Gettysburg

[TimF]

Im going to have April first to myself while staying in DC and would like to spend the day checking out Gettysburg. Looks to be about a 90 minute ride. Any cool places to check out beside the battlefield?

[Robert.Fleming]

Buy and read this book, without fail: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hallowe ... 1100618649


Plan your visit: http://www.nps.gov/gett/planyourvisit/index.htm

[David_T]

I was just there last spring. The battlefield really is most of it; be sure to get an official licensed battlefield guide; well worth the price http://www.gettysburgtourguides.org/
Also nearby is the Adams County Winery, with a tasting room in Gettysburg and the actual winery + tasting room about 15 minutes west. I always like to stop & try the local wine wherever I'm traveling; they were my first from PA. By no means anything mindblowing but not bad (most a touch on the sweet side though not overly so)

[TimF]

I was just there last spring. The battlefield really is most of it; be sure to get an official licensed battlefield guide; well worth the price http://www.gettysburgtourguides.org/
Also nearby is the Adams County Winery, with a tasting room in Gettysburg and the actual winery + tasting room about 15 minutes west. I always like to stop & try the local wine wherever I'm traveling; they were my first from PA. By no means anything mindblowing but not bad (most a touch on the sweet side though not overly so)

So I hire a guy to drive around with me? Sounds kind of strange/interesting but I'll give it a shot.

[David_T]

I was just there last spring. The battlefield really is most of it; be sure to get an official licensed battlefield guide; well worth the price http://www.gettysburgtourguides.org/
Also nearby is the Adams County Winery, with a tasting room in Gettysburg and the actual winery + tasting room about 15 minutes west. I always like to stop & try the local wine wherever I'm traveling; they were my first from PA. By no means anything mindblowing but not bad (most a touch on the sweet side though not overly so)

So I hire a guy to drive around with me? Sounds kind of strange/interesting but I'll give it a shot.

That's the gist of it- when I did it he took the keys, said sit back/relax & drove us around the battlefield making numerous stops, and was incredibly knowledgeable/informative. They can present anything from a basic chronology of the battle to in-depth discussions if you already have a basic working knowledge of the battle's history. Be sure to call and get a reservation in advance, especially on the weekends though there's always a chance of there being a guide free on the day of.

[TimF]

How many hours was your tour?

[Howard Cooper]

If you want good restaurants, go to Frederick, Maryland - at most 1/2 away. But one goes to Gettyburg for the battlefield.

[David_T]

How many hours was your tour?

We did the standard two hour

[M Champney]

Eisenhower’s house is close by and worth the trip as well but may not fit into a one-day expedition.

[Bob Hunnicutt]

My son, the history major, was there a couple summers ago. Said it was the best day of his life. lol

[TimF]

I'm more excited about this visit than I expected. I'm reading Hallowed Ground now and have a tour guide scheduled. Thanks for the advice everybody.

[Ryan Caughey]

Gettysburg is awesome, and the region is beautiful. I took a Civil War class from James McPherson in college, and he gave us a day-long tour of the battlefield. It was definitely one of my all-time academic highlights.

[Danius Barzdukas]

I agree that it is a wonderful place to visit, and I would give yourself more time than you think you need to tour the battlefield. I've been there twice and have yet to see Culps's Hill or even the cemetery. Depending on how much you know about the battle, you can get caught up on things like Barlow's Knoll or just wandering around Devil's Den, hanging out on Little Round Top and looking at all of the monuments, etc. The short movie at the visitor's center and the cyclorama are actually okay. I hope you have a good time.

[TimF]

I had a great visit today. I actually wish I had booked a longer tour. The guide was fantastic, I could have listened to him all day long. The museum needs at least two hours to do it justice and the cyclorama was incredible.

I also did a tasting at Adams County Winery. The wines weren't terrible -- they had a Pinot Noir/Cab Franc blend that was pretty good (was also double the cost of the other wines). Strange, though, that they don't print vintages on the labels and the pourer couldn't tell me what they were. I asked if they blend multiple vintages and she said they did not. Interesting...

[craig vanderah]

Go out to the battlefield real early in the morning or late in the day when fewer people are around. Little Round Top and many spots have a real spiritual vibe at those times of day.