gettysburg
 

Our family will be going to Gettysburg this summer and I am wondering what tours are recommended, both of the battlefield and the ghost tours. Also, are there any other suggestions that one might have concerning attractions, dining or accomodations. Thank you.

OK, now don't laugh. We were in Gettysburg at the beginning of August. It was 98F and humid. We picked up a CD auto tour because we couldn't face the thought of walking around the battlefields in the heat dripping. It was great because we could do it at our leisure, we could rewind and listen again to stuff we were interested in, we could choose to get out of the car and explore only the items that interested us. The US Park Service runs a place where you can stop and get some information and do a video or cyclorama. We were only in Gettysburg for a day and didn't do any ghost tours. The best thing my kids remember is how how it was. You can also hire a personal guide but we didn't do that. We ate dinner at a local cafe across from the Gettysburg Hotel which was adequate, not great. Good Luck!

Several posters here have raved about private guides - and I am sure they are wonderful. We also went with the audio auto tour since we had kids with us and that way we could shut it off, head for lunch, take a break, and then resume our history lesson.

It was also hot and humid when we were in Gettysburg last summer and we also did the auto tour. We stopped when we wanted, walked and enjoyed and then jumped back into the air conditioned car! We also stayed at Best Western Gettysburg Hotel They are on the square and Saturday morning we woke up to a farmers market which we loved! Our most memorable meal was at the Farnsworth House Inn. We had game pie and spoon bread and it was delicious! The Farnsworth is supposed to be haunted and we would stay there next time if they had an available room. There are 100 bullet holes from the war on the outside of the Inn.

If you have the time, I would also recommend a day trip to Harper's Ferry with is only 60 min from Gettysburg.

I am not a civil war junkie. I find the gettysburg battlefield to be the most haunted place I have ever experienced. There are some B & Bs in teh park--I always thought it might be interesting to walk the park at night--I don't know if you can do this if you don't stay at one of the B & bs.

Gettysburg can be pretty crowded--so like any crowded tourist spot it's better to get there when the crowds aren't there.

AS I recall, they have "certified" guides of some sort at the visitor center. WE hired one and drove around--it was nice to have a resource to answer questions.

I just saw your post but hopefully in time. For food, Farnworth, as someone else mentioned, is excellent. I have eaten there twice. Another interesting place is the Cashtown Inn, which is a few miles west of town. It was in the Gettysburg movie and was on the main route taken by many of Lee's troops. Dobbin House is also supposed to be very good and is similar to Farnsworth. I have taken one ghost tour - through The Original Ghosts of Gettysburg. It was entertaining, especially for our young daughter. As for attractions, many are kind of hokey. I do recommend the Jennie Wade House and the Cyclorama (unfortunately closed right now). There is also a diorama/miniatures display/show just south of town near a campground that is pretty interesting because it shows what the area looked like during the battle. Do make time for the visitor center displays. They are very good.

I also highly recommend an early morning or late evening visit to the battlefield when the crowds have died down. It is particularly nice to visit Little Round Top and the site of Pickett's Charge at those times.

Per accomodations - We really liked the Holiday Inn near the battlefield. It is very convenient to everything and is right beside the Jennie Wade House. You can also walk just right up the street to the Farnsworth for dinner or the ghost tour I mentioned.

Dan's reference to a campground just south of town reminded me that you can also get a tour on horseback that originates at the campground. My daughter and husband did it a few years ago, and really enjoyed it.

We were in Gettysburg last weekend and stayed at the Travelodge. It was nice enough, and very close to everything.

We walked to the Dobbin House Tavern for dinner, and the food and atmosphere was great. We ate in a celler, with lots of low lighting and a very varied menu. The tavern is located in an old historic house that was part of our ghost tour.

We took the Haunted Gettysburg ghost tour, which was right down the street from the Dobbin House. The tour was fine, although I wish we would have went inside some of the "haunted" buildings. It was an outdoor tour only, but our tour guide was very entertaining and told lots of spooky stories. There are tons of ghost tours that advertise though, so you will have plenty of selection.

Tracy

I'm wanting to go to Gettysburg very, very badly. DH and I are history buffs and have wanted to visit for a long time, just never found the right time. Our daughters are now grown and since they do not rely on us anymore for their vacation time/amusement, we can plan a trip.

My requirements:

1) A clean, moderately priced hotel within 10 miles of the battlefield. (I consider moderately priced to be around $150.00 per night).

2) A couple of good restaurants where my DH can get a nice microbrew and I can have a decent glass of wine with our meals. We definitely favor casual dining, and love the "pub-type" atmosphere.

3) No haunting experiences. I hate being scared and when I'm in a spooky place, my intellect tells me one thing and my nerves tell me the opposite.

4) I would prefer to go when it is not "bike week" or "greek week" or "pot a'plenty week" or some such. I would rather go when it is no week for anything. It's not that I mind crowds so much, but too much disruption does not contribute to much of a holiday for me. I've been a hostage in Myrtle Beach during "bike week" and I'm still in therapy. :)

You must do the park ranger guided tour.
It is the best way to see the park.
You can either book in advance 9 which we did) or try that day at the visitor center.
The ranger drives your car and talks for 2 hours.
he answers all of your questions.
we have done it several times and teh kids love it
Melissa

Loisde,

You can get right in the center of things for well under $150/night. More like $100-$120. There are slightly lower priced chain hotels, particularly east of town, that will put you within 5 miles. Expect about $80-$100 out there.

I am not sure about the Gettysburg calendar of events. You will want to avoid the period around July 4 when the anniversary of the battle occurs. Reenactments and other events draw crowds. I have been once in the fall, once in the late summer, and once in the late spring. I have found that the best way to beat crowds is to be there during the week versus the weekend. The fall is also better than summer. Another way, at least on the battlefield, is to go out early in the morning, just after sunrise, at the most popular spots. Still, I have never found most of the battlefield very crowded - Little Round Top, the Peace Light Memorial, the Angle (Pickett's Charge), and the Virginia Memorial parking lot can get more crowded than other spots. Also early in the day is better at the visitor center and cemetery. A long-time shop owner in Gettysburg told me last year that crowds have dropped off in the past few years. It will likely pick up tremendously as the 150th anniversary of the Civil War approaches in 5 years. I would go before then.

Thanks, Melissa and Dan. Good information.

Dan, I've read several reports from your Civil War travels and find them all interesting. While I'm not a Carolina Tarheel fan :) I appreciate your perspective on the history of our area. (I'm in NC also.)

We'll make it to Gettysburg, I think in late August. We don't mind hot weather.