The Best Day Trips from State College, PA
A free Saturday? Here are the best day trips from State College — caves, Victorian towns, lake beaches, and Amish country all within 90 minutes.
TL;DR
The best day trips from State College, PA include Penns Cave (30 min — America's only all-water cavern), Bellefonte (15 min — Victorian downtown), Boalsburg (10 min — birthplace of Memorial Day), Raystown Lake (60 min — Pennsylvania's largest inland lake), Lewisburg (45 min — Bucknell's college town), and Lancaster County Amish country (2 hr). Central Pennsylvania rewards a car, but downtown State College residents at Calder Commons and Meridian on College Avenue can also use Enterprise CarShare or a Zipcar for occasional day trips without owning.
Key takeaways
- Penns Cave is a required first-year day trip — the only all-water cavern in the US.
- Bellefonte and Boalsburg are 15-minute drives with genuine historic character.
- Raystown Lake is Pennsylvania's largest inland lake and a legitimate summer day.
- Lewisburg is 45 minutes and a nice change of college-town scenery.
- You don't need to own a car — Enterprise CarShare has vehicles on campus.
Under 30 minutes from downtown
- Bellefonte (15 min) — Victorian-era architecture, Talleyrand Park along Spring Creek, and Big Spring Spirits distillery.
- Boalsburg (10 min) — the birthplace of Memorial Day; Duffy's Tavern (est. 1819), art galleries, and the Pennsylvania Military Museum.
- Penns Cave (30 min) — America's only all-water cavern boat tour, plus a wildlife park with wolves, bears, and elk.
- Lemont (5 min) — village coffee at Cafe Lemont, art studios, and the base of Mount Nittany.
30–60 minutes away
- Lewisburg (45 min) — Bucknell's downtown; independent bookshops, Purity Candy, and the Lewisburg Hotel.
- Raystown Lake (60 min) — Pennsylvania's largest inland lake, boat rentals, and the Allegrippis mountain-bike trails.
- Woodward Cave (30 min) — a walking cave tour, a great counterpart to Penns Cave.
- Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks (30 min, in Millheim) — small-town brewery worth the drive for dinner.
60+ minutes for a full day
- Ricketts Glen State Park (2 hr) — the 7-mile Falls Trail passing 21 named waterfalls.
- Lancaster County / Amish Country (2 hr) — farmers' markets, buggy tours, and Central Market in downtown Lancaster.
- Pittsburgh (2.5 hr) — museums, Point State Park, a Penguins or Pirates game.
- Philadelphia (3 hr) — worth it for a long weekend, harder as a true day trip.
Car-optional day trips
You don't have to own a car to do these. Enterprise CarShare operates on-campus at Penn State with hourly bookings, and Turo has hundreds of listings in the State College area. Living downtown at Calder Commons or Meridian on College Avenue actually makes this easier — you skip a parking permit, an insurance bill, and daily gas, and rent a car only on the days you want one.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best day trip from State College, PA?
Penns Cave, 30 minutes east, is the most-recommended day trip from State College — it's the only all-water cavern in the United States, and the on-site wildlife park adds a full afternoon. Bellefonte and Boalsburg are the two best under-15-minute trips for historic-downtown character.
How far is Raystown Lake from State College?
Raystown Lake is about 60 minutes south of downtown State College. It's Pennsylvania's largest inland lake, with boat rentals, swim beaches, and the Allegrippis mountain-bike trail system — a legitimate full-day summer trip.
Can I do day trips from Penn State without a car?
Yes — Enterprise CarShare operates on Penn State's campus with hourly bookings, and Turo has hundreds of listings in the State College area. Downtown residents at Calder Commons or Meridian on College Avenue frequently skip car ownership and rent by the day when they want to explore.
Sources & further reading
- Happy Valley Adventure Bureau — Happy Valley Adventure Bureau
- Penns Cave — Penns Cave & Wildlife Park
- Raystown Lake Region — Raystown Lake Region