Posted on 07/16/2011 11:33:51 AM PDT by Artemis Webb
Assuming all other things are equal/..I’d definitely suggest flying into Baltimore..if you haven’t been there before..the Harbor area is worth even a day...go for the crabs alone..
Around that time of year, be sure to check out the Apple Harvest Festival:
http://www.gettysburg.travel/visitor/member_detail.asp?contact_id=722
Hotel rates should drop off after Labor Day, although you’d probably want to make sure you’re not overlapping with Gettysburg College’s Homecoming. Although you’re inclined against doing so, I’d really recommend getting a rental car. It will give you a lot more flexibility.
Have a great trip!
FWIW Mrs alfa6 and I visited Gettysburg a couple of years ago. We made the drive in two days basically from Kansas City, KS. First day we drove to Columbus, OH and then on to Thurmont, MD. There is a Super 8 in Thurmont which was fairly nice. That put us about 30 minutes from Gettysburg and only an hour or less to Harper’s Ferry and Antietam. We did both Harper’s Ferry and Antietam the same day.
As an alternate you could drive to Dayton, OH and spend some time at the USAF Museum, hint, it’s free:-) just to break up the drive.
If I can confuse any further just ask:-)
Good Luck and have a great trip regardless of how you go.
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
Take loads of ammo..my Barksdale kin have always said there was some nasty Yankees thereabouts last time they “visited” thoseparts in 63
Gettysburg is very large. The best way to get around all of it is by car. It is also out in the boondocks, so there isn’t much around it in the way of tourist accommodations.
Get a rental car.
You’ll want to take a bus tour of the battlefield, but you’ll probably want to drive it yourself also, and stay longer in some areas than the bus tour will. Also, you may want to see some of the other local historic sites that aren’t necessarily covered by the tour.
I don’t know where to stay anymore. Been too long since I was there. We were there four days the first time and could have stayed a little longer. But if you don’t have a way to get around you won’t need to be there that long.
http://www.gettysburg.travel/index.asp
Has answers to most of your questions and phone numbers if needed.
Was just up there last month.
About the only concern I can see is that some things appear to be seasonal. YMMV
Lol.
Watch the 4 hour movie before you go.
Rent scooters to cover the most ground without having to crawl through car traffic and find parking spots.
Watch the 4 hour movie after you go. You will find yourself talking to Lee out loud. Dude, do NOT walk those men across that open field.
“...there was some nasty Yankees thereabouts last time they “visited” thoseparts in 63...”
Didn’t the nasty Yankees go South in 64?
Watch the 4 hour movie before you go.
Read the bio of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.
Rent scooters to cover the most ground without having to crawl through car traffic and find parking spots.
Watch the 4 hour movie after you go. You will find yourself talking to Lee out loud. Dude, do NOT walk those men across that open field.
What a great idea for a vaycay!
My husband was a student at the Army War College for 18 months but we lived south of Carlisle for two years, near Mt Holly Springs, on the road to Gettysburg. We spent alot of time in Gettysburg because those Army dudes (we’re Navy) LOVE their battle field analysis!
If you can fly into Harrisburg fairly easily, do it then take a bus down Rte 15 to Gettysburg. The major airport closest is Dulles (take Rte 15 North) - I would not recommend Baltimore Internat (too far).
I’m not familiar with any bus service from either Harrisburg or Dulles but tours are so popular, I’m sure you could find something that would work.
I do recommend you take a guided tour of the battle field with a knowledgable guide - worth the money and you get to see things not on the battle field tour itself like a cannon ball embedded in one of the buildings downtown.
There are nice hotels to stay in downtown as well as B&Bs near the park visitor center (we stayed at one when our kid went to Gettysburg College lacrosse camp).
If you can swing it (and I can’t believe I’m promoting visiting an ARMY facility), try to go to the Army War College in Carlisle as the museum is chock full of great civil war stuff (and is where Ken Burns got most of the stuff seen in his doco) as well as being an historic school for Indians (Jim Thorpe) way back when (it’s HAUNTED too).
Hope this helps - if you need any more info, please send me a private msg here...
Cheers!
be sure you get the right Address.
When I visited the area in 2005, I stayed in Frederick, Md. at one of the budget motels off the freeway.
On the way to Gettysburg, I visited Westminster, Md., hoping to see the farmhouse owned by Whittaker Chambers, the noted writer, editor, Soviet spy, and critic of Communism. The “Pumpkin Papers” which led to the conviction of Soviet spy Alger Hiss were hidden on this farm. However, although I drove through the area, which is heavily wooded, I was unable to locate the farm. Nonetheless, I found my detour through Westminster to be worthwhile. Westminster is a historic town which saw fighting in its streets during the Civil War.
At Gettysburg, I made certain to visit President Eisehhower’s ranch. The only access to t ranch was by bus from th visitors’ center, as part of a guided tour. The ranch house is filled with original furniture, and visitors can also tour the barns and outbuildings.
The Sharpsburg battlefield is not far from Gettysburg, and is not as strewn with monuments—in fact, it probably looks a lot like it did in 1862. Here, one can visit the Cornfield, where thousands died on September 17, 1862, said to be the bloodiest day in American history. Corn is still grown on the site. One can also stroll across Burnside’s Bridge over Antietam Creek, another site of heavy fighting.
There are plenty of eateries in Gettysburg. Although a few places to eat can be found in Sharpsburg, nearby Hagerstown is a better bet if you’re looking for food.
I know you’re making some kind of point but I’m at a loss as to what it might be.
The place is a money suck pump, the new visitors center bites, that which was free is now charged for. I stayed at the KOA in Harper's Ferry last time pricey buy well located.
1) We hired a private guide for a half day tour cost was not much more then a tour bus, it was personal, well paced and centered around our interests.
2) We visited Devils den at 10:30 at night. It was eerie, scared the heck out of the kids and is still a strong memory.
3) We stayed at a B&B, the Brafferton Inn in downtown Gettysburg, reasonable rates and great hosts.
Rent a car, spend the money for a personal tour guide, you only need one day.
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