Happy Valley is a real place, and it's totally irresistible

Mount Nittany Vineyard and Winery boasts a six-acre vineyard set among the rolling, lush hills of Central PA. Cayuga, Seyval Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes flourish in this location, and once the time is right, they're lovingly crafted into award-winning wines. The vineyard offers tastings and sells bottles as well as bites and treats at the winery, so once the helpful staff find you a wine you like, you're free to purchase a bottle to enjoy. Bring along a picnic and enjoy views of the lake and mountains for a relaxing afternoon.

Unexpected fun fact: Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, is home to the largest collection of Christopher Columbus artifacts in the country. The Boal family has been prominent in the area for centuries, having helped found the village and Penn State, among other things. One Boal, Theodore, married a descendant of Christopher Columbus, and had the Columbus Chapel brought from Spain to Pennsylvania. Inside, you can see an Admiral's Desk that belonged to Christopher himself, European fine art and two pieces of the “True Cross of Jesus.”

The mansion and the rest of the property are worth visiting as well. The collection of art, tools, antique furniture, weapons, and more was built up over two centuries through eight generations of Boals, and remains quite a sight to this day.

Given the immense natural beauty of the area, it'd be a mistake to not take a hike to soak it all in. The Shaver's Creek Environmental Center works with Penn State to provide programs that educate about the outdoors. In addition to the center's hiking trails, bookstore, raptor center that cares for local birds, discovery room packed with hands-on exhibits, and picnic areas, there's always an event going on. Campfires, fly fishing lessons, sing-alongs, festivals, educational talks, and tons more are among the kinds of fun offered at the center. Or come simply to enjoy Shaver Creek's hiking trails. A wide variety of trails wind through nearly 7,000 acres of woodland, marshland and hillside in Penn State's Stone Valley Experimental Forest and Rothrock State Forest.

The area has no shortage of accommodations, and one notable option is the Carnegie Inn. This boutique hotel has the stately, elegant atmosphere of a Scottish manor house, tastefully adorned with antiques. Think lots of wood and brass, fireplaces, and numerous windows and arched doorways. The location, in the forest at the edge of a prestigious golf course, adds to the atmosphere. In addition to luxurious rooms, the Carnegie has a library, a top-notch restaurant, and a wonderful spa, offering all kinds of services and treatments. If you're looking to spoil yourself, a stay at the Carnegie Inn will do the trick perfectly.

For an unexpectedly fascinating afternoon, stop into the American Philatelic Center, home to the American Philatelic Society and its research library. The American Philatelic Society is the largest non-profit organization for stamp collectors in the world, and their Center is housed in a former match factory. Their library makes up one of the most extensive and accessible collections of philatelic literature, covering topics like postal history, geography, detailed records, and much more. Society members offer tours of the facility where you can see vintage stamp-related objects like an antique stamp perforator, a 19th-century post office window, antique stamp boxes, and old-school postage vending machines.