Community Forums

Horizonchase · 01-05-2013, 10:22 PM

My wife and I are going to take our first trip out of New England this Spring in our Navion to Gettysburg, Pa. I was wondering, while we are in the winter months I thought it would be a good time to plan for this trip. Has anyone been to those places? More importantly, can you recommend good campsites near those aforementioned destinations? Any tips, or must see sights that you'd recommend or avoid?
Thanks, much appreciated!
Jim

lthrnk · 01-05-2013, 10:35 PM

Gettysburg is a great area to visit. We have always stayed at Artillery Ridge CG, it is a Passport America park, and very convenient to town and the new visitors center. Allow a few days to do the whole thing. Hershey is a nice area to visit, they have a tour of the chocolate making process, as well as an amusement park (if you have kids with you). Lancasater itself is just a city, but the Amish area outside it are beautiful. We have stayed at Roamers Retreat in Gap several times. PA park, nice people, excellent location to see all of the area.

Have a great trip.

jsetti · 01-06-2013, 04:16 AM

We also stayed at Artillery Ridge. Very clean restrooms (checked them out, didn't use them) and laundry (did use). We paid $26.00/night with PA Discount. Don't miss the Ghost Lab, Diorama (we got free tickets at the campground) and the battlefield. If you are like me, plan on spending a lot of time at the battlefield reading all of the monuments.

We haven't been to Hershey or Lancaster yet.

Oscar Mike · 01-06-2013, 06:53 AM

Gettysburg is on my bucket-list of places to see...

CampDaven · 01-06-2013, 07:04 AM

Dont forget the Shady Maple Smorgasbord in Blue Ball.
If ya gotta eat it may as well be the finest.

CampDaven · 01-06-2013, 07:10 AM

http://www.campgroundreviews.com/regions...ettysburg.html

Blacknchrome · 01-06-2013, 07:12 AM

I live in York PA right in the middle of all of those towns. Let me know what you are looking for and I can get a list of places to see.

The Hershey Park
Hershey Car Museum
Harley Davidson Factory Tour
Gettysburg Battlefield
Gettysburg Visitors Center ( New and very nice)
Many Amish Farms in Lancaster to see

I can find a list of campgrounds in my area and provide names if you wish.

Bill

lthrnk · 01-06-2013, 08:33 AM

In my reply post I had mentioned Roamers Retreat CG being in Gap, PA. They are actually listed in Kinzers, PA, if you are looking for them.

Remember, when people speak of the Amish Country in PA, they are talking about Lancaster County, not Lancaster City.

User1011 · 01-06-2013, 09:38 AM

In addition to the above posts, we would recommend taking the "Trolley Tour" at the Hershey Chocolate World Factory. It provides a ride on an open trolley that takes you through the town. It is narrated by a knowledgeable guide who shares in depth information on the history of Milton Hershey and how it all started.

We stayed at Highmeadows CG which is owned and operated by Hershey Park. The "Woodlands" area of the CG are pull thru's and probably where you want to be. The CG has a free shuttle bus that runs continuously to Hershey Park and Hershey Chocolate World (they are adjacent to one another). Once at Hershey Chocolate World you can jump on another shuttle bus that will take you to Hotel Hershey. It is a gorgeous property and you can enjoy a wonderful meal (BTW-- they have a great breakfast) in their dining room without being a guest of the hotel.

Gettysburg National Park has bus tours that are popular. The tour guides are required to pass rigorous testing to be employed as a guide so they give you a great history lesson.

You could go to the US National Park website for more information on Gettysburg National Park and all there is to do. The Visitor Center is a must.

There are CG Park Reviews for the area on IRV2 along with the aforementioned campgroundreviews.com. We live about 2 hours East of Gettysburg and have visited the area numerous times.

Have a great trip !!

RickO · 01-06-2013, 09:47 AM

I'll add my vote for Artillery Ridge in Gettysburg. Very cool set up. It's a "horse park" and you can just visit with them or take a trail ride through interesting areas.

It's a great place to visit and I was surprised at how "in tact" things like the battlefields still are. We ate dinner outdoors at a restaurant downtown and counted the bullet holes in the brick wall behind us.

Rick

OldTimer · 01-06-2013, 12:08 PM

Most campgrounds in the Lancaster area will have copies of the free Lancaster County tourism publication that lists many of the tourist attractions, but more importantly has a fold out map of the area in the center that shows all the roads in great detail including the smallest back roads. We stay in the area several times a year and have traveled many of the back roads to get from one location to another. The main roads are nice but those back roads will reward you with great scenery as they wind through the farmland and up and down the hills. The back roads are narrow but your Navion is the prefect size. We travel in a 28ft Trek and have no trouble (except for the covered bridges). Drive slowly. You never know when you will crest a hill and find a slow moving Amish buggy in front of you or meet a tanker truck that's making rounds of the dairy farms.

Horizonchase · 01-07-2013, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lthrnk

Gettysburg is a great area to visit. We have always stayed at Artillery Ridge CG, it is a Passport America park, and very convenient to town and the new visitors center. Allow a few days to do the whole thing. Hershey is a nice area to visit, they have a tour of the chocolate making process, as well as an amusement park (if you have kids with you). Lancasater itself is just a city, but the Amish area outside it are beautiful. We have stayed at Roamers Retreat in Gap several times. PA park, nice people, excellent location to see all of the area.

Have a great trip.

Seems like we will give this place a try seeing as how it is highly recommended.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CampDaven

Dont forget the Shady Maple Smorgasbord in Blue Ball.
If ya gotta eat it may as well be the finest.

Thanks for that! I have heard about this place and if it weren't for your reminder I may have passed it by!

[QUOTE=Blacknchrome;1421679]I live in York PA right in the middle of all of those towns. Let me know what you are looking for and I can get a list of places to see.

The Hershey Park
Hershey Car Museum
Harley Davidson Factory Tour
Gettysburg Battlefield
Gettysburg Visitors Center ( New and very nice)
Many Amish Farms in Lancaster to see

I can find a list of campgrounds in my area and provide names if you wish.

Bill[/
Bill, So glad that you suggested the Harley Davidson Tour!! I am a HOG member who rides an '03 Ultra and have read about those tours many times over the years. I told my wife that we are definitely going on the tour while we are down there! Is there ample parking for my motor home? Itasca Navion 24"QUOTE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Fun

In addition to the above posts, we would recommend taking the "Trolley Tour" at the Hershey Chocolate World Factory. It provides a ride on an open trolley that takes you through the town. It is narrated by a knowledgeable guide who shares in depth information on the history of Milton Hershey and how it all started.

We stayed at Highmeadows CG which is owned and operated by Hershey Park. The "Woodlands" area of the CG are pull thru's and probably where you want to be. The CG has a free shuttle bus that runs continuously to Hershey Park and Hershey Chocolate World (they are adjacent to one another). Once at Hershey Chocolate World you can jump on another shuttle bus that will take you to Hotel Hershey. It is a gorgeous property and you can enjoy a wonderful meal (BTW-- they have a great breakfast) in their dining room without being a guest of the hotel.

Gettysburg National Park has bus tours that are popular. The tour guides are required to pass rigorous testing to be employed as a guide so they give you a great history lesson.

You could go to the US National Park website for more information on Gettysburg National Park and all there is to do. The Visitor Center is a must.

There are CG Park Reviews for the area on IRV2 along with the aforementioned campgroundreviews.com. We live about 2 hours East of Gettysburg and have visited the area numerous times.

Have a great trip !!

Thank you all for this wonderful information. I have added the POI to my travel book and I am sure thqt we will be staying at those places that were recommended as well as dining and seeing those aforementioned places.
Again, many thanks!

ChallengerRN · 01-07-2013, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Horizonchase

My wife and I are going to take our first trip out of New England this Spring in our Navion to Gettysburg, Pa. I was wondering, while we are in the winter months I thought it would be a good time to plan for this trip. Has anyone been to those places? More importantly, can you recommend good campsites near those aforementioned destinations? Any tips, or must see sights that you'd recommend or avoid?
Thanks, much appreciated!
Jim

Go to visitors center at Gettysburg an get a ride along guide. They will drive your toad and show you around the battle fields ( for a fee of course)
Well worth the $$$

Blacknchrome · 01-08-2013, 04:35 AM

Harley has torn down all the old buildings on the west side of the new softail plant. The upper lot stays full but the lower lot is no longer used. There is plenty of room for your MH. You will just have to walk the side walk to the main building...a great tour...you can see all the bikes begin from raw metal to the finished product at the end of the line...I also ride HD's and the company I manage takes care of all the HVAC needs for Harley here in York. The museum at the plant is another great place to visit as well as the factory store...one of a kind shirts and other stuff can be bought..

If you need help you can e-mail me and we can hook up.

Bill