the Happy Valley region is a standout location for year-round fun for families and travelers of all ages.
“Tourists have spent over a billion dollars in Centre County in the past year, illustrating that the Happy Valley region is a standout location for year-round fun for families and travelers of all ages.”
The Pennsylvania tourism campaign highlights attractions like the Penn State Arboretum, the Berkey Creamery and other attractions for unique recreation opportunities and cultural experiences that rival big cities. The area also benefits from the amenities and attractions in surrounding counties.
With natural beauty at the forefront of the campaign, Happy Valley’s popular spots like Tussey Mountain and Rothrock State Forest are featured alongside other Alleghenies-based gems like Blue Knob State Park and Raystown Lake, which offer countless activities such as hiking, mountain biking, and fishing, catering to both thrill-seekers and those looking for a peaceful retreat. Raystown is popular with Penn State football fans who choose accommodations like lodges and lake houses to enjoy more rustic surroundings and be farther from crowds.
The Alleghenies are also steeped in history, with numerous sites that tell the story of America’s past. The campaign highlights experiences with Centre County history in its charming small towns like Bellefonte and Boalsburg. These opportunities attract visitors who also find sites with similar appeal in towns like Bedford, located just over an hour from State College off of I-99. Old Bedford Village, for example, is a living history museum that features structures and live demonstrations that tell the story of 18th and 19th-century life in the Allegheny Mountains.
Wineries, breweries, distilleries and cideries in Happy Valley are also highlighted, along with top farm-to-table restaurants like Elk Creek Café, Happy Vally Brewing and Otto’s Pub & Brewery that take advantage of the area’s thriving agricultural industry. Mifflin County, part of the Juniata River Valley, offers similar locally sourced drinking and dining, including family-friendly Reedsville Creamery, famous for smash burgers, fries, and hand-dipped ice cream, Seven Mountains Wine Bar & Stonefly Cafe and Shy Bear Brewing. All three spots are popular with Happy Valley visitors and Penn State football travelers.
The Alleghenies offers a vibrant cultural scene. In Happy Valley, visitors enjoy a mix of local arts and music, plus festivals such as the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, one of the top-ranked juried art fairs in the country. Penn State’s performing arts venues also bring Broadway touring productions, big-name music acts and more to the area, including Bruce Springsteen, Elton John and many others. Across the region, organizations like Laurel Arts in Somerset County foster a local appreciation for art and music. In Cambria County, Johnstown’s Cambria City neighborhood is enjoying a revitalization effort centered around the art, food and music of the various immigrant populations that settled and built the area.
The Alleghenies region is boosting its profile as a top-tier travel player and establishing itself among the nation’s other renowned mountain destinations, like the Poconos, the Rockies, the Adirondacks and the Smokies. Happy Valley stands to benefit from efforts to grow visitors and offer exciting new experiences.
Check out the Alleghenies region on the Great American Getaway and let us know what’s missing and what you think of Happy Valley’s inclusion in the Alleghenies region.
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