MinivanMom Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 We've been thinking of going to Gettysburg at some point this year. We have never been to any kind of Civil War site or reinactment before, so I have no idea what I'm doing. I have looked at the official website and I can't seem to figure out anything. I don't know which events might be the best to attend or what may be too crazy or crowded. Someone was telling me about a friend having tickets to some big event, but I can't even figure out what may require special tickets this year. We're thinking of going for a whole week and we will probably visit Philadelphia also. We were thinking of going the week of July 4th, but we aren't set on a particular time of year. We could go for the July events or wait until November. We will also need to stay in a hotel with suites that can accommodate 4 kids plus a baby in a crib. Any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutor Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 If you decide to go in July, I highly recommend going for a day to the reinactments. You can get tickets for that here. No matter when you go, try to get a battlefield tour guided by a Licensed Battlefield Guide. One of my most memorable vacations as a kid was going to Gettysburg and having one of these guided tours! The guide drives your car and stops at various locations throughout the battlefield to explain various aspects of the battle, but the best part is that you and the kids can ask all kinds of questions and get a very personalized tour. The guides are excellent! (I went to college at Gettysburg College and then lived in the area for a while and had a few friends who were licensed guides. They loved their job and looked forward to every tour.) Comfort Suites in Gettysburg has suites with two queen beds in the bedroom and a pull-out sofa in the living room. They should also have cribs. If you go in the summer, you might contact the college and see if they have any dorm rooms available to rent. You'd have to bring your own portable crib, but you could probably get connecting dorm rooms. (It would be an adventure, anyway!) If you have time, you might also want to stop by and tour President Eisenhower's home. Also, don't miss the cheesecake at the Lincoln Diner. It's fabulous! (It is capable of sustaining a student through four years of college, ahyway.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I'm guessing you know that this year is the 150th anniversary of the battle which was fought over July 4. Might be a bit crowded that week! We were hoping to go sometime this summer, but that is kind of up in the air right now. I would second the suggestion of the tour guide. We had one when we went with my dad and brother in 1995 and it was a fantastic experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Oh! Gettysburg rocks! It is a lot of fun, even for kids. July 4th is likely to be pretty crowded (and hot); I believe there is usually a big reenactment at that time, and that may be what someone meant about tickets. We haven't been, mainly because we've seen some reenactments and don't want to brave the crowds, the heat, and the ticket cost when we live so close. I would probably choose to visit a different time of the year; May or October would be good (early October has a huge Apple Harvest Festival then), but November is still generally very pleasant around here. Oh, and 2013 is also the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, so there may be some other special events too, especially around early July. This site may have some helpful info: pacivilwar150.com. I don't know about hotel suites, but there are a lot of campgrounds nearby, and some of them have cabins that might work for your family. You may also be able to find a rental house. You should probably plan to see the Visitor's Center and Cyclorama and the (extensive) galleries that accompany those. Easily a full afternoon, depending on how long you spend in the galleries. (Don't buy lunch there; it's super expensive. There's a nice little diner right in town; I forget its name, but it had really good food, and I can look it up for you if you want. For a nice but not super fancy meal, and really good craft beer and root beer, we highly recommend Appalachian Brewing Company. There are multiple great ice cream shops in town too. :) ) Other places we have been: -The Eisenhower house site (couple of hours, and the kids enjoyed it) -Hall of Presidents and First Ladies (couple of hours, fun for kids; something girly for the girls to balance out all the battle stuff.) -Civil War Wax Museum (my kids loved this; it's fairly short). There are often reenacters camped outside. Gettysburgmuseum.com. -Somewhere downtown there's a place where you can get your picture taken with your face inside a cutout of Lincoln. My kids thought that was hilarious. -The cemeteries -- Gettysburg National Cemetery (I think that's the right name) and the one next to it, Evergreen Cemetery -- site of the Gettysburg Address. Evergreen has a statue of Elizabeth Thorn, who dug a bunch of Civil War graves while pregnant; my DD found that pretty inspiring. -The Round Barn just outside of G'burg in Cashtown -- it's not a huge place, but it's kind of fun to visit (and you can buy really good produce there, or a lot of places, around the area; if you come in November, apples will be plentiful and AMAZING). -Mr. Ed's Elephant Museum (and candy store) -- the kids thought it was fun. There was a fire there a while back, but IDK if they've reopened or not. It's just west of G'burg. The battlefields: There are a lot of things to see, monuments, lookouts, cannons. There IS an audio driving tour that you can buy ($22? not sure) that tells you "turn here, go this far, stop and listen," but with a lot of small kids, it might not be your thing. I would look for this book, which gives walking and driving directions, maps (including of the cemeteries), etc.: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Gettysburg-Guide-Battlefield-ebook/dp/B005AY1KBO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1357931873&sr=8-2&keywords=walking+tour+gettysburg If you're Catholic, the Elizabeth Seton Shrine is about 20 minutes south of Gettysburg in Emmitsburg. If you head north a bit, there's the Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle (less than 30 minutes from G'burg and an easy drive). They have displays from a bunch of American wars, bunkers to go in, stuff like that. The boys really loved that. In Harrisburg (40 minutes from G'burg, but again, an easy ride -- it's very easy to get around this area), the State Museum of PA is very interesting (and has a planetarium). We have not been to the Civil War Museum in Harrisburg yet though. Not far from Harrisburg is Hershey, the amusement park, and assorted chocolate stuff. :) (Free chocolate tour.) If you do go to Philadelphia, you might plan a stop in Lancaster. There's a lot to do there, but the kids would probably enjoy the Landis Valley Museum (it's a working farm). Over a bit in Ephrata, there's also the Cloisters. Heading east from there to Philadelphia, there's the Daniel Boone birthplace in Birdsboro (haven't been there though) and Valley Forge (and the King of Prussia Mall if you like to shop). Philadelphia is about 3 1/2 hours from Gettysburg. If you are planning to see a lot of things, look into the PA Heritage Society membership; I know at least the Landis Valley Museum and the State Museum are included in the membership, though the State Museum is open for free certain days (third Saturday or something). I want to say that the Daniel Boone birthplace is included too, but I'm not sure; you can google Pennsylvania Trails of History. Anyway, here's the site for it: http://www.shoppaheritage.com/collections/state-museum-affiliate-memberships Anyway, that got long, sorry. Hope it helps. Feel free to PM me if I can help any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 No matter when you go, try to get a battlefield tour guided by a Licensed Battlefield Guide. One of my most memorable vacations as a kid was going to Gettysburg and having one of these guided tours! The guide drives your car and stops at various locations throughout the battlefield to explain various aspects of the battle, but the best part is that you and the kids can ask all kinds of questions and get a very personalized tour. The guides are excellent! Ditto! When we were in Gettysburg a few years ago the guided tour was the highlight of our visit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reya Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 It is insanely busy in the summer. FWIW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny_Weatherwax Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 It is a definite must see. As a pp stated this is the 150th anniversary of the Battle so plan on a lot of people in late June and early July. I have been there twice in the last 4 years and was able to see different things during each visit. The battlefield is huge and cannot be seen in one day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 We did the driving tour this summer on the way from Harpers Ferry to tie in with our visit to Antietam. It was okay. More expensive than Antietam so we didn't do much else. If you go to Gettysburg, consider driving south the Antietam and Harpers Ferry. You could do both in a day. Our first trip to Philly pre-9/11 was fantastic. Our second trip was after leaving Gettysburg was awful. The duck boat tour sucked. (Boston has a better one.) Security was ridiculous. The park service didn't know what to do with an different armed federal agent. (Whatever the reason we were in HF, dh had to travel with his service weapon and we couldn't just leave it in the car unattended.) We were only allowed to see two rooms in Independence Hall. Everything was guided. The best part of the visit was the Hard Rock Cafe. After we left Philly we went to Hershey. That was cool. Even without going to the amusement part side the rest of the stuff was fun. Maybe consider that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny_Weatherwax Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 We did the driving tour this summer on the way from Harpers Ferry to tie in with our visit to Antietam. It was okay. More expensive than Antietam so we didn't do much else. If you go to Gettysburg, consider driving south the Antietam and Harpers Ferry. You could do both in a day. I second, and third and fourth a stop at Harper's Ferry. It is worth the trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Just FYI, visiting in Gettysburg this year the week of July 4th is going to be tough motel-wise. Our news just reported that 98% of all motel rooms in the county and a neighboring one are already booked and I doubt any are inexpensive. It actually had me toying with renting out our home, but just toying with the idea. (We're not in Gettysburg, but are close to it.) If you're not really wanting to be there for the 150th, it could be wise to come a different week. If you want that week - start looking for rooms NOW. Otherwise, I disagree that you can do Gettysburg, Antietam, and Harper's Ferry in one day - you can drive to them all in one day, but it you want to stop and see anything significant (museum, any stops along the battlefield, etc) - well, we wouldn't be able to do it... They are all worth seeing at some point, but Gettysburg is definitely my favorite of the three. The museum is pricey (esp since it was supposed to be free!!!), but interesting if you can afford it (we go on free to county residents days). I can't really add to what others have suggested for things to do - they've covered quite a bit. In Hanover (nearby) Utz offers a free potato chip factory tour that is short and interesting. In York Harley Davidson offers motorcycle factory tours, but we've never done that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datgh Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 We rented a house when we went with a group of teens in May last year. They had a whole yard to run around and play volleyball in. We had made a frozen meals ahead so all we had to do was cook and serve. We had all the teens make a lunch before we left the house. That saved a lot of dollars. Might be worth looking into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 We did not get the actual tour guide, but bought the cd that we played in the car as we drove, stopping it whenever we wanted to stop and get out. It came with a map and a cool booklet, too. By sheer happenstance we ended up there on Memorial Day, and got to hear Mr. Lincoln deliver his address in the cemetery....and Neil Armstrong made a surprise appearance (everyone was warned to NOT approach him for any reason. He really did not like public appearances!) We had one day there - could have used two. Seriously. The place is huge, and the museum chock full of stuff. We drove up from Harrisburg, where we were staying for a couple nights (we also did Hershey - the tour and bought candy, not the park.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinivanMom Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 Thank you so much. We are in the middle of an American history cycle, so it seems perfect to make a trip to Gettysburg considering the significance of the year. Other than the significance of the actual anniversary, is there a really compelling reason to go in July when it will be super-hot and crazy-crowded? With my kids being as young as they are I'm thinking that we might all be happier going up in the fall, but I don't want them to miss out by doing that. Will they still get a lot out of it if we aren't there for the reinactments in July? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Thank you so much. We are in the middle of an American history cycle, so it seems perfect to make a trip to Gettysburg considering the significance of the year. Other than the significance of the actual anniversary, is there a really compelling reason to go in July when it will be super-hot and crazy-crowded? With my kids being as young as they are I'm thinking that we might all be happier going up in the fall, but I don't want them to miss out by doing that. Will they still get a lot out of it if we aren't there for the reinactments in July? Absolutely! There are often people dressed up and just hanging around town anyway. It is super gorgeous up here in the fall and way more tolerable, crowd-wise. If you happen to come on November 19 (weather is iffy though), they'll have someone dressed as Lincoln who will read the Gettysburg Address at the site. I think, especially with kids, you'll enjoy it MORE when it's not so crowded, because you'll be able to see things better, guides may have more time/energy to talk to the kids, etc. If you want to see a reenactment of the battle, come in July, but I really don't think that's necessary to understanding the battle. I wholeheartedly vote for coming in the fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKshanmar Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 We went in October and loved it... I love doing things off season! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Absolutely! There are often people dressed up and just hanging around town anyway. It is super gorgeous up here in the fall and way more tolerable, crowd-wise. If you happen to come on November 19 (weather is iffy though), they'll have someone dressed as Lincoln who will read the Gettysburg Address at the site. I think, especially with kids, you'll enjoy it MORE when it's not so crowded, because you'll be able to see things better, guides may have more time/energy to talk to the kids, etc. If you want to see a reenactment of the battle, come in July, but I really don't think that's necessary to understanding the battle. I wholeheartedly vote for coming in the fall. :iagree: Just make sure you do the museum (great for the history of the war, so-so on memorabilia as they took a lot out to make room for the history stuff) & Cyclorama (they go together) and your kids will get a good understanding. They don't do the reenactments on the exact battle site anyway (don't want the damage), but you can walk on the sites - and it means a bit to kids to do so after seeing segments of what went on where. I know I'd prefer less crowds - esp with kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 We spent 3 days in Gettysburg and then, years later, 2 days in Antietam. So YMMV as to how much time. Neither were just a drive-thru type of vacation for us. We did hire the private guides. At Gettysburg, if you have a particular interest, you can arrange for a tour guide with that specialty well in advance. At busy times, the guides sell out fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Our visit to Gettysburg was probably the low-light on our "historic east coast" trip last year. However, we didn't have the time or money to take an official tour and opted to drive ourselves with a tour map. The lady at the desk was immensely unhelpful and when we said we didn't want to get out and see every monument, just visit the "highlights", she about blew a gasket. That's an exaggeration, but she was obviously very offended. So we ended up visiting the cemetery, and drove the beginning mile or so of the tour and then gave up and went on our way. The museum is fine - we didn't buy tickets for the additional portion (or was it a film?). There is a little picnic area next to the parking lot where you can have a picnic lunch. All that to say - Take A Guided Tour! Philadelphia, on the other hand, was hands down the best part of our trip (even better than Colonial Williamburg). I'm not sure why, it was just so much fun. We went to Old Town a day after hurricane Irene blew through and everything was running as scheduled. The costumed folks were excellent and Militia Training was the best. Don't miss that part. We wish we could have had another day or two there. Consider stopping by Valley Forge while you are in the area - we were there for a morning and did a self-driving tour and picnic lunch along the way. The guides at the desk were very helpful, and seeing that we had little ones and grandma and grandpa with us, and pointed out places we'd probably most enjoy. Not everything was running because of the hurricane coming along but we managed to see most of what we wanted, and there were still several costumed actors and story-tellers still around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinivanMom Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 Whoa! Now that I'm looking at the right websites it looks like there are two different (competing) reinactments this summer. One is hosted by the Blue-Gray Alliance and the National Park Service for June 27-30, while the other is being planned by the Gettysburg Anniversary Committee for July 4-7. Does anyone know what the difference is between the two events? Would the one in June be less crowded? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs_JWM Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Let me give you this advice if you go with my dad in the early '90s - DO NOT do endless Hans and Franz impressions from the then-popular Saturday Night Live skit. You and your brother will be banished to the back of the (capped, fortunately!) truck after a lengthy lecture on respect for the fallen heroes of Gettysburg, you will wet your pants from aughing so hard, and your dad will not stop until he pulls into your driveway...292 miles later. You'll have a great story to tell 20 years later, though! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Whoa! Now that I'm looking at the right websites it looks like there are two different (competing) reinactments this summer. One is hosted by the Blue-Gray Alliance and the National Park Service for June 27-30, while the other is being planned by the Gettysburg Anniversary Committee for July 4-7. Does anyone know what the difference is between the two events? Would the one in June be less crowded? Sorry, I don't know the answers for you, but I'll bump this up so others can see it. If no one answers, I can probably pm you the e-mail addy of a guide I know... he should know the answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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