Visiting Gettysburg

[Danestress]

I'm planning on driving up to Gettysburg sometime in the next 8 months. I'm wondering if anyone has any tips or hints or great places to stay nearby.

I am also wondering whether you think it's best to do on a regular season day or if it would be good to try to go when they have the annual reenactment.

[unsinkable]

but take the personal tour where you pay for the guide to come in your car.

It is worth every dollar!

unsinkable

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I'm planning on driving up to Gettysburg sometime in the next 8 months. I'm wondering if anyone has any tips or hints or great places to stay nearby.

I am also wondering whether you think it's best to do on a regular season day or if it would be good to try to go when they have the annual reenactment.

It depends in part on what you want to get out of it. I was there on a reenactment weekend years ago and remember that it was very full of people. We didn't get to observe any of the reenacted battles because of our timing, but we did see a number of people in costume there and in town.

Two years ago, we visited on a summer weekday. The park was not too full, but there was still a lot going on. The Junior Ranger program had children's demonstrations going (this was well done). We got a booklet from the bookstore with historic trails outlined by the local boyscout council. And we bought the driving cd to listen to in the car. We did the driving tour and listened to the cd between stops. This also corresponded to the shorter of the historic trails. When we were done, the kids turned in their Junior Ranger worksheets for a NPS patch. Later, we sent off to the boyscout council for patches for the visit.

Sebastian
Percival Blakeney Academy (http://blakeney-academy.blogspot.com/)

[WTMindy]

I wouldn't recommend the little light-up battle reinactment at the visitor center. I think it is much better to get out and drive it listening to the tour. I had my kids memorize a part of the Gettysburg address and say it in the same spot where Lincoln gave it. They got a kick out of that!

[Danestress]

but take the personal tour where you pay for the guide to come in your car.

It is worth every dollar!

unsinkable


That did look like a really neat deal!

[JFS in IL]

We bought a guide booklet and cd that gave us a tour - the cd describes stuff, and you stop it when you stop to get out and look around. You can skip stops and skip ahead on the cd. The guide booklet had maps and tons of info, too. My s-i-l did the live guide - their two teen girls bickered so much it was an embarrassment to have the guide in the car ;-). More $$$, too.

[Gwen in TX]

We also enjoyed visiting Ike and Mamie Eisenhower's home nearby. You actually get on the bus at the visitor's center and ride over there. While there, the kids can get a Junior Ranger badge by pretending to be a Secret Service agent setting up a visit by a foreign dignitary.

We learned so much about Ike. It took a couple of hours.

The visitor's center was being rebuilt. Does any one know if that is complete yet? Might be worthwhile holding your trip until after???