The Arboretum at Penn State — Attraction in College Township

The arboretum is a great stop year-round. The staff do an amazing job keeping the place in top condition, and the area for kids in the back is so much fun to walk through -even as an adult. Every time I go back I find something new! Keep track of time as it flies by with the giant sundial sculpture that points towards the center of the arboretum. This will be a wonderful place for years to come! The trees that have been planted are still quite young, but I dream of coming back to see the place surrounded by tall trees.

This goes without mentioning the peaceful trails behind the arboretum! -bonus points if you find the midevil garden :)

For parking, go to the main building and take a parking pass to stick in your car if you are there for any length of time.

Go there after a rain and see the topographic map fill up with water and flowing streams. The mountain ranges are represented by the boulders in case that wasn't clear.

This place is amazing, but don't go after dark, the night time policy is strictly enforced by the police. But if you happen to be there after the sun falls from the sky, it is a wonderful place close to campus to do some...

Great spot free-of-charge to wander around, especially in warmer months when the plants are at their full glory. There are nice sections like the children’s, mountain, meadow, and the new pollinator. Nice view from the pavilion on the north side.

One thing that makes no sense until one realises it’s PSU you’re dealing with, is why they would build an entirely new art museum on the grounds here. The construction is bad, though I fear the building will be worse. Why are they using open land to build a new museum when we already have one? I can’t imagine the animals and birds will like it much.

Anyway, there’s a current exhibit and sculpture on the Carolina parakeet, the extinct North American parakeet. It also has an interpretive sign which is slightly wrong- most ornithologists disagree, but it is most likely the birds died mostly to disease, not habitat loss, because the forests were not gone in large part until after their extinction, and their range was so wide, it’s unlikely human-caused habitat loss was culprit. Nevertheless, it’s cool to...

Absolutely lovely Arboretum. So many beautiful flowers and plants to see throughout. We visited at the end of summer and some things are dying off as expected but still so many flowers are in bloom. Lots of beautiful butterflies and bees and the art installations throughout are super cool. Love the creativity in so many ways that they display and grow the plants. An added bonus is it’s Free! Can you believe it? I really enjoyed that it wasn’t overly crowded and you could mostly enjoy the different areas alone rather than moving with a heard of people. If I lived in State College I would be frequently visiting, even just to sit and read a book or take in the beauty of it all. The children’s area is an absolute gem and kids would love it. They seem to host a large variety of events and I do believe you can host a private party. Will definitely return. My Aunt who brought us there said it has a gorgeous fall display in another few weeks....