ejong

Planning a two-day trip to Gettysburg in May (avoiding Gettysburg College graduation and Memorial Day Weekend) and having a tough time deciding where to stay. It looks like The James Gettys Hotel and The Gettysburg Hotel may be the best of not very good options. Any insights in this regard?

Also planning to engage the services of one of the guides who will provide a personalized battlefield tour. Is this the right way to go?

What should we not miss? What is not worth seeing?

We will be driving from NYC. I have heard that it's a pretty drive. Anyplace we should stop along the way? It is probably my one and only trip to this area so I want to make the most of it.

Thanks!

Ocn Vw 1K

Please follow the thread as it moves to the mid-Atlantic forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

ukyank

For hotels, there are a lot of options just outside of the town center area which are within a short/easy drive to everything (I've stayed at the Hampton Inn for example) that you can consider too. In town I've only stayed at the 1863 Inn which was passable & the Farnsworth House which was nice so long as you like B&B type places.

Park Service guides are top notch & a great way to see the park. Definitely hit up the visitors center, skip most of the tourist traps in the town itself- there is a store to definitely check out though, the 'Horse Soldier' as it's practically a museum in itself.
The Dobbin House is a nice dining experience in town.

Don't think it's on the way from NYC but Lancaster, PA is relatively close by & nice (great steam railroad & accompanying museum there @ Strasburg is thats of any interest to you).

kipper

I wouldn't call Lancaster "close." It's over an hour, and Strasburg is about an hour and a half.

OP--if you are interested in ghosts, Farnsworth House is supposedly haunted.

You can stay at any of the "chain" hotels and have a perfectly nice stay, but without much character.

I'm about 40 minutes from Gettysburg, so if you want to get together for a drink while you are in the area, let me know.

ejong

Thanks so much for these replies. Good to have a restaurant recommendation. And I will check out The Horse Soldier. My husband is big into military history and just finished a bio of J.E.B. Stuart so I have a feeling that might be a great place for him to stop in.

I'm tempted by Lancaster. And I'm enough of a geek that I would even like to stop in Hershey and take the factory tour.

kipper

Hershey is somewhat on your way. You'll be there before peak HersheyPark season, but traffic/parking will still be crazy.

If you want to go to Lancaster, I'd suggest doing that on the way in or out of town. I'm guessing you'll be taking 78 to 81, so Hershey is a little detour. From there, Lancaster isn't too bad.

JayBrian

I have stayed here;

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...nsylvania.html


Very friendly and quaint Bed and Breakfast.

Take a ghost tour at night if the weather is nice.

Lovethecabin

We live about an hour from Gettysburg yet I didn't make my first visit until our son was 6yo.

The visitors center is very impressive. I am a milatary history buff but even my husband and son loved the displays and cyclodome (sp?).

We went on the spur of the moment and NP guides were booked but I have heard very, very good reviews about the official guides from people I know that are very into Civil War history.

We had lunch at the Dobbin House and it was enjoyable in a historic, oldie time way.

I find no charm at all in Lancaster county but then again, I grew up visiting relatives there. I think the entire area is a tourist trap but I speak as a semi-local who hates the traffic and fake "Amish" themes. I really don't mean to down the idea, I am just being honest as someone who has spent time there. The area does offer a lot of outlet shopping and certain worthwhile attractions depending on how far you want to research.

I like Hershey. I have family there and we visit frquently. The Chocolate World tour is actually a free ride, think Disney themed, with a mock up of the coco process that dumps you at a giant retail center. For free , it is fine but I would not go out of my way to visit it. It is not a true factory tour, sadly....

The Hershey Gardens (entrance fee) and lunch at the Hershey Hotel would be a very nice stop, but pricey. Trevi, one of the hotels restaurants has a lovely outdoor seating area. You could make a day of a visit to the gardens and a stroll around the resort and lunch. The Circular dining room has a lovely buffet lunch and a lavish Sunday Brunch.

The Hershey Experience is a very interesting museum highlighting Milton Herhsey's life. We really enjoyed our first visit and will go back.

767-322ETOPS

Sorry for delay in responding. In fact, you may be in Gettysburg already. I have a child attending Gettysburg College so wer're out there several times a year. We usually stay at:

Gettysburg Hotel - great location, right on the square. Rates are reasonable. It's actually owned by the College. While it's not a world class hotel, it's "good enough" for Gettysburg.

Wyndham - a few miles down route 30 near intersection with rt 15. 5-10 minutes to downtown Gettysburg. Property is fairly new-ish and rooms are nicer, IMO, than the Gettysburg Hotel.