Gettysburg, PA: A Great Expediter Tourist Stop

ATeam · Sep 15, 2012

Diane and I just spent a day in Gettysburg, PA, touring the famous Civil War battlefield and parts of the town. We recommend this stop to any van or straight-truck expediter who enjoys tourist fun on the road.

Gettysburg is about 35 miles from the truck stops in Carlisle, PA. If you plan to lay over there for a weekend, drive the extra 35 miles and enjoy a day or entire weekend at Gettysburg.

Free bus and RV parking is available at the National Military Park and Information Center on Baltimore Pike, a little way out of town. You can park a straight truck there with no worries. The park gates close at night so if you stay too late into the evening you will be trapped there until the gates open the next day. The bus and RV parking lot is clearly marked when you drive in the main entrance.

That parking lot is just a short walk from he battlefield site which can be a multi-day attraction in itself. The indoor museum is an interesting stop as well. Restrooms are available in the parking lot and the museum lobby.

A free shuttle bus takes you into town and back on a regular schedule. The town is another tourist stop where you can spend a day walking the streets and exploring the many shops. Buildings that were there when the Civil War was fought are marked.

Diane and I started our day by arriving early at the bus and RV parking lot. We entered the museum shortly after it opened at 8:00 a.m., and learned a fair amount about the Gettysburg battle. That helped us better understand and appreciate what we would see later in the day.

The museum took a few hours to complete. We walked back to the truck for lunch and then took the free shuttle into town. At 2:00 p.m., we walked into the Segway Tours of Gettysburg shop where we had reservations for a three-hour battlefield tour on Segways. If you are not familiar with the Segway Personal Transporter™, click the link to see them in use (video at the bottom of the web page).

We have never been on Segways before. The tour company requires you to complete training before they let you leave the building. Instructors teach you how to dirve one on an indoor course. Most people had little trouble and the thing is easy once you catch on.

The weather was perfect today for an outdoor battlefield tour. Temps were in the mid-seventies. Winds were mild and the skies were partly cloudy. One down side of the Segway tour is that photo opportunities are limited. We got some good shots but would have gotten many more had we not been driving the Segways and keeping up with the group.

Returning to town and reluctantly turning in the Segways (they are a blast to drive!), we walked several blocks to the transportation center where we caught the free shuttle back to the parking lot. Being under load, we continued toward our Monday delivery. Had we not been under load, we would have found a place to stay nearby and spent another day in Gettysburg.

This is a great tourist stop for expediters. Parking is available and free, as is a shuttle that takes you into town and back. There are many ways to tour the battlefield (bike, walking, Segway, horseback, bus tour, self-guided car tour). The museum is an interesting place, and the town is fun.

We rank Gettysburg, PA a five-star expediter tourist stop.

EASYTRADER · Sep 16, 2012

Gettysburg is pretty interesting, especially if you have a good tour guide. Ive been a couple of times. If youre interested in that Era,

Get Shelby Footes "The Civil War, A Narrative" on Audible.com, Ive listened to it so many times, I have parts memorised. Thst history has really changed my perspective.

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TeamCaffee · Sep 16, 2012

My sister used to live near Gettysburg and while we were with USX we had time to stop at a truck stop and have her come pick us up. We spent day touring the museum and the grounds.

It was great enough for us to want to go back and spend time there again. We have taken Segway tours and they are a lot of fun and very easy to maneuver.

Thanks for the information we look forward to seeing the battleground again.

jimby82 · Sep 16, 2012

Gettysburg is an amazing place. We spent a Sunday there last year while getting the truck worked on in Carlisle.

We started off the day by attending Christ Lutheran Church downtown. They have a memorial on the front steps marking the place where a Chaplin died during the fighting. A sobering reminder of what happened during those three days in July of 1863.

We spent the rest of the day touring the various battlefield sites around town. Fortunately, we were blessed with perfect early fall weather. The leaves were about two weeks from their peak colors, but it was still quite beautiful.

According to family tradition, one if my ancestors fought at Gettysburg, for the Confederacy. I do not know any of the details, but cannot begin to imagine the horrors he may have witnessed.

Gettysburg is one place everyone should visit. Glad you guys were able to make it.

ATeam · Sep 16, 2012

jimby82 said:
Gettysburg is an amazing place. We spent a Sunday there last year while getting the truck worked on in Carlisle.

As a Lutheran, jimby82, you may be interested to know that the Seminary Ridge that was key terrain in the battle is the location of a Lutheran seminary. Our Segway tour went right by the place. It appears to be an active seminary today. A new building now being constructed blends perfectly with surrounding buildings. Our tour guide told us that a museum is planned in one of the old buildings. There are a lot of museums and exhibits in the area. This one will be unique, we were told, because of the unique perspective the Lutherans intend to bring. We'll have to wait to see what that means exactly.

asjssl · Sep 16, 2012

In my former career (Mechanical Insulator) we worked at the Georgia Pacific plant in New Oxford Pa. ...we parked the 5th. wheel at battfield resort campground for almost 8 weeks...got to know that area well...being a history buff this was great...Gettysburg is in my top 5 favorite places in the USA... there were no Segways when we were there..might have to go back for that...

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ATeam · Sep 16, 2012

EASYTRADER said:
Get Shelby Footes "The Civil War, A Narrative" on Audible.com, Ive listened to it so many times, I have parts memorised. Thst history has really changed my perspective.

I'm looking at that three volume set now but am taken aback by the price. At $41.95 per volume it seems high. Can you say more about these books, EASYTRADER? In what ways do you find them valuable? Did you pay that high price, and if so, would you do so again?

purgoose10 · Sep 16, 2012

What's amazing is how many Americans died in such a small area.

Doggie Daddy · Sep 16, 2012

purgoose10 said:
What's amazing is how many Americans died in such a small area.

And alot of rebels too.

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cheri1122 · Sep 16, 2012

Even having read some on the Civil War [or The War of Northern Aggression, depending on who's telling it

] I never thought I'd enjoy visiting Gettysburg - until I read Phil's description. Now it's on my list, too.

Picklett · Sep 16, 2012

Having toured Gettysburg I have to admit that my heart hurt & I found it hard to breathe. I have only experienced this once before & that was at Shiloh. Take time to say a prayer for the men who they say still suffer there.

Ragman · Sep 16, 2012

Doggie Daddy said:
And alot of rebels too.

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Rebels were American also.

ATeam · Sep 16, 2012

I forgot to mention that next year is the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg battle. This is very much on the mind of the townspeople. Without prompting, three of them brought it up and talked about the surge of visitors expected next year. About 1 million people a year visit this small town and the battlefield. Five million are expected next year. Not everyone believes that many will show up but the hotels are already sold out for the commemorative events.

If you can go this year but are tempted to put it off until next, parking will not be as easy to find, the sidewalks in town will be jammed with people and the battlefield sites and roads leading to them will be more crowded.

wvcourier · Sep 16, 2012

ATeam said:
I forgot to mention that next year is the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg battle. This is very much on the mind of the townspeople. Without prompting, three of them brought it up and talked about the surge of visitors expected next year. About 1 million people a year visit this small town and the battlefield. Five million are expected next year. Not everyone believes that many will show up but the hotels are already sold out for the commemorative events.

If you can go this year but are tempted to put it off until next, parking will not be as easy to find, the sidewalks in town will be jammed with people and the battlefield sites and roads leading to them will be more crowded.

How far is the Walmart from the tourist attractions?

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ATeam · Sep 16, 2012

wvcourier said:
How far is the Walmart from the tourist attractions?

Two to five miles, depending on the attrraction and route you take. We did not go to that Walmart and do not know what truck or RV parking is like there. It may be tightly controlled since it is close to a heavy tourist area.

EASYTRADER · Sep 17, 2012

With regaurd to "The Civil War, A Narrative", on Audible. I didnt pay for them individually, i have a monthly subscription and every month, I get 2 credits to spend. I have all three volumes, If I had to buy them for 40 bucks a piece, I probly would. Each volume is very long, it kust have killed the narrator, I think they are 50 to 90 hours each.

The narration is superb, Grover Gardiner is my favorite Audible narrator.

As for the content, it reads like a novel, there is so much detail at times i thought, now how the heck does the writer know Gen Hallick scratched his elbows when he was in deep thought. The Civil War is such a broad topic, its hard to narrow in on how interesting it is. Especially for a person interested in US history.

I was surprised to find out Jefferson Davis's last public speech was on the prospects of "Prohibition", he was appalled that the Federal Governemtn was going to ban alcohol, and he said power grabs like this is what the war was really about.

Anyway, there is so much detail in the books I catch something new everytime i relisten. How about this, There used to be a Krazy house within view of the whitehouse, Lincolns child died and Mary Todd, ran around the whitehouse acting nutty, finally Abe couldnt take it, and he called her over to the window, and said, "Mother, do you see that house over there, its for madd people once you go in you will never come out, control your grief or thats where you will end up", she did too, but after he was assinated.

Jefferson Davis s son fell out a window during the war and died too.

RE Lee, said George McClellan was the best General he ever faced in the war, Lincoln had him cachered for not being aggressive enough.

Jeb Stuart was shot by a former circus performer turned calvaryman. He galloped by during the battle saw Jebs red plume and shot him in the chest.

Anyway, I have over 200 Audible titles, and this is my favorite. I also have the hard back books, my dad bought me in when i was in HS, but i have never read them, i hope to though once i get out of the truck.

ATeam · Sep 17, 2012

EASYTRADER said:
I have all three volumes, If I had to buy them for 40 bucks a piece, I probly would. Each volume is very long, it kust have killed the narrator, I think they are 50 to 90 hours each.

The narration is superb, Grover Gardiner is my favorite Audible narrator.

We spent the money and purchased the first of this three-volume series. I am only a couple of hours into this audio book but can say that it is every bit as good as the reviewers say.

History was one of my majors in college (philosophy the other), but the focus was on ancient history. I have never before encountered a factual history book that reads like a novel but the Foote series does. He was able to write in this fashion because the Civil War is one of the best-documented events there is. Many individual observations were documented in letters and stories written at the time and those letters and stories are preserved.

This gifted writer and thorough researcher combined his talents in this project and we are the beneficiaries. Diane and I will spend the money to buy all three volumes. It works out to less than a dollar an hour for the entertainment and education this audio book series provides; fifty cents an hour if we divide the cost between us.

As I said, I am only a couple hours into the series, but it is already inspirational and moving. Our expediting work has taken us to all of the states and many of the places involved in the Civil War. I had no appreciation of this before visiting Gettysburg and listening to the Foote narrative. It is quite something to now see and feel our travels and this crucial part of American history coming together as one.

As with you, EASYTRADER, the Foote history is changing (and enriching) our perspective. Your mention of Shelby Foote's The Civil War, A Narrative is a gift. Diane and I thank you for it.

wahoofan · Sep 17, 2012

Gettsyburg battlefield and surrounding area is very interesting and worth the time and effort to visit. I visited the battlefield and town in 1981. Need to get back to the area ASAP.

Doggie Daddy · Sep 17, 2012

Ragman said:
Rebels were American also.

Not when they were fighting against it, that's why they were rebels/ confederates.

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ATeam · Sep 17, 2012

For those who may be interested, C-SPAN has on the web a three-hour interview of Shelby Foote, set in his home and at the desk where he did some of his writing.