Gettysburg Battlefield (Full Version)

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Drex -> Gettysburg Battlefield (4/30/2007 9:48:56 PM)

I am planning atrip to the Gettysburg battlefield in the next year. when is the best time to go? I will be pulling my travel trailer from California so I want some decent weather.



Erik Rutins -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (4/30/2007 10:13:08 PM)

If you can get there for the weekend of the 4th of July, that's generally the most impressive, but hotels and such tend to be booked more than a year in advance for that time.



Sonny II -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (4/30/2007 10:36:24 PM)

They often have some reenactments that time of year.



Drex -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (4/30/2007 11:08:25 PM)

Thanks, i'm taking my trailer for lodging but even the RV Parks would be booked up. Still if I plan a year or so ahead it would be be possible.



Gil R. -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (4/30/2007 11:08:30 PM)

If you have young kids, the Hershey Park amusement park less than an hour away is a great place to visit -- not just for the rides, but for the gift shop at the Hershey's Museum.

I was there last year, and if memory serves, this year is the 100th anniversary of the Hershey's Kiss. Who knew those had been around so long?




Drex -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (4/30/2007 11:10:22 PM)

Since I'm facing 60 this year, kids is not an issue, but you don't have to be a kid to like Herseys.:)



proginc -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/1/2007 4:56:16 AM)

I'm from the Hershey area and have been to Gettysburg 20+ times. My favorite time of the year is early fall. No crowds, beautiful foliage. The weekend of the 4th is the best for a total experience if you don't mind crowds. Plan for two or three days if you want to see everything. Here's to a great trip to Central PA.



Drex -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/1/2007 7:15:14 AM)

thanks proginc. What a gas to be so close to history. I think Sept would be better since the weather should still be good( its very hot crossing Nevada, Utah and wyoming in June/July. I want to spend at least a week there. don't think I could cover the battle in one day. Is there a series of tours available? I guess I could check the internet for all this but its nice to get info from the ones who have been there.



jkBluesman -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/1/2007 2:44:06 PM)

Do you plan on going to other battlefields as well? Manassas and Antietam are worth a visit and Harper's Ferry... It is really beautiful in fall.



General Quarters -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/1/2007 5:07:18 PM)

I'll second Bluesman here. Antietam is my favorite battlefield. It is unspoiled countryside, a beautiful outing, and you can really visualize the battle taking place. Harper's Ferry is very interesting and picturesque also. And, once you go to Gettysberg or Antietam, you will be struck by how small the Manassas battlefield was -- more like a Rev war site. If you are coming all that way, you might as well dip down -- a half-day's drive -- to these other sites.



Mike Scholl -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/1/2007 5:45:20 PM)

If you are there during the last week of July you might want to drop down to Lancaster and check out all the Miniatures Games at Historicon as well for an afternoon. Interesting sight even if you don't want to play in any games.



proginc -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/1/2007 7:05:42 PM)

Couldn't agree with you guys more. I think Antietam is the better perserved of the two battlefields although there's more to do (tourist stuff) in Gettysburg. I was disappointed with Manassas and Fredericksburg.

Drex, there are bus tours and audio self tours available (I'd recommend the audio tours if you want to take your time on the battlefield). Someone told me you can contact the Natl park service and hire a guide to ride in your car with you, not sure if that's true or not. If you're going in the fall, several companies offer walking ghost tours at night through the town and college, I've done one and its entertaining to say the least.



Drex -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/1/2007 7:23:42 PM)

Wow! I would love to take in Antietam and Manassas. I'll take a full month off and allow 20 days travel time both ways from California, that leaves me with 10 days for sight seeing. Artillery Ridge RV park looks like a decent place to stay and they offer tours of Gettys burg from there. I'll have my F-250 to drive to the other areas. this is going to be a blast.



Gray_Lensman -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/1/2007 9:00:13 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Drex

Wow! I would love to take in Antietam and Manassas. I'll take a full month off and allow 20 days travel time both ways from California, that leaves me with 10 days for sight seeing. Artillery Ridge RV park looks like a decent place to stay and they offer tours of Gettys burg from there. I'll have my F-250 to drive to the other areas. this is going to be a blast.


For us older fellows, it's much easier to fly into an area, then rent a car. The added benefit is more time for actual sightseeing at the destination.



Drex -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/1/2007 9:21:04 PM)

For this older fellow, its important to see the country. Thats why i'm RV'ing it.I've never seen Utah, Wyoming, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania or any other place back East. Yes I spend money on diesel, but I'll save it on Lodging and food. I'm not just going to see the battlefields(that's for me) My wife wants to see all the country on the way. I love to drive and I plan only to pull my rig a max of 5 hours a day.



Gray_Lensman -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/1/2007 9:39:43 PM)

Well, if you have an RV, that's different!  Cool...  Loved to drive when I was young.  I hate driving now that I've aged somewhat, though that could change once I've actually retired and have a lot more time to enjoy travel transits.  One thing, I do know, unless you live close in to Washington, D.C., the only real way to enjoy it, is to fly in, and use the subway system. Lots of Civil War statues in D.C. BTW. Trying to drive in D.C is an exercise in traffic futility. [:)]



Drex -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/1/2007 9:45:23 PM)

Yes, i'm sure traffic is bad in the large cities just like it is out here. I don't plan on spending a lot of time in the urban areas though. RV parks tend to be in the outskirts. I'll probably take a packaged tour into the DC area.



Gray_Lensman -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/1/2007 10:04:16 PM)

If your transiting the Southern route via I-44 in Missouri, check out Wilson's Creek Battlefield, along the way... It's also in the vicinity of Branson, MO (Country & Western entertainment), if you and your wife enjoy such.



Drex -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/1/2007 10:22:22 PM)

I'm taking I-80 (northern route ) as it runs almost straight from where I'm at. Don't know about coming back the same way. I can't go too far afield with the gas prices being what they are and who knows where the price will be a year or more from now?



cesteman -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/2/2007 1:51:55 AM)

Post some pics Drex when you get them!
Christian



Drex -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/2/2007 2:20:00 AM)

realize this trip is a year or two away. It will cost some 5-6000 which is alot of money to me. but I will post pics when I get back.:)



cesteman -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/2/2007 2:56:43 AM)

Yes, I understand. Everything costs money.
Christian



Yogi the Great -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/2/2007 3:03:20 AM)

This won't be much help, but for what it's worth.  Many years ago when I was a kid we stopped at Gettysburg as part of a family trip.  We came upon a spot with sign that offered battlefield tours.  We went in and decided to do it.  An older probably "retired" person got in our car with us.  He directed us to all the battlefield spots and told us the story of what happened at each.  I still remember some 40+ years later standing with a view over the field of Pickets charge.  I was struck by how small of a hill was involved but in awe at the thought of the event and the guides description brought it to life.
Seeing Little Round Top and many other of the famous spots is still with me.  If they still offer such a service, you might really enjoy a guided tour.

Years later when I was going through the FBI National Academy in Quantico, I took a few weekend drives to a number of the battlfields of Nothern Virginia.  I still get a chill thinking of some of the unbelievable bravery and sacrifice of soldiers on each side.  Not to make a political statement just a historical one, it is indeed eye opening to think of how we view a few thousand casualties today over a period of years, and to wonder how people endured the Civil War where for instance as many as 7,000 fell in 20 minutes.  Talk about mass destruction.  At any rate whatever you may feel of war, we have to bow our hats to what the soldiers and nation somehow manage to endure all those years ago.  I wonder if we would still be able to do so today?



cesteman -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/2/2007 9:40:40 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Yogi the Great

This won't be much help, but for what it's worth.  Many years ago when I was a kid we stopped at Gettysburg as part of a family trip.  We came upon a spot with sign that offered battlefield tours.  We went in and decided to do it.  An older probably "retired" person got in our car with us.  He directed us to all the battlefield spots and told us the story of what happened at each.  I still remember some 40+ years later standing with a view over the field of Pickets charge.  I was struck by how small of a hill was involved but in awe at the thought of the event and the guides description brought it to life.
Seeing Little Round Top and many other of the famous spots is still with me.  If they still offer such a service, you might really enjoy a guided tour.

Years later when I was going through the FBI National Academy in Quantico, I took a few weekend drives to a number of the battlfields of Nothern Virginia.  I still get a chill thinking of some of the unbelievable bravery and sacrifice of soldiers on each side.  Not to make a political statement just a historical one, it is indeed eye opening to think of how we view a few thousand casualties today over a period of years, and to wonder how people endured the Civil War where for instance as many as 7,000 fell in 20 minutes.  Talk about mass destruction.  At any rate whatever you may feel of war, we have to bow our hats to what the soldiers and nation somehow manage to endure all those years ago.  I wonder if we would still be able to do so today?

Yogi
Great insight and thanks for letting us know. I just wanted to point out that Gettysburg is where I got hooked on the ACW. I was on vacation with my family in 82 and we took an audio tour of the battlefield. I still remember a lot of what we visited including the NP visitor center which had a lot of interesting things to see including a panarama when you walked into the movie theater. I remember the cemeteries and markers the most. Amazing things to see and a kid of only 13! I just wanted to point out that if you included all the battles/wars since the civil war, they STILL wouldn't add up to the men/women lost during the Civil war. Horrible thing to even consider. The tatics played a major role in the losses from what I read.
Christian



jkBluesman -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/3/2007 12:44:40 AM)

Is it worth doing a trip to the Western battlefields as well? How much was preserved at Chattanooga or Vicksburg or around Atlanta?



Walloc -> RE: Gettysburg Battlefield (5/3/2007 1:02:48 AM)

I went to the Gettysburg battlefield in the fall of 2003.

I can second Yogi in regards too tours.
I had my GF along and we went on a official buss tour of the battlefield. Apparently i wasnt the only wacko who that had dragged along a GF / wife. I was very much expected them all to be VERY bored. Ok so this is hill number 10?? just like the others 9 hills, kinda deal.

I must say i was pleasently supprised. The guide spend as much time on telling "personal" stories about G.K Governour, Charmberlain, the Charmer R.E Lee, Dan Sickles as a ladies man and O.O Howardhe is so stupid stories. All those human side stories keept the ladies on the buss as intrigued as all the men. While the men had time to relished in the war stories / show of terrain.
So in no way did my GF had that look afterwards. Ok, now we go shopping for xxxx amount of hours.
So if You can stand those human side stories, take ur wife / GF along on the official tour she will have a gran time too.

Kind regards,

Rasmus



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