There’s Nothing Like a Penn State Football Weekend in State College

There are fall weekends in State College—and then there are Penn State football weekends.

If you’ve ever been here when the Nittany Lions are playing at home, you know exactly what I mean. The entire town seems to change. The blue and white comes out, RVs start rolling in, downtown fills with alumni and families, and everywhere you go you hear some version of the same greeting:

“We Are!”

And if you’ve never experienced a Penn State home game in person, it’s something you really should put on your list.

It Starts Before Saturday

One of my favorite things about a Penn State football weekend is that game day really starts long before kickoff.

By Friday, you can feel the difference. College Avenue and Beaver Avenue get busier, restaurants fill up, Penn State gear is everywhere, and alumni who may not have been back in years are walking around town remembering exactly where they lived, ate and spent their college days.

There is something pretty special about watching people return to a place that still feels like home to them.

Downtown State College is directly adjacent to campus, so you can wander between the two without ever really feeling like you've left the action. Grab something to eat, shop for a new Penn State sweatshirt, walk through campus, or just find a spot and people-watch. Downtown offers everything from longtime State College traditions to casual restaurants, coffee shops and nightlife. (Downtown State College District)

Saturday Morning in Happy Valley

Then you wake up Saturday morning.

And State College is officially Game Day State College.

Cars are packed with coolers, grills, tents and folding chairs. Everyone seems to be wearing blue and white. Tailgating isn't simply something people do before a Penn State game—it is part of the experience.

Families and friends set up elaborate spreads around Beaver Stadium, music is playing, footballs are being tossed around, and people who haven't seen each other since last season pick up right where they left off.

Penn State football weekends regularly bring crowds of more than 100,000 people to Beaver Stadium, making the stadium and surrounding tailgate fields feel almost like their own temporary city. (Happy Valley)

And somehow, in the middle of all those people, you'll run into someone you know.

That's Happy Valley.

Walking Into Beaver Stadium

No matter how many Penn State games you've attended, walking toward Beaver Stadium with thousands of other fans is still something special.

You hear the Blue Band. You see the student section filling up. Then comes the roar of the crowd.

Penn State's traditions are a huge part of what makes the experience different. The familiar “We Are…Penn State” cheer has been part of Beaver Stadium culture for decades, while the Blue Band and the Nittany Lion are traditions generations of Penn Staters share. (The Pennsylvania State University)

And then there's the White Out.

Seeing Beaver Stadium packed with roughly 110,000 people dressed in white is one of those sights that's hard to explain until you've actually stood there and experienced it. (The Pennsylvania State University)

But here's the thing: you don't have to be a die-hard football fan to love a Penn State weekend.

That's because the football game is only part of what makes coming to State College so much fun.

Make a Weekend Out of It

If you're traveling to State College for a game, don't rush in Saturday morning and leave immediately afterward.

Give yourself time to enjoy the town.

Walk through Penn State's beautiful campus. Stop for the obligatory picture at the Nittany Lion Shrine. Grab some Penn State gear downtown. Visit the Berkey Creamery. Take a drive through Happy Valley when the fall colors are at their peak. If you have extra time, hike Mount Nittany and see the valley from an entirely different perspective. These are among the experiences the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau recommends making part of a football weekend. (The Adventure Bureau Dispatch)

And definitely come hungry.

State College has a great mix of restaurants, pubs, coffee shops and longtime local favorites. Some places have been part of the State College experience for generations. The Corner Room, for example, has occupied its familiar downtown spot since 1926. (Downtown State College District)

Game weekends are busy, though, so a little planning goes a long way. Make reservations where you can, expect traffic, leave yourself plenty of time and—most importantly—don't be in too much of a hurry.

The craziness is part of the fun.

After the Game, the Town Keeps Going

When the game ends, State College doesn't exactly go to bed.

Downtown fills back up. Restaurants and bars are buzzing, students are everywhere, and fans relive every touchdown, questionable call and great play from the game.

Win or lose, there is something about walking through downtown afterward that reminds you this isn't simply a football town.

It's a college town in the very best sense of the word.

Penn State and State College have grown up together, and you really feel that connection on football weekends.

And Then Comes Sunday Morning...

Sunday has a completely different personality.

Things quiet down. People grab breakfast and coffee. Cars loaded with Penn State gear begin heading out of town. Students get back to studying, locals reclaim the grocery stores, and State College slowly returns to normal.

Until the next home game.

And then we happily do the whole crazy thing again.

Why People Keep Coming Back

I think that's the part of Penn State football weekends that outsiders sometimes don't understand.

It's not really just about football.

It's about traditions.

It's grandparents bringing grandchildren to their first game. It's college roommates meeting up 20 years later at the same place they used to go as students. It's tailgates where three generations of a family are gathered around the same table. It's hearing “We Are” shouted across a parking lot and instinctively knowing the response.

Penn State itself describes that phrase as something that represents the shared connection of the Penn State community—and when you're here on a football Saturday, you understand exactly what that means. (The Pennsylvania State University)

For those of us who live in the State College area, football weekends can mean traffic, crowded restaurants and planning our Saturday errands very carefully.

But we wouldn't want to lose them.

Because there's something pretty wonderful about watching our hometown fill with people who are genuinely excited to be here.

So if you're thinking about coming to State College for a Penn State game, don't just come for kickoff.

Come for the weekend. Come hungry. Bring your blue and white. Walk around downtown. Explore campus. Tailgate with friends. Talk to the locals. Take too many pictures. And experience what happens when a college, a town and more than 100,000 fans all come together for one fall Saturday.

That's a Penn State football weekend.

And there's really nothing else quite like it.

WE ARE… PENN STATE!