History Tour with the Family

Thursday, July 22nd; at about noon: a call comes from mom asking if it was okay with Andrea and I if they came and visited soon.  Well, soon to them means tomorrow, only twenty-some hours later–and they live eleven hours away!  That night and the next day, we prepared for the family to visit.  At about 5:00pm Friday afternoon, they all arrived.

We always enjoy having family over (hint-hint to everyone else…).  I love showing everyone the nearby attractions and just visiting in general.  This time, my parents insisted on taking a tour of the battlefield at Gettysburg, only about an hour away from our home.  The thing is, I know that they enjoy interesting stories and some history, but maybe not the WHOLE DAY of going from skirmish to skirmish, immersing themselves in the battle.  For myself, I would never turn down a day at Gettysburg!

We left in the mid-morning and arrived around noon.  After browsing the little shops downtown, we ate lunch, and departed for the battlefield itself.  As a whole, I think that Gettysburg is fairly well-preserved; it is slightly commercialized, but not too bad.  Personally, Antietam in Maryland is my favorite battlefield, but Gettysburg comes in a close second.

We popped in the self-guided tour CD into the car, and headed on our way through all of the landmarks.  I think highlights for everyone included the Virginia Monument, Little Round Top, the Pennsylvania Monument, and High Water Mark (Pickett’s Charge).  I was surprised by my little brother and sister…they actually enjoyed themselves.  I could see how easy it would be for kids to get bored; but overall, it turned out to be fun and interesting for everyone.  In another life I would probably have been a battlefield tour guide or something of that sort: doesn’t that sound fun?!

The scenery around Gettysburg is amazing!  It is not quite as hilly as Red Lion, but I would say it is more scenic.  It is quintessential Southeast Pennsylvania with the farmland, rolling hills, and higher mountains in the background (I know, Utah people, they’re not real mountains!).  Mom will probably have a more eye-appealing post about this in the coming days, but until then, I figured we would give a good preview!

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