gettysburg
 

Expect to visit Gettysburg in early spring. Anyone recommend places to stay (motels, hotels, or B&Bs) and eat (good food at reasonable prices)?

I would recommend Gettysburg Hotel 1797 or James Gettys Hotel. Have never been inside any of the B&B's but they look nice on the outside. For restaurants, the Dobbin House and the Blue Parrot. Check out the website, gettysburg.com for more information and pictures.

I can't help with hotel/restaurant info, as we've day-tripped there from DC, but definitely look into getting a guide from the National Park Service. These are extremely knowledgable people who will drive you in your car around the battlefield. You can reserve a guide in advance (check with NPS in Gettysburg for details) and it costs about $30-40. I've enjoyed the two such tours I've taken that I want to do what you're planning and go for a weekend.

Drive through the battlefield at night. It's wild. Gettysburg is supposedly haunted everywhere. Maybe you believe in that stuff, maybe you don't. My husband and I certainly do. We heard things that we could never explain. Maybe we have overactive imaginations, but it was the highlight of our weekend.

There are many very fine B&B's in Gettysburg. One that I've never stayed in but would like to stay in is the Doubleday Inn. It is not in an historic building is located on the battlefield where a significant part of the 1st day's activities took place, northwest of town. It is quiet and away from the honkt tonk atmosphere of the downtown area. However, if you prefer the downtown area, the Brick House Inn is located near the Park Headquarters, the Baladary Inn near where Lincoln stayed on the square. I enjoyed the Farnsworth House Restauarant which uses period recipes, also the Herr House Inn (which also has rooms I believe), which figured also in the 1st day's battle NW of town. By the way, you really should get a guide. It is very hard to really appreciate the field by merely utilizing the books, even if you think you know what took place. After using a guide you will see that much of your previous knowledge will seem like nothing at all.

Outside of Gettysburg off of Route 30 heading west towards Chambersburg is the Cashtown Inn B&B. The owner showed us to rooms upstairs where AP Hill had signed the wall while staying there before teh battle. There were other signatures as well, but can't remember who. WE ate there, didn't stay since my parents live 15 min. away..but looked like a nice B&B and only a 10min. drive from Gettysburg.