One of my absolute favorite places to visit. The creek is so beautiful and it's a nice trail!read more

It's a beautiful area to drive through and if your a fisherman, I'm sure it's a lot of fun. It…read morelooks like so much fun to fish the stream. It's just worth driving to go and see.

I don't really think of Pennsylvania as swamp land but this Natural Area has a 320 acre bog high up…read morein the mountains of Rothrock State Forest. It's popular with bears who like the wild blueberries that grow here and with birders. It's fairly remote; surrounded by ridges so the lights from State College and other smaller towns are mostly blocked out and there are open areas where the trees don't get in the way. You can see the milky way on any clear night.

By far the best! The service, atmosphere, the food! You get that small town hospitality that it's…read moreknown for. It's the only ice cream place in Williamsburg and they get a good many people from different areas (furthest I met lived in Ebensburg!) just for their tasty food! The owners are so down to earth and take their time with each and every customer. They don't rush you or look overwhelmed. They employ a good many high schoolers, personally I never had a problem with any of them they are just like the owners. A few years ago they put a car port with tables up which is nice! There's also another seating facing the river, a pravillion, and many other shady seating. The trail is right beside them it's my favorite part of Williamsburg. The river sound and shade can make you lose track of time peaceful and certain areas have beaches to picnic or swim. A hot summer day here will make the life stresses leave. With lower trail you'll never stop going it's worth it all.

This is a well maintained trail winding through the woods along the Frankstown Branch of the…read moreJuniata River and made over an old railroad bed so it's nice and flat for the most part. It goes from Alexandria, PA to Williamsburg, PA and a bit beyond. It's great for biking, horseback riding or just walking. You can park at the Alfarata Station in Alexandria or at the Water Street Flea Market, or at the Flowing Spring Station if you're coming from the other direction. There are four other stations along the way.

There was nothing there my kids, disappointed, and the tower was too high people almost hurt my kidread more

My two kiddos loved this park! Suitable for toddlers and big kids. Bring your bikes, there's so…read moremuch space to play and ride.

When your Adventure Buddy makes one request..."Can we hike Mount Nittany?" The answer is obviously…read moreyes. Neither of us had ever hiked Mount Nittany before, but after a little research, a mid-July Sunday morning seemed like the perfect time to explore one of central Pennsylvania's most iconic mountains. About an hour and a half later, we pulled into the trailhead parking lot just before 8:00 a.m. Parking was plentiful, GPS brought us right to the trailhead and, before we even started hiking, I encountered what may have been the biggest surprise of the morning: the trailhead porta john. It was...spotless. Seriously. I've encountered plenty of questionable trailhead restrooms over the years, so finding one that clean in the middle of July honestly deserved its own shoutout. After getting ourselves organized, we hit the trail. During my pre-hike research, I'd read quite a few reviews recommending the short white-blazed trail to the famous Mike Lynch Overlook. The only problem? That route climbs roughly 600 feet in about half a mile. Since my Adventure Buddy was a brand-new hiker, I decided we'd take the one-mile blue-blazed trail to the Nittany Mall Overlook instead before completing most of the loop in a clockwise direction. Past me made an excellent decision! The blue trail was definitely a workout, but it was manageable and gave us a chance to ease into the climb instead of immediately tackling the steepest section of the mountain. Once we reached the top, the hike transformed into a beautiful walk through the woods with overlook after overlook waiting to be discovered. Some of the scenic overlooks were partially hidden behind the thick summer foliage. But, honestly...that's a pretty wonderful problem to have! The forest was lush, green and absolutely thriving. As we worked our way around the loop, I kept checking in with my Adventure Buddy, who was having an absolute blast! Watching someone discover a love of hiking is almost as rewarding as the hike itself. We intentionally saved the Mike Lynch Overlook for last. And I'm so glad we did! Standing there looking out over Happy Valley felt like the perfect grand finale to an already fantastic morning. Instead of retracing our steps, we took the shorter white-blazed trail back down to the parking lot. Now that we'd actually experienced both routes, I would absolutely make the same decision again. Descending that steep section was challenging enough. If we'd climbed it first thing in the morning, I don't think we would've had the energy to complete the nearly 5.9-mile adventure we enjoyed that day. One thing that really stood out throughout the entire hike was how well people care for Mount Nittany. The trails were remarkably clean. I saw virtually no trash, no graffiti and very little evidence of careless visitors. It's obvious this mountain means a lot to the community, and it shows. Timing also worked in our favor. We finished around 11:30am, just as the trails were becoming noticeably busier. By the time we returned to the parking lot, it had filled considerably compared to when we arrived. PRO TIP: Start early. You'll enjoy cooler temperatures, quieter trails and much better opportunities to soak in the overlooks without crowds. I'd also recommend downloading or printing a trail map before you go. While the trails are well-marked overall, there were a couple of intersections where we appreciated having the map to confirm we were headed the right direction. Mount Nittany turned out to be everything I'd hoped it would be! Beautiful views. Peaceful forests. A great workout. Wonderful memories with a friend. And, perhaps most importantly...proof that sometimes the best hiking decision you make happens before you ever take your first step.

This trail is very well marked and maintained. I'm a big hiker and love to explore trails when…read morevisiting new places. The white and blue trails are marked with signs noting stations, distance, and steepness (topography maps show lines close together for steep areas and farther away for more flat) I stuck to the white trail for the energy I had in me that day, but like that you could go in and out of each to see overlooks or get more exercise depending on what you want. Very 'choose your own adventure'! The beginning part is a big steep, but not long or unbearable. Overall great place!

Holmes-Foster is a fantastic park to enjoy nature, have a group event, or play with your kids. It…read moredoesn't have extensive adult sporting facilities, but there are tennis courts a block or two away at the highschool. What it does have are two huge pavilions that you can reserve or just claim as first come first serve, super clean bathrooms, a big playground, and abundant green space and trees. It's a beautiful place to walk around if you want to see some nature but don't have time to drive to a state park.

Holmes-Foster is a great park for several reasons…read more First, there's lots of shade - which is especially important in those summer months. Second, there's plenty of green space and a great big hill to run up and down for those who have extra energy. Third, there are two separate playgrounds. The one uphill is great for the bigger kids. It has a larger play structure, a climbing wall, a slide, and a basketball court. The one downhill is great for the littler ones. It has a small play structure, a great little "bus" for kids to play in, some ride-on toys, and some swings. What's more - there are bathrooms, 2 picnic pavilions, and a water fountain. You can get to the park two different ways: 600 S. Sparks St. (upper playground) & 901 Westerly Pkwy (lower playground). We usually park in the Westerly lot, which is right across the street from Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church.

Pretty good space overall however just isn't the biggest dog park. Nice space and a few trees but…read morenot a lot of places to sit. Seems busy often though.

PA is full of town parks. Centre County has some of the best in the state…read more Tudek is no exception to that. It has just about everything you would want in a rural park. There is a modern playground. There are athletic courts and fields. There is a really nice walking trail. There are several things that set this one apart, though. It has a dog park, for one. This is something uncommon in this part of the state. The other unique feature is a butterfly garden. It is quite beautiful and scientifically correct for the species of butterfly and bees in this part of the state. There is even a yearly educational program called Wings in the Park which was going on the day we got there. The program had activity stations set up with educational "questions" to help the young and old, alike, learn about the butterfly. There was even a station about bees. This program had information on new methods for growing perennials that are friendly to the butterfly. They had information on conservation efforts in effect in order to save the rapidly disappearing Monarch butterfly. Back to the park itself. The main trail winds through some fields. One of which appears to be a horse pasture. It is really odd, too. You would think with the developments nearby, that you would feel like you were in the middle of a residential area. You don't feel that way. It feels completely rural and relaxing. I imagine this would be a great place to go for a jog. The main trail is paved. But there are little grass covered trails and reflection spots throughout the butterfly garden. So with all this, I can really highly recommend this park. One of the top ones I have been to in along time. I mean... butterfly garden? Yep, with sunflowers, semi exotic looking native birds, and natural beauty, this would be a great place to visit daily.

Most amazing view! You don't even have to walk to see it either but the walk isn't very long and…read moreit's satisfying seeing the view

Musser Gap Trail is a beautiful and very well maintained entry tail to Rothrock State Forrest in…read morethe State College Area. It is only a few minutes outside of town, has a huge parking lot, and a gravelled trail, making it very easy for older or feeble folks to enjoy some of beautiful Rothrock. The trail very slightly slopes uphill for the first part and isn't too difficult. After it crosses the powerlines, however, it gets quite steep so the less adventurous should turn back at that point!