gettysburg in november
 

Never been to Gettsyburg, thinking of going in November (weather looks pretty good)
Any place to stay in town that won't break a gal? Lodging looks quite pricey for such a small town. Thinking of taking battlefield tours, possibly a ghost tour. Any advice on other things or nearby places to check out? Is Hershey worth the trip? (or even open that time of year) Are there any mountains close by - Can't tell from maps. Looking at flying into Baltimore and driving up. Good grief, the airfare from Atlanta to Harrisburg is unreal! Any info is greatly appreciated.

There are a bunch of hotels just outside the center of town that are reasonable, for example, Days Inn. I would check on Expedia or some other consolidator and I'll bet you can find a reasonable rate. We stayed at the Days Inn over Labor Day weekend and paid $89.00 a night which includes breakfast (which is nothing great, but hey, its food).

Hersheypark is not open; the tours probably are but not worthwhile any more. Not worth a detour IMHO.

Mountains? Well, there hills -- as in Cacoctin Mountains (part of the northern Blue Ridge) where Camp David in located. Probably some decent hiking there.

There's also Harper's Ferry, Antietam isn't far away (but I don't have a clue as to what that's like in November).

If you like antiques, nearby New Oxford is excellent -- tons of shops and a charming little town to boot.

Northern motels are always pricier than south of the Mason-Dixon line, but you should be able to find a modest chain around there somewhere -- perhaps as far down as Frederick -- another charming little town with good eats, quaint downtown and lots of shops.

November can be glorious, but it can also be dismal: wet, nasty and cold. You may want to fly in to DC instead of Balto -- tons of indoor stuff there even if you've been before.

If the weather is nice and Indian Summer like, you may just enjoy driving around -- it's a very rural area with lots of farms, apple orchards, small towns, etc.

B/

Fly Airtran, atlanta to bwi, cheap!

Hi - I've done both Antietam/Harpers Ferry and Gettysburg in November (around Veteran's Day) and while it was a bit chilly, it was a good time to visit. Highly recommend both battlefields...and Harpers Ferry is worth a trip too.

The last trip to Gettysburg we hired a personal guide who drove us around - well worth the money. The thing I liked most of all was that he himself was a scholar on the topic, had written papers on it and had his own opinions so he presented some very interesting perspectives - he didn't just recite a park service script. The guides were available for hire at the park vistors center.

At Antietam we did the audio driving tour - also nice. Antietam is, IMO, even more impressive than Gettysburg, largely because of things like the Burnside Bridge & Sunken Road which look much like they must've during that time.

Unfortunately, I don't have recommendations for lodging because we did both as day trips, though on one visit when we did both we did stay at a B&B in central Maryland in between. Definitely check into some of the B&Bs in those areas and in between...some really historic homes, and in November they might be more of a deal than you'd find in high tourist season in the summer.

There are many chain hotels on York Rd (Comfort Inn, etc). There are also hotels south of the town that could save you some money. I have stayed twice on York Rd. for about $90 per night. It is worth the money to stay closer, but York Rd is only a few minutes drive away from the main sights. This year, we stayed at the Holiday Inn on Baltimore, which puts you right at everything. There is a Quality Inn, which is even closer to the Battlefield. Those places will run about $110 to $120 per night, but I am not sure about November prices. I agree that prices are not very low, but they don't seem to be way higher than elsewhere in the region. I have also stayed in Frederick, Shepherdstown, and Hagerstown.

As far as other things to do in the area. The National Civil War Museum is in Harrisburg and is worth a stop, but it may not be worth the drive up by itself. If you are going to Hershey, it is a good stop along the way. There is a nice covered bridge not far off Seminary Ridge that is worth a short detour. If you want to dine somewhere interesting, try the Farnsworth House or Dobbin House in Gettysburg or the Cashtown Inn in nearby Cashtown (shown in the movie Gettysburg). Antietam is indeed a pretty easy drive from Gettysburg (an hour or so) and is extremely worth it. Harpers Ferry puts you in a mountainous area and is not far south of Antietam as others said, and you could drive down into the Shenandoah Valley through Winchester and other towns. There are lots of other things to see around Gettysburg, including the huge Boyd's Bears shop just south of the battlefield.

Thanks for all the input. Anybody ever heard of the Blue Sky Motel or Country Hearth Inn. I saw them both on-line and just wonder how they rate. Also Quality Inn at General Lee's Headquarters. The prices seem pretty good.....but too good? Are these places in walking distance to downtown? Is Gettysburg a walkable city or is a car a must?

We visited Gettysburg during the last week of Oct. and though it was chilly we loved it. I would definitely have a car but it is a walkable city for the most part. If you forgo a car I would definitely take the guided bus tour of the battle fields. And a haunted walking tour at night would also be a must do as well as the Jenny Wade museum:) Have a great trip!

The town itself it is very walkable. I would definitely want a car for the battlefield, even though the bus tour is certainly an option. It pays not to have to see everything by someone else's schedule. Forgot - You can also visit Eisenhower's farm, and you can't take your car there; all visitors go by bus.


Another thing - There are lots of exhibits here and there - wax figures, etc. I haven't seen all, but I think I have seen most. Most are not worth the time, especially on a short trip. The Jennie Wade house definitely is worth a visit and doesn't take long. The Cyclorama is interesting, and the building contains some very important battlefield relics. The best of all is the huge exhibit in the battlefield visitor center; make sure to allow at least an hour for that.

Regarding the Quality Inn at Lee's HQ. That is right at Seminary Ridge. It is certainly walkable for parts of the battlefield, but the battlefield is very large. It is walkable for town I guess, but it would be a ton of walking. The hotel is located on a fairly busy road. I can't comment on the hotel itself, but the location is fine with a car if you get a good rate.

We were in Gettsyburg this summer. We stayed at the Historic Gettysburg Hotel (which is a Best Western) Right in the center of town. The address is One Lincoln Square www.hotelgettysburg.com 717-337-2000 toll free 1-866-EST-. We stayed in a suite, but I just now called and you can have a reg room in Nov. with double beds for $94.00 to 114.00. The location is perfect!

I can really recommend the Farnsworth House Inn for dinner. 717-334-8838 Their game pie and spoon bread is wonderful!! This house stood during the Civil War and has over 100 bullet holes still in the outside walls. It is also a B&B but runs 125.00 during the week and 140.00 on weekends. And, of course, touring the battlefields is a must!

Harpers Ferry is about a 2hr drive and can be toured in an afternoon. You drive into the National Park, park your car and board a bus that takes you into town. You walk till tired and return to where the bus dropped you off and another bus will take you back to your car. (parking is very limited down town, but in November you could probally do it)

In Harpers Ferry, don't bother with the bus shuttle. Even in the middle of the summer I have been able to park very near the sites. There is a large parking lot by the old train station.
North of Harpers Ferry you could stop in Berkeley Springs for spa treatments and quaint shops.

You have gotten perfect answers.HBG has a fare problem that won't be solved quickly so stick with BWI. Skip Hershey. The I81/Berkeley Springs/Shenandoah Valley suggestions are better but a day trip to Lancaster is do-able.In any case, you need a car for manageable driving.The warnings were correct - the weather can be nasty but not icy.Check the Natl. Park Svc. calendar for the date of the Gettysburg Address anniversary which sometimes has name speakers.