Beaver Stadium - Penn State Nittany Lions
- Lloyd Brown
- Sep 22
- 7 min read
Photos by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00
Beaver Stadium University Dr & Park Ave University Park, PA 16802
Year Opened: 1960
Capacity: 106,572
The Nittany Lions Den Renovation Project
Pennsylvania State University is the largest land-grant university in the state of Pennsylvania, with a student body of more than 42,000.
The Nittany Lions of Penn State University have one of the most successful College Football programs in the country. They have won two National Championships (1982,1986) and four Big 10 Conference Championships (1994, 2005, 2008, 2016).
The home of the Nittany Lions is West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium. The stadium is named after James Beaver, a former governor and a past president of the Board of Trustees at the school. It is the third stadium to serve as the football home for the Penn State football program.
Pieces of the second football stadium were disassembled and transported to their present location for reuse in the much larger incarnation of the facility. The previous homes of the Lions opened in 1893 and 1936. Its present capacity of 106,572 makes it the second-largest college football stadium in the country and the fourth-largest stadium in the world based on capacity.
In May 2024, Penn State University began a four-year $700 million renovation of West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium. This is the first renovation of the facility since 2001, when 60 skyboxes were added above the East stands. The first phase of this renovation focused on structural issues, as the stadium had a backlog of more than $200 million in deferred maintenance.
A key part of this step was the winterization of the pipes and infrastructure, as the area is known for its very harsh winters. Another priority is to improve the security and safety aspects of the stadium. The technology infrastructure of the stadium is also receiving needed attention, as new lighting is being installed, and new ribbon boards will be added to the facing of the various levels of the stadium. A new videoboard will be added to the south end of the stadium.
The stadium will also see Wi-Fi and cellular upgrades. Other priority areas for the project are to add additional club and loge seating, as well as more executive and founder’s suites for its major donors. The renovation work will be done during the off-seasons through 2027.
At the time of this review (Fall 2025), the renovations throughout the stadium were just getting underway, and our scores reflect the status of the stadium at that time.
Food & Beverage 4
The concession stands at Beaver Stadium offer a mix of generic stands and specialty stands featuring food offerings from local restaurants, including Caliente Pizza, Chickie and Pete’s, Doan’s Bones, Panini’s, Philly Pretzel Factory, Scott’s Roasting, and Wing Kitchen.
The generic stands sell hot dogs ($6.30), brats ($7.35), pretzels ($9.45), nachos ($7.35), cheesesteaks ($6), chicken sandwich baskets ($13.65), and pizza cones ($7). A Happy Valley hamburger will set you back $13.65.
Fry cups ($7.35) and candy ($5.25) are available for dessert. Popcorn is also available for $7.35. However, our favorite dessert by far is the pint of ice cream from Penn State’s own Berkey Creamery ($12.60)!
Beaver Stadium serves Pepsi brand sodas ($7.35/24 oz cup). Bottled water is $6.25. Hot chocolate is available ($7.35/12 oz.) Hoop tea is available for $14.71. Gatorade is available for $6.30.
Michelob brand beers and New Trail Brewing’s State Light ($12.60) are served in Beaver Stadium. The legal drinking age in Pennsylvania is 21.
Atmosphere 5
The atmosphere at Beaver Stadium is hard to beat on a crisp fall afternoon. The autumn colors are spectacular throughout the Penn State campus, and there are plenty of pregame activities to take part in.
The central gathering point for the action is known as the Beaver Stadium Block Party, located on Curtin Road, just down the street from the stadium. It opens several hours before kickoff, and features a wide variety of spirit offerings, including performances by the Penn State cheerleading squad, appearances by the Nittany Lion mascot, and music played by the Penn State Blue Band.
The team arrival walk occurs two hours before kick off as the team unloads from its traditional blue buses. Restrooms are available at the nearby Medlar Field baseball stadium for fans to use prior to the opening of the Beaver Stadium gates.
Tailgating is huge in the parking lots surrounding Beaver Stadium, resulting in a top score for this section!
Neighborhood 4
State College is in the geographic center of the state of Pennsylvania. It is located 2.5 hours northeast of Pittsburgh. Use the WAZE app to lead you to your parking lot near the stadium. State College has a charming downtown area located just across from the campus.
Most of the lodging options in the State College area are located along Highway 322. Brands include Comfort Suites, Days Inn, Hampton Inn, and the Hilton Garden Inn. Lion Country Lodging is the preferred provider for Penn State Athletics. Their website offers 15% discounts at hotels that partner with the school.
There are several restaurants in the downtown State College area for pre- or post-game dining. The Original Waffle Shop on College Avenue has been a longtime favorite for breakfast on Penn State gamedays. Postgame options include both the Happy Valley Brewery on Elmwood Street and Otto’s Pub and Brewery on North Atherton Street.
Webster’s Bookstore is a great place to check out the latest releases while enjoying a great cup of coffee. The Lion’s Pride spirit store in downtown State College is a great place to stock up on your Nittany Lion gameday gear!
Fans 5
The Nittany Lions fan base is one of the loudest and most loyal in all of college football. The cheer teams, the Blue Band, the student section, and the alumni are rightfully proud of their team. They excel in creating noise to disrupt the visiting team’s ability to call plays. The school holds 2-3 “white out” games each season, filling Beaver Stadium with a blinding sea of 100,000 plus Nittany Lion fans in their summer (and fall) white outfits.
The Penn State student section is also strategically located so that it can disrupt the opposition’s communications. They are not shy about declaring … We Are! Penn State! … throughout the games. There is a youth activity area known as Happy Valley Alley located near Gate D of the stadium.
Access 3
Accessibility issues will be addressed by the current renovation project. Twenty more gates into the stadium will be added to improve the flow of fans into and out of the facility. Concourses are being widened, and additional elevators/escalators are being added to reach the upper levels of the stadium more efficiently. The number of restrooms in the stadium is also being increased by 20% to cut down on the lines that can form during halftime and just before the game gets underway. There will also be 50 additional concession areas added to improve the flow of traffic.
The Field and Concourse levels of the stadium now provide 360-degree access to seats.
As you can imagine, having more than 105,000 fans descend on your campus on a Saturday is like trying to serve the traffic needs of a small city. Penn State University has established four parking zones in each direction, identified as East, West, North, and South Zones. There are 15 General Parking lots spread over each of these zones. Most parking is based on a season ticket basis. The stadium also has more than 100 ADA parking spaces located close to the stadium gates.
There is a public transportation drop-off and pick-up area on Hastings Road. The ride-share lot is located on Hedges Road. For updated info on gameday traffic, use the WAZE app.
CATA shuttle buses run on game days from the downtown area to Beaver Stadium.
The gates at Beaver Stadium open two hours before kickoff. To make your entry into Beaver Stadium as fast as possible, make sure all carry-ins are in a clear plastic bag. Penn State is very strict with its seating policies, so if you leave your seat to use the restroom or to visit a concession stand during the game, make sure to take your ticket with you. Otherwise, you may not be readmitted to your seat by a stand manager!
Return on Investment 3
Penn State has been a nationally elite football program for decades. The games sell out regularly, despite Beaver Stadium’s capacity of more than 106,000 seats. This is partly due to the large student base of nearly 48,000 and an extremely loyal ticket base from the alumni of the school. The school’s membership in the Big 10 Conference also means the visiting teams will bring many fans. Be sure to bring a large wallet if you are planning to attend a Nittany Lions game at Beaver Stadium.
Single-game ticket prices can vary greatly depending on the opponent, as Penn State utilizes dynamic pricing. Low-demand games against non-conference opponents run $32-$82 based on seat location. Mid-tier games against non-elite Big Ten opponents run $92-$109. High-demand games against Ohio State, Michigan, and nationally elite non-conference opponents can start at over $300.
Parking is very limited on a game-by-game basis, as most lots are on a season pass basis. Single-game day parking can be as high as $50 for one space. Seat back rentals are $15, and game day programs are $5. Concession prices are rather pricey compared to those at comparable college stadiums.
All stadium-related services operate on a cashless basis, so remember to bring your credit card!
Extras 4
A must-see for any visitor to the Penn State campus is the Penn State Berkey Creamery. It is the largest college creamery in the United States and offers more than 100 flavors of Ice cream. Ben and Jerry of the beloved ice cream company are alumni of the Penn State correspondence course in ice cream making.
The Penn State All-Sports Museum is also located at Beaver Stadium. It is open on non-gamedays. It is well worth a visit if you arrive in town on the Friday before a home game. The museum has extensive displays on each of the intercollegiate sports at the school. It includes many of the bowl trophies the Nittany Lions have won over the years.
Just down the street is another “must-see” when visiting the Penn State campus. The Nittany Lion Shrine features a mountain lion monument carved from a 13-ton block of limestone.
Penn State’s Blue Band has been in existence since 1899. It is the largest recognized student organization on the campus with more than 300 members.
Final Thoughts
Penn State has one of the most legendary football programs in the country, with multiple National Championship titles. Beaver Stadium has played a major role in earning those championships, as the noise created by more than 106,000 Nittany Lions fans will intimidate any visiting team. The Lion’s Den is now undergoing a major renovation to ensure that Beaver Stadium remains a wonderful place to enjoy Nittany Lions football well into the future.
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