State College
The Nittany Lion Inn
Penn State's Georgian Revival inn on its University Park campus, opened in 1931 with 75 rooms; Eleanor Roosevelt stayed in 1953.
- Built
- 1931Built 1931 in the Georgian style; opened 1931 with 75 guestrooms.
- Style
- Georgian Revival
- Type
- Inn
- Credentials
- Historic Hotels of America member
The story
Penn State opened the Nittany Lion Inn on its University Park campus in 1931 with 75 rooms at about $3.50 a night, a price some early guests still thought too high. Staff, including the manager’s family, lived in the inn; Eleanor Roosevelt stayed during a 1953 campus visit, and other guests have included President Eisenhower, Robert Frost and Louis Armstrong. Penn State president Eric Walker called it ‘Penn State’s Living Room.’
Good to know
- Address: 200 W Park Ave, State College, PA 16803
Sources (2)
Last verified October 2026. Details change; confirm with the inn before you book.