Suggestions for Gettysburg and Lancaster PA

Hope you already have reservations! This is the 150th anniversary of Gettysburg and it is going to be packed the closer you get to July 4th. Estimates of 3.5 million peple visiting June, July and August. Some folks booking here in Chambersburg which is 25 miles west of G'burg. Lancaster should not be an issue.

Whatever you do, do not miss the Circlarama at the Gettysburg NP Visitors Center. What a painting. We were there in 2011 at the beginning of the 150th Anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War. I am still in awe of what is there, cemetaries, battlefields, buildings, camp grounds by regiment, makes me wish I had paid attention in US history classes.

N bound on 15, at Dillsburg there is a diner on the left, turn left at the Sheetz station and go to the second drive and make a 120 degree right. It's Bakers and you can see their sign. Wolfes is along 15 but not sure if there is room whereas Bakers has plenty. General Picketts Buffet in Gbh is a good family restaurant. It is a tourist trap town so you have to watch as most restaurants think you'll never come back anyway.When you leave Gbh you'll go east on hwy 30 and there are several good restaurants between there and York where you can pull in on the S side of 30 and, get back out. Pick one, they are usually all good. The museum at Gbh is interesting and go to the films first as it was huge and took me forever to understand what went on.
Laserdome2050 Auction Manheim Pa, nicest Gbh http://gettysburgcampground.com/ very pretty with creek, Old Mill Stream Camp Ground
2249 Lincoln Hwy E Lancaster, PA 17602(717) 299-2314 next to Duttch Wonderland but noisy due to Rt 30 Very nice and clean

If you like State Parks, check-out Gifford Pinchot State Park. We stayed there a few years ago. About equal distances to Gettysburg, Lancaster, and Hershey Park, so it was a great "base camp". Nice CG, well maintained. Kids loved the beach....

There are a lot of nice campgrounds in Lancaster - make reservations now. Old Mill Stream Campground is next to Dutch Wonderland - an amusement park for younger kids - perfect for a ten year old and the 14 year old is just on the edge but should also enjoy it. We stay in Old Mill Stream a lot and have not been bothered by any noise from the road which is some distance from the actual camping sites and a blocked by two buildings.

Gettysburg as has been said is a tough reservation this year but you should be able to get a site. The Battle of Gettysburg is difficult to understand because it took place over three days and is spread over a lot of ground. To best understand the battle and make the tour of the battlefield much more enjoyable rent or buy the movie, Gettysburg - starring Jeff Daniels. You can usually find this DVD for $5 now. Watch it with your family and you will get a real understanding about the battle and what took place plus you will see the sites you saw in the movie when you get there and have a much greater appreciation for them and a whole lot less confusion about what you are seeing. The movie is long but very entertaining and very well acted with a big cast. It was filmed in the town and in and around the National Park.

Gettysburg DVD

It seems there are a bunch of holidays in the Pennsylvania area which dont exist elsewhere. So CG's near Lancaster were really full last year when everyone else was pretty light.

You need an advance reservation. And you have to like following rules!

Gettysburg seems short of CG space for how big of an attraction it is. We wound up staying north in Carlisle, which turned out to be a great place to stop.

Take the kids to Hershey's. They will love the 3D Movie and the chocolate ride. I did. Have a great trip!

Miles

Here is a link to PA State parks in the area.The 3 that I would suggest are Pine Grove Furnace,Gifford Pinchot or Codorus.PA has nice state parks most have electric hookups,water hydrants in each loop,dump station and nice shower houses.Pine Gove Furnace has brand new shower houses.Most have lakes or pools and other recreation.Although they are hard to get into on a weekend,if you reserve Sunday through Thursday,you will have liitle problem getting a site.Plus,it will be less crowded.http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/where/south/index.htm

We stayed at Artillery Ridge campground in Gettysburg a few years ago and liked the campground. They have trail rides into the battleground you can go on from the campground - bring your own horse (they have stables on site, very cool!) or use a horse from the campground. They used to have a huge diorama at the campground that was impressive with a light and sound show, but I understand that it may have been moved to a larger building.

Get one of the "self-guided" car tour CDs. Any campground there probably sells them. Makes for a very relaxed tour of an incredible battlefield. If I understand correctly, there are monuments to fallen soldiers from every state all over the battlefield. We found monuments to Connecticut soldiers -- made it a unique tour of the battlefield, looking for specific monuments.

Also agree with watching the "Gettysburg" movie beforehand.

Try this on for size, read carefully! Might be time for the folks in Chambersburg to line off their yard and make a couple of "bucks"













DON'T MISS THIS CHANCE TO BE ABLE TO PARK YOUR RIG ON A LARGE GRASS COVERED SPOT JUST 4 BLOCKS FROM THE TOWN SQUARE FOR THE WEEK OF 4TH OF JULY, 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. ALL SPACE NEAR THE TOWN WILL BE VERY LIMITED AND CONDITIONS DO APPLY. RENT WILL BE 100.00 PER DAY.



THE INDIVIDUAL SITES WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET WIDE BY 80 FEET LONG AND THE ENTIRE SITE IS RIGHT ON ROUTE 30! SO NO WORRIES ABOUT DIFFICULT TURNS THROUGH THE TOWN. SPACES MAY ALSO BE LARGER OR SMALLER TO ACCOMODATE LARGER AND SMALLER RVs AND CAMPERS. RENTAL OF THESE EXCLUSIVE SITES WILL BEGIN THE WEEK OF JUNE 24TH STARTING ON MONDAY. THE END DATE OF THESE RENTALS WILL BE JULY 12TH. YOU MAY RENT A SITE FOR THE ENTIRE TIME OR FOR JUST A PORTION OF IT. INFORMATION ON THE TOWN, PLACES TO GO AND THINGS TO DO WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE SITE AND ONCE YOU HAVE BOOKED YOUR SPOT I WILL EMAIL ANY UPDATES ON THINGS THAT WILL BE HAPPENING NEAR THE SITE. THERE WILL BE NO ELECTRIC HOOKUP OR WATER HOOKUP AT THESE SITES. THIS IS FOR PARKING ONLY!



IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN RESERVING YOUR SPOT FOR THAT WEEK PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO NEWYAWKAAH@YAHOO.COM WITH THE TOTAL LENGTH OF YOUR RV OR CAMPER, THE NUMBER OF NIGHTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO RESERVE FOR AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND I WILL SEND YOU ALL THE DETAILS AND CONTACT AND PAYMENT INFO.



THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST AND GOOD LUCK!!