State College Travel

I would be remiss not to mention the Penn State Football team when speaking of Travel to State College. They are by far the biggest draw, as far as State College Travel goes. There are dozens and dozens of State College Hotels that would be out of business, if the football went away. Just consider that Beaver Stadium, the home of the Nittany Lions, holds well over 100,000 people. State College is also well known for its Tail Gating community so a home game is like the hugest party that you have probably ever been to. Even while the game is progress and ticket holders are inside, I would bet that there are still many many thousands of people that remain in the lots that surround the arena. They listen to the game on the radio or bring portable antennas to view it on TV, it's quit a site to see.

As you would guess many travelers rent hotel rooms for the weekend or camp out around the stadium in RVs and tents. These lodging prospects can become a little expensive depending on how you look at them. State College is full of what I consider to be very nice hotels and motels and other lodging, that I think are reasonably priced. However, like any other tourist type town, when the football games are going on, guess what happens? You got it, the prices go up! Now, it might seem cheaper to buy a parking pass and camp around the stadium but you have to be careful when you do this because it not a park, so you can't just Daniel Boone and I don't have to tell you how expensive it can be to own and operate an RV. Some fans have resorted to finding houses that are available for home game weekends and rent them instead. This can be especially prudent if you travel with a big group and simply divide the cost out between everyone, rather than everyone renting rooms.

Best State College Hotels

If you live close to State College, then there is a good chance that you have heard of the Dance Marathon, also known as just "Thon". The students put it on every year and they raise millions of dollars for childhood cancer for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Children's Hospital. The first dance goes clear back to 1973 and it grown exponentially ever since.

It takes about 15,000 student volunteers to put Thon together. As huge the dance is, I am not sure how many people travel into State College for it. I do know that it raises a ton of money and that the Four Diamonds Fund is huge as is the National Cancer Society. Thon is a year round deal now, so I am sure that more people travel in and out of State College than most people think. Either way, it's a great tradition that helps a lot of kids, so I thought I would plug it, just cause I can. Although they do many other events, the 2 day long dance marathon is usually held in February.

Best State College Hotels

Another of the biggest events that people travel to State College every year for is the PA Festival of the Arts or a/k/a Arts Fest. Arts Fest happens every July right in the middle of the downtown and draws thousands of people from the local surroundings as well as from all over the world. It encompasses way more than it's title implies. Yes, it had small roots and started out as an open aired art exhibition but now, the several day event is much, much more. Art's fest has something for everyone. Along with the usual art, sculpture, music, food and drink, jewelry and crafts, there's a kid's day, where the kids are vendors along with face painting and, well you get the idea.

Arts Fest happens in the summer when most student are no longer on campus but you wouldn't know if you have ever visited the festivities. The downtown is not really set up for that much traffic. State College is a small town with a big campus, so parking and lodging can be problems. Since Arts fest is a several day event, it can get quit expensive, especially if you are vendor and must set up, attend every day and then tare down. Like mentioned earlier with the football games, many people share lodging or rent an entire house and split the costs, rather than renting hotel rooms in the State College area

Penn State Four Diamonds Fund Dance Marathon

PSU Arts Festival

I have mentioned the biggest of the events that has travelers invading State College annually but I didn't even scratch the surface of everything that goes on in the Borough and around the PSU campus in a years time. This lens would be a mile long and I have a natural aversion to wordy lenses. I try to make my points and move on. However, I should just mention a few more things before ending, I talked about the football team earlier but PSU is also known for having one of the best female volleyball teams in the country, along with a very good wrestling team and gymnastics and well this could on forever also.

Right down the road from State College is Boalsburg which has it's own Arts and Crafts Fest (People Choice Fest) as well as an awesome PA Military Museum. Boalsburg is by many considered the birthplace of Memorial Day. So, it has a huge celebration for that every year. And, I have to mention the Bryce Jordon Center also, which is a huge indoor complex that hosts countless concerts and event shows, all year long, along with men's and ladies basketball teams.

I will conclude with this. To me the main reason that so many people travel to State College every year is because the University is just a great institution that many people just want to be associated with it. I have heard this several times but I cannot verify it but many people have told me that more PSU students return to State College to live than any other college in the country and I believe it. The big little town is such a cultural hub that once people live there, they long for it and want to get back. You might think, well most people miss college after they graduate but I am talking about people that leave the area, work a full career in another state and then come back to State College once they retire. So, if you are thinking about State College travel, you better be careful, you might not ever want to leave it to go back home.

Best State College Hotels

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