Gettysburg bus tour

[Sgt.K]

There's so much to see at Gettysburg, I never got the point of the two-hour bus tours. Seems a smidge disrespectful to the sacrifice of the men who fought and died there over a period of three days to condense it into two hours. Not sure what you'd really get out of it. Might as well not go at all, if one is not planning on spending some additional time there.

The local Boy Scout council *used to* produce a booklet - available at the visitor center/"gift shop" that included several walking tours of various places around the city, including Ike's house and farm, or the big indoor show with the huge painting and the illuminated diorama. Five sections, get a patch for each, get all 5 patches get a pin (I've got 2 pins somewhere). The walk around town was around 2-3 miles. The big one was a 10 mile walk up and down the battle lines, including Devil's Den, the Round Tops, the peach orchard, etc. ending with the group literally walking Pickett's charge from the copse of trees all the way to the notch - which is humbling, by the way.

I'm sure there have been changes to the booklet (and the indoor presentation), but if you want to imagine what it might have been like to be on the actual terrain - in a wool uniform, in July, while getting shot at - it's hard to beat for the price of a book.

My 2¢
YMMV
etc...

[Spaceballs]

Please keep the Gettysburg tips flowing, my wife and I are planning on visiting later this year. I don*t think we are doing any guided stuff so we are probably going to wonder aimlessly. We don*t plan vacations very well, we just kinda pick 1 or 2 things and make sure we do those.

Any gun shops and/or antique shops we should check out?

Anything/anywhere we should avoid?

I have never been there but all my neighbors race about the Gettysburg Trading Post. They say it is a great gun store.

Take this 2nd hand information for what you will.

[ScotsGuards]

If you're up to it and aren't afraid of horses go on one of the horseback guided tours. They're really fun, easier in your legs and you get to go more places than the bus can go. If you are really lucky or can swing it try to get the one led by the guy who portrays General Early. He's really knowledgeable even if he is a bit Confederate leaning in his opinions.

[Walleye Hunter]

If you're up to it and aren't afraid of horses go on one of the horseback guided tours. They're really fun, easier in your legs and you get to go more places than the bus can go. If you are really lucky or can swing it try to get the one led by the guy who portrays General Early. He's really knowledgeable even if he is a bit Confederate leaning in his opinions.

Now that sounds awesome and right up my alley. I haven't been to Gettysburg since I was in Boy Scouts and we stayed in an armory out there somewhere. My only memory about the visit was when Beefy opened the coke bottle in the machine and drained the coke out of it and put the cap back on. He never was good at his shenanigans and he got caught.

[Sparks]

The local Boy Scout council *used to* produce a booklet .........
etc...

There is also a Trail Award for Valley Forge, similar to that. About 12 mile (longer if you miss directions)
First time I did it in the sixties it was a two day outing. You camped overnight in the park. When I did it as a Scout Master in the 90's It had been changed to one day.
Since you had to answer questions in the booklet, you learned a lot.

The Scouts have many trail medals offered mostly in Historic spots. We've done Boston, Buffalo, Philadelphia (Ben Franklin), Pennsbury Manor (William Penn), and even one in the Tacony neighborhood in Philadelphia. That was mostly Henry Diston.

[ray h]

I have never been there but all my neighbors race about the Gettysburg Trading Post. They say it is a great gun store.

Take this 2nd hand information for what you will.

I don't know if I would call it "great", more like "decent". They just expanded their ammo and accessories section so thats a plus.
Reddings Hardware is another little gun store that's pretty neat. Half hardware, half guns, 100% creaky uneven old wood floors, it's great.

[ShadeRabbit]

Well, I just stumbled across this by accident. Apparently Devil's Den has been closed since March for "new steps," and Little Round Top is set to be closed for the next 1 1/2 years for "tree removal" and "safety improvements." Maybe they could make the entire battlefield an asphalt parking lot, then it would be fully ADA-compliant. WTF!

https://www.nps.gov/gett/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

Also, I was perusing the pictures of the "new steps" at Devil's Den, and saw a picture of work going on. Looks like the contractor brought in a bunch of Mexicans. Good job, NPS. Joe Biden's America.

mex.JPG

https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gall...4-EEEA4557648A

[JAKIII]

Well, I just stumbled across this by accident. Apparently Devil's Den has been closed since March for "new steps," and Little Round Top is set to be closed for the next 1 1/2 years for "tree removal" and "safety improvements." Maybe they could make the entire battlefield an asphalt parking lot, then it would be fully ADA-compliant. WTF!

Need ramps and elevators for the one tourist out of 10K who is in a wheelchair.

It would be cheaper to fly him up there in a helicopter.

[snuffy19608]

At least one of them will get bit by a copperhead. They live in the rocks and come out to catch some rays. Saw a bunch of tourists surrounding one once, snake would move and the circle followed. Retards.

[Exbiker]

Cyclorama and Museum had signs posted.