Gettysburg Pa

[Jonnypip]

Hi Going to Gettysburg Pa for a few days end of may,staying at Gettysburg campground looking for some advice on what to see and what not to see. Thanks

[edrayman]

Looking forward to what everyone has to say.

[HarleyOutlaw]

DW and I are work camping at this camp ground this year. Stop by and say hi.

There is plenty to see as long as you are into the Civil War stuff. The visitors center is great and has a really good museum. Plan on 3-4 hours for that. You can pick up a cd and do the tour of the battle filed at your own pace, another 3-4 hours.

Lots of small shops, ice cream stores and places to eat.

Gettysburg Campground also has activities scheduled almost every weekend. If you're traveling with kids they have activities for them as well.

[MaverickBBD]

As a kid I was raised not too far from Gettysburg and went there often. It was in the days when they still had cannon balls in the fields and musket balls in trees in trees and fences. Took DW there last year and was pretty much able to give her the tour. I would recommend that you get the guide who rides in your toad with you. At the very least the tapes. But above all, take the segway tours. They teach you how to use them in about a 1/2 hour class. Indoor complete with obstacle course. You are very competent when you hit the road. They have two tours. A north and a south. Do them both!

[krivanj]

We've been there twice; once for three full days and once for four.
I would recommend you start at the visitor's center and take the package. Bus tour, cyclorama and museum. If you are into museums, this one will take most of a day and it is great! An option is to hire a licensed guide who will get into your car with you. Not too much more expensive.
We did most of the ranger walks, free, and the evening ranger talks, free, and loved the National Cemetery free tour.
The stuff downtown was okay, too. Our campground gave us free tickets for the stuff there. Being free, we liked it.
The Pickett's Charge Ranger walk was really cool.

[Menendez]

Gettysburg is a somewhat uniquely rewarding battlefield to visit because of it's relatively open terrain and it's elevations that give wide vistas, making the fighting easier to envision and understand. Unlike say Chickamauga, which though well preserved, is basically a big woods interspersed with small farm lots and is a very hard battle to understand. And Gettysburg was also a series of dramatic crisises for the Army of the Potomac, one after another, crisises that were usually met when Hancock, Warren, Humphreys, Vincent, Gibbon, Stannard and many other officers, often on the brigade and regimental level, stepped up at the spur of the moment. The Army of the Potomac was finally functioning pretty well.


Anyway, I suggest you read Coddington's classic book on the campaign and battle before you go. Print yourself a copy of the still very useful <old> guidebook from the NPS website, link below.

Visit Culps Hill, many miss that and the fighting there was as vital as any. And visit where the Federal 1st Corps fought west of town on the first day, including the railroad cut west of town where Wisconsin men of the "Iron Brigade" made an audacious across the grain attack and corralled and captured a rebel regiment.

On the 11th Corps line north of town see the monument of the 82nd Illinois, the only Illinois infantry regiment in the Army of the Potomac. (No doubt they would've been happier with Grant's heavily Illinois Army of the Tennessee which was winning the victory at Vicksburg at the same time Gettysburg was fought.) Then wonder why Howard, who'd poorly commanded the 11th Corps during it's whippings at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, was later given command of the Army of the Tennessee by Sherman during the Atlanta campaign. Old Uncle Billy is hard to figure.

Along Cemetary Ridge, on the 2nd Corps line of the second day, see the statue of Father Corby placed where he gave the Irish Brigade mass absolution before they entered the fight. And see the brigade's impressive monument, a large bronze Celtic cross, on the Stoney Hill near the Wheatfield.

https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/onli...hh/9/index.htm

[BBQ Judge]

Most of the suggestions are good. Start at the visitor's center for the schedule of the day's free Ranger programs and which tour you would like to take. The tour guide in your car is the best suggestion as he will alter his program slightly for your benefit if you had a relative who fought there.

If there are re-enactor encampments, visit them to see how the soldiers lived and fought.

My wife and I like to eat an early supper, then go out on some part of the battlefield to walk. By then, most of the tourists are back at their hotel or eating supper. We also use the setting sun to get some unusual silouette photos of soldier monuments.

Enjoy your trip.

[TwoDogDad]

In addition to what has been posted, I would recommend the Destination Gettysburg website. They have an events calendar that lists daily activities and events, many of which are free of charge.

Plan Your Vacation with Destination Gettysburg

I also recommend starting at the visitor's center and taking a licensed battlefield guide. The National Cemetery is a must-see, especially if you can visit when the guides or park rangers are providing free tours.

If you spend any time walking the main streets of town you may come across the Gettysburg Museum of History. It's small but has interesting items from the Civil War and World Wars. It's a free private museum and is run by a guy named Eric who has shown up on Pawn Stars from time to time.

If you want to relax and hit a winery, I recommend Hauser Estates about 8-9 miles west of town. Nice views.

While it's not my primary address right now, I grew up in Gettysburg and still have a home there and visit every couple of months. We'll use this as our home base when we retire and hit the road with the yet-to-be-acquired RV.

Enjoy the trip.

Mike