Sick of spending sunny afternoons sizzling on the HUB lawn? Tired of turning the pages of your textbooks? Then pack up that blanket, slam down those books, grab your friends and climb in the car — it's time to take advantage of all the great summer destinations the Centre County region has to offer.

DelGrosso's Amusement Park

Formally known as Bland's Park, the Tipton park is located only 45 minutes south of State College. Opened in 1919, DelGrosso's Amusement Park is home to over 30 rides and attractions, including an antique carousel. Thirty-six hand-carved horses are featured on the machine, which artists from New York manufactured in the 1920s. The carousel is one of only 30 left in Pennsylvania and one of less than 70 in the United States.

Expansion of the park in the 90s brought the addition of many new activities. An exclusively designed 18-hole miniature golf course features a 22-foot mountain with a five-tier waterfall, a swinging bridge as well as a cave and several water hazards. The Altoona-Tipton Speedway came along too, offering 20 go-karts.

Recently the park added several water attractions. The Tipton Waterworks contains two slides, directional sprays, fountains and water-spouting mushrooms, not to mention a huge bucket filled with hundreds of gallons of water that dumps on the crowd every 10 minutes. In addition, the Tipton Rapids features five water slides.

On top of the rides, DelGrosso's Amusement Park is known not only for its outstanding food (especially the potato salad) but also for its free summer concert series.

Closed Mondays, the grounds open at 8 a.m. and all attractions begin operation at 11 a.m. Individual ride tickets are available, and all-day ride passes are $8.95 and $11.95. A round of miniature golf costs $3.50 and a five-minute go-kart ride is $3.00.

For more information call (814) 684-3538 or visit www.delgrossos.com.

Lakemont Park

Just down the road from DelGrosso's Amusement Park is Lakemont Park, the eighth-oldest amusement park in America. Founded in Altoona in 1894, the park features over 30 rides and attractions as well as the Island Waterpark. It is also home to the world's oldest roller coaster, Leap-the-Dips, which the E. Joy Morris Company constructed in 1902. In 1996, Leap-the-Dips was named a National Historic Landmark.

Lakemont's second coaster, Skyliner, is an L-shaped wooden coaster that is 110 feet high with a total track of 3,500 feet.

The park is also home to two go-kart tracks, a children's park, a miniature golf course and paddleboats on a 13-acre lake, as well as an arcade.

Every Thursday evening from July 12 to Aug. 16, the park plays host to a local wing-off competition featuring area restaurants, with live music to spruce up the event.

The park is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. An all-day ride and slide pass is $7.95, with additional costs for go-karts and miniature golf.

Dollar Daze will be featured on July 11 and Aug. 8, in which all-day admission is $1, as well as $1 golf rounds and go-kart rides.

For more information call (814) 949-PARK or visit www. lakemontparkfun.com.

Knoebels Amusement Resort

Celebrating its 75th year in action, Knoebels Amusement Resort is America's largest free admission amusement park. With no fence, no gates and no main entrance, there is no charge for admission, parking, shows or picnic facilities. Weekends are pay-as-you-ride, but throughout the week, all-day ride passes are available for $21.75 and $26.75, with special evening rates.

Knoebels is home to 46 rides, including the famous roller coaster, the Phoenix, continuously named one of the best coasters in the world.

Amusement Today has named the resort, owned and operated by the Knoebel family since 1926, the home to the best amusement park food in the world two years running.

Along with live music throughout the summer, the park also features its giant Crystal Pool, with two waterslides, bumper boats and over four acres of sunbathing. The park also has over 500 campground sites and 35 cabins available.

Located in Elysburg, just 15 miles outside of Danville, Knoebels is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. It will also be featuring a craft fair July 24-27 as well as bargain nights every Wednesday and Friday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. where admission is only $6.

For more information call (570) 672-2572 or visit www.Knoebels.com.

Tussey Mountain Fun Center

Not just the State College area's only ski mountain in the winter, Boalsburg's Tussey Mountain has grown into a year-round activity hub. On June 23 the region welcomed the much anticipated opening of the Centre Community Skate Park featuring a 1/2 pipe, "vert" ramps, launches and rails.

Season passes for the park cost $120, but skaters residing in the State College area municipalities receive a 10 percent discount. Currently the park is open by sessions running from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with two hour passes available for $3, four hxour passes available for $5 and all-day passes available for $8.

"I really like it, but it would be better if it were public so it were free, but I've been there almost everyday this week," Rich Doyle, 16, of State College said. "It's something State College needed. It's great — except it's packed with little kids who just like to go around in circles. That's pretty annoying."

If skateboarding is not your thing, go-kart rides are $4 or $20 for all-day passes. There are several golf-related options as well. The nine-hole Par 3 costs between $7 and $9 depending on the time of day. For $2 more, 18 holes can be played and a driving range is available.

Recently, new coin-operated batting cages became available. It's $1 for 20 pitches, with three separate speeds to choose from.

On Mondays, the center runs a two-for-one special on any golf, range or go-kart ticket for all college students.

At the center's amphitheater will be a wing challenge with four featured restaurants competing each week, beginning July 19 and continuing every Thursday until Aug. 16.

In addition, it will play host to a radio-controlled sailboat race on July 14. From 1 to 10 p.m. on July 21 will be a battle-of-the-bands competition plus a clam and corn bake. Admission is free.

For more information on any of the Tussey Mountain Fun Center's activities call (814) 466-6266 or visit www.tusseymountain.com.

Blair County Ballpark

Home to Class AA and Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate the Altoona Curve, Blair County Ballpark offers big time baseball with a small town atmosphere.

With a capacity of more than 6,000 the park only opened in April 1999. The $14 million facility, completed in only 13 months, includes 21 luxury skyboxes, two large clubhouse areas, an indoor batting and exercise facility, two large bullpen decks and a picnic tent down the right field line.

Designed to incorporate central Pennsylvania's railroad history, the stadium enables the Allegheny Mountains to set the scenic backdrop as well as a perfect view of Lakemont Park's rollercoaster, Skyliner, just over right field. Be on the lookout for the mascot, Steamer, a fan favorite, who enjoys taking rides on the coaster during games.

There are seven games remaining in July with ticket prices ranging from $6.50 for terrace seating to $2.25 for grass seating. The ticket office is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information call (814) 943-5400 or visit www. altoonacurve.com.

East Broad Top Railroad

The East Broad Top Railroad is the last original narrow gauge railroad east of the Rockies and the oldest surviving narrow gauge in America. Nestled in the Allegheny Mountains of Huntingdon County, the railroad, located in Rockhill Furnace, was completed in 1874 and serviced the coal fields of the Broad Top Mountain area for 80 years.

The 33-mile, 3-feet gauge is a complete 19th and early 20th century railroad and infrastructure.

It includes six steam locomotives, with the oldest dating back to 1911, as well as 200 steel freight cars, the original station from 1910, the roundhouse and the turntable as well as a multitude of equipment.

A piece of living railroad history, a 10-mile train ride departs Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

The cost is $9 with rides in special cars, like cabooses, $1 extra.

"It's a National Historic Landmark and the most complete example of American railroad heritage left in the U.S. anywhere," Stanley Hall, general manager of the railroad, said. "It's a piece of history right here in central Pennsylvania that you can't find anywhere else."

For more information, call (814) 447-3011.