No. 3 State College, Pa.

Lions, a Beaver and a mule — oh my!
At 83, head coach Joe Paterno — the oldest active Division I football coach and record holder for the most D-I wins — has been commanding Penn State football for nearly 50 years. The Nittany Lions are a top 25 team this year and hope JoePa will bring State College its third national championship.

If you go ...
Game days in “Happy Valley” are epic events, called the “greatest show in college sports” by ESPN. Thousands of blue-clad fans fill Beaver Stadium and celebrate along College Avenue, at Otto’s Pub & Brewery and The Diner, home of the “Grilled Sticky” cinnamon roll. Alumni return to the grand Old Main building, built in 1863 with help from Old Coaly, a mule so loved his skeleton is preserved in the student center.

Savor the fine wines and European charm of the Carnegie House hotel, overlooking the 17th green of the Toftrees Golf Course. Or enjoy the casual fare at Whiskers in the Nittany Lion Inn, a hotel on campus run by the Penn State Hospitality Services students. Then catch topnotch live music or a classic film at the State Theater.

For family-friendly fun, make short drives to tour limestone caves at Penn’s Cave and Wildlife Park, or visit rescued lions and tigers at T&D’s Cats of the World. The Swigart Antique Auto Museum houses one of the original Herbie the Love Bugs, and the Little League museum and World Series stadiums, an hour away in South Williamsport, will tug the heartstrings of any sports fan.

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