Washington DC/Gettysburg/Philadelphia with kids
 

Our So Cal family plans to head east in late August. My wife and kids, 12 and 9 have never been "back east." We vacation quite a bit, usually in Hawaii, Mexico or Vancouver. I am trying to figure out how to divide 10 days in the 3 locales. My daughter and I also want to make time to visit the Hershey chocolate factory and amusement park. I thought we would do 3 days in DC, 3 days in Philly, 2 days in Gettysburg and 2 days in Hershey. Does that sound right or should we adjust?

Second, we are trying to figure out where to book accommodations particularly in Gettysburg/Hershey? In DC we plan to stay at the Park Hyatt Washington and in Philadelphia we plan to stay at The Rittenhouse Hotel. I am trying to figure out where to stay in Gettysburg/Hershey area. Also, we would appreciate any comments on the Park Hyatt or The Rittenhouse.

We plan to rent a car when we leave DC to head to Gettysburg. Are there any public transportation options that are workable to get to Gettysburg/Hershey? and then up to Philadelphia?

Finally, our neighbor says we should to DC and Williamsburg instead. Any thoughts. Thanks in advance for any suggestions

"Are there any public transportation options that are workable to get to Gettysburg/Hershey? and then up to Philadelphia?"

I think renting a car in DC and driving it to Gettysburg/Hershey and then to Philadelphia is the best option for this leg.

I think your original plan is pretty good. You will need a car for the Gettysburg/Hershey area.

~Liz

I've been to Gettysburg twice-years apart. 5-6 hours of good weather should be enough IMO. You could book 2 or 3 nights in a town in between Gettysburg and Hershey to avoid moving from hotel to hotel.
As far as public transportation you would want to go from Washington to Philadelphia on Amtrak and then take a Keystone Amtrak train from Philadelphia to Middletown. You would have to take a taxi from the Middletown station to the Harrisburg International Airport to rent a car. The airport is in Middletown (MDT) not far from Three Mile Island.
Consider making a stop in Baltimore to see the National Aquarium and Fort McHenry.
Another option would be to get off the Northeast Regional train at BWI station to rent your car there. You can get from BWI to Gettysburg in less than 2 hours.

Park Hyatt is a good choice for a hotel. Neighborhood, West End, is more residential than commercial but still has restaurants and local business (Trader Joe's, 24 hour pharmacy, etc). 10 minute walk to the Foggy Bottom Metro on the blue line which is good for transportation to the National Mall. Also close to an abbreviated bus system, the Circulator, which runs to Georgetown as well as other popular tourist sites.

Late August can and probably will be a very hot & humid time of year to visit. Not to be underestimated for your family if they have not been east before.

I agree with those who say rent a car for the Gettysburg/Hershey portion of the trip.

>>Finally, our neighbor says we should to DC and Williamsburg instead. Any thoughts. <<

There is something to be said for that. Williamsburg (along with Jamestown, Yorktown, Richmond, local plantation homes) provide a broader and more engaging view of American history than Gettysburg alone, especially for ages 9 and 12. Wmburg is also home to Busch Garden and two water parks (Great Wolf Lodge and Water Country).

I would not choose Williamsburg over Philadephia, though, which is what the OP's neighbor was suggesting, I think.

I am certain the lure of that chocolate factory is a strong one and Gettysburg is a great experience BUT IMO Hershey Park is not the greatest and yes that is subjective. I'd much rather do Busch or even Kennywood but I agree with the rental car idea.

I would agree with that. I'd split 10 days = 3 in Philadelpia, 4 in DC, and 3 in Williamsburg & environs.

Thanks for all of the great suggestions! If we did Philadelphia/DC/Williamsburg would we need a car or could we take train?

You don't need a car IN Philadelphia or DC and you don't need a car to get around Colonial Williamsburg (I guess that is obvious) but in that area in general a car would be useful.

You could do Philadelphia and DC without a car, no problem. I think you would want a car in Williamsburg as not every place is co-located. It's easy to get around by car.You can take a train to Wmburg -- there are two leaving DC most days, morning and afternoon. Alternately you could drive to Wmburg from DC, some traffic issues but not too bad if you time it properly. 3 ish hours.

Where are you flying in and out of?

Philadelphia vs. Williamsburg? Philadelphia has some pretty neat stuff to see (and long lines to see it). Plus you can get a cheese steak. Not far from Philadelphia is Valley Forge, which makes a nice stop if you're driving toward Gettysburg.

The neat thing about Williamsburg is the employees all know history intimately. Ask anyone in costume about their life (How many dresses do you own? What toys do you play with? How much gunpowder to you need for each shot with your musket? How much do you earn in your job? How much does xxx cost?) and they will give you an answer appropriate to the time. It's a great way to make history come alive.

Mt Vernon, VA is another good visit for history - and not far from downtown DC (much closer than Williamsburg).

Thanks for the suggestions. Flight arrangements not yet made. Considering flying into DC and out of Philadelphia or vice versa. My son is a big base ball fan so it also depends if we can schedule Phillies/National games during the trip.

You can't fly into DC. Your area choices are BWI in MD and IAD or DCA in VA. DCA is closest to DC.

I think we were going to fly in or out of Dulles? Is that IAD?

Yes

IMO BWI is your best choice for flying into. Second best would be DCA (Reagan National). Each has access to rail or Metro without renting a car until you need it.
Camden Yards is within walking distance of the Baltimore Inner Harbor.

I will look into BWI and DCA. I have only flown into Dulles in the past. Also, forgot about the Orioles. I will check their schedule as well. Always heard great things about Camden Yards.

Thanks to all who responded.

The Rittenhouse is lovely with nice big rooms. You'll have to call directly if you want a room with two beds. It's across from Rittenhouse Square, a nice patch of green where everyone walks their dogs. It's also very close to restaurants and shopping. That being said, The Four Seasons has a great kids' program. I was there a couple of weeks ago and there were kids everywhere. It's also next door to the Academy of Natural Science and the Franklin Institute.