Going to college is more than classes, textbooks, and exams. It’s also about what you do when you’re not preparing for your career. That’s why the town of Indiana is such a critical part of the IUP community.
About Our Town
Sure, Indiana is the birthplace of famous actor
Jimmy Stewart, and it’s in the heart of the coal region of Pennsylvania, but it is so much more than that, as you’ll find out when you get here.
Indiana is a “big” small town with a lot to offer. We have parks to relax or exercise in, theaters to see movies and plays, your favorite restaurants and shops where you can find anything you need.
And with the IUP campus located right in the heart of Indiana, you'll find there are a lot of things to do—and they're not far away.
Things to do in Indiana
Like to shop? The
Indiana Mall is less than two miles from campus. There you’ll find more than 35 stores, including American Eagle, Kohl's, and JCPenney. There are also several shopping plazas in Indiana with such stores as Walmart, Game Stop, Staples, Lowes, and TJ Maxx. Need a ride to any of these places? Check out the IndiGo bus service
schedule.
Take in a play at the
Indiana Playhouse or a movie at the
Indiana Mall Cinema.
If you’re headed out to eat, Indiana has many
options to choose from, including chain restaurants and locally-owned eateries.
Want to unwind with a good cup of java? We have some great
coffee shops, including locally-owned Commonplace Coffeehouse, the Artists Hand, and Café Amadeus, and chains like Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks, and all are close to campus.
Go for a skate at the
S&T Arena, which has two full-size ice rinks.
Visit one of the nearby parks (Blue Spruce or
Yellow Creek) that offer a lot of outdoors activities, including hiking, boating, fishing and biking, or take a run down the
Hoodlebug Trail, which begins near the southwest corner of the IUP campus.
Enjoy 280 beautiful acres of woods and fields at the
IUP Co-op Park, a recreational area located only a few miles from campus. You’ll also find 10 miles of hiking, running, and walking trails there that connect to the
White’s Woods Nature Center. You can also throw discs at the 18-hole disc golf course or go sledding, tubing, or tobogganing on the range.
Find a
calendar of community events, a list of things to do in Indiana County, and more on the
Indiana County Tourist Bureau website.
Enjoy the many offerings at one of the festivals held in town, including the Westsylvania Jazz and Blues Festival (May), Northern Appalachian Folk Festival (September) and
Indiana County Fair (late August/early September).