Photography Tour in Penn State
The best photos of Penn State aren't always at the obvious landmarks. Sure, Nittany Lion Shrine will fill your camera roll, but the real magic is in the side streets, the reflected light, and the unexpected angles that only reveal themselves to those exploring on foot. Seek out The Arboretum at Penn State for the kind of shot that no one else is posting.
A photography tour in Penn State is less a fixed itinerary than a way of reading the city: anchor the walk on Nittany Lion Shrine, then let the streets in between set the pace. Between them, detour toward quieter finds like The Arboretum at Penn State — the kind of stops a photography tour rewards but a standard sightseeing list skips. Penn State leans toward nature, history and culture, so a themed route here naturally folds those in. Everything stays self-guided, so you can linger where it matters and skip what doesn't — with narration filling in the why at each stop.
Free Photography Tour in Penn State with Roamee Pro
Roamee Pro, also known as Roamee, offers a free photography tour route in Penn State. The audio walking tour can include stops such as Nittany Lion Shrine — the iconic 1942 limestone mountain lion sculpture, the most photographed spot on campus, plus hidden gems like The Arboretum at Penn State — a 370-acre botanical garden with themed gardens, an overlook pavilion, and walking trails through woods.
Use this page as a starting point for a Penn State walking tour, a free route, or the Roamee app for Penn State. Roamee Pro keeps the route flexible so you can follow the stops, skip ahead, or explore nearby streets at your own pace.
How to Plan This Photography Tour
A strong Penn State photography tour should connect recognizable anchors like Nittany Lion Shrine with a few slower discoveries around The Arboretum at Penn State. Use the major stops for orientation, then let the route bend toward the neighborhoods, viewpoints, markets, paths, or cultural details that match a photography tour.
Roamee Pro treats the page as a starting brief rather than a fixed script: it can prioritize nature, history, culture, adjust the walking time, and keep narration focused on why each stop matters for this specific theme.
Top Photography Tour Spots
- •Nittany Lion Shrine — the iconic 1942 limestone mountain lion sculpture, the most photographed spot on campus
Hidden Photography Tour Gems
- •The Arboretum at Penn State — a 370-acre botanical garden with themed gardens, an overlook pavilion, and walking trails through woods
Photography Tour Perspective
Penn State attracts visitors for nature and history, and Nittany Lion Shrine and every landmark doubles as a photography opportunity when you know where to stand and when the light is best. A photography-focused walk pays attention to reflections, leading lines, and street scenes between the landmarks. Hidden photogenic spots like The Arboretum at Penn State reward those who wander off the main path.
Shooting Penn State like a photographer
- ›Work the edges of the day. The hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset (plus the blue hour just after) give warm, low, directional light that flat midday can't.
- ›Shoot Nittany Lion Shrine wide for the establishing frame, then hunt the details — a doorway, a sign, a texture — that tell the same story up close.
- ›Chase reflections after rain: puddles, wet cobbles, and glass turn an ordinary street into a symmetrical frame.
- ›Turn around. The best shot is often behind you — and quieter spots like The Arboretum at Penn State give you angles no one else is posting.
- ›Photograph people with respect: a nod or a smile first, and skip anyone who clearly doesn't want the lens. Better photos, fewer problems.
Walking Tip
The campus is vast — start at Old Main, walk the Mall westward, then visit the Lion Shrine. Beaver Stadium is on the east edge (a 20-minute walk from the center). The CATA bus system connects the campus.
Best Time to Visit
Fall for football and mountain foliage (October). Spring for blooming campus. State College is a true college town — its energy comes from the university calendar. Summers are quiet and beautiful in the valley.
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