One of my favorite things about college is the ability to take advantage of frequent (and cheap) student trips. This past weekend I joined two campus clubs in their trek to Gettysburg, PA. Seeing as though the town is home to some one of the most important battles in our nation's history, and my college is only a few hours away, it's pretty surprising I hadn't made time for the trip yet.
The dreariness of the day only added to the sadness that you feel as you think about immesity of the battle that was fought here. While I love visiting almost anywhere, knowing the history of a location really adds to your experience as a travel, whether that be to the collesuem in Rome or the battlefields of Gettysburg.
Like many other popular destinations, some parts of the town are overrun by tourist traps; However, if you go to the right places, Gettysburg can be a really great day trip. If you visit, make sure to visit the National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center. For about $10, you gain access to a really great museum featuring all aspects of the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg. Coming from a non-museum fan, it actually is worth your time. After that, take a self guided (driving) tour of important places from the battle. Not only are these locations specified by signage and audio tours, but there are tons of statues and monuments that, in my opinion, really bring things to life.
For dinner, we ate at the Dobbin House Tavern, which I highly reccommend. The tavern is styled to be exactly like a tavern in the 1700s, and not in a cheesy way. Regarding entertainment, a word to those in search of one of the many ghost tours that happen nightly- do a little research beforehand to make sure you really get what you're looking for. Our group purchased tickets from the first vendor we came across and honestly wasted our time that evening.
Lastly, if you do visit Gettysburg anytime soon, be sure to visit the National Cemetary and the town center- the two places I regretfully didn't make it to.
Do you like traveling to historic places? I need some good cities to put on my travel list!
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