Indeed, there was a disagreement back in 1863 in and around this quaint little town. Bad things happened in Gettysburg that July. The historical importance of the battle continues to draw people to the ‘burg even to this day.
I’m no Civil War expert, my only qualification being that I was born, raised, and had my own Gettysburg address most of my life.
So what advice might I offer my fellow Airstream aficionados? Let’s talk campgrounds.
There are several, and I’ll not speak poorly of any. One’s personal decision on where to stay is so important, and with the Internet, Google maps, satellite views, etc. the ability to research campgrounds is, well, just wonderful.
Artillery Ridge Campground gets good reviews and would be a great place to stay. This campground is located just outside town on the famous Taneytown road. That’s Tawny-town – rhymes with brawny, as pronounced by the locals. This is a great spot to stay if you are interested in touring the battlefield and want easy access to downtown Gettysburg. Plus, if you love horses, they have a unique opportunity for you to tour the battlefield on horseback.
Drummer Boy Campground is also close to Gettysburg and provides easy access to all local points of historical interest. It is a large campground. My only gripe would be its proximity to Route 15, but that surely never stopped anyone from camping there, and it too gets good reviews online. This campground provides easy access to Route 30 east, which leads to both downtown Gettysburg and New Oxford, a charming little town with several antique malls and shops.
Round Top Campground is close to Gettysburg and also sits along Route 15. Not that it matters to many, but as mentioned earlier, when I camp, I’d prefer to be a bit away from a 4-lane highway. That being said, this campground may not get as good of reviews as the others, but I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here if Artillery Ridge or Drummer Boy campgrounds are full, and you want to be close to town and the Battlefield.
Gettysburg Battlefield Resort sits south of town, but close to the Battlefield and is a rather large campground. Its location is just a short drive to Gettysburg, and also gives easy access to points south, if one wishes to drive to Washington DC for the day.
A bit further from town is Gettysburg Campground, located on Marsh Creek right off the Fairfield Road. Still, just a short drive to get into Gettysburg, but nothing I would be concerned about. This is a nice campground that sits along the stream in a quiet rural setting.
We highly recommend the Gettysburg KOA, where we have stayed a time or two ourselves. It is located five miles from the ‘burg, but provides a pretty laid back, rural, camping experience. Bus tours of Gettysburg depart from this campground daily, and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, a bus tour to Washington DC is available. This campground is also very close to the Land of Little Horses, truly the smallest horses you’ll likely ever see. I mean, little horses, that are smaller than our 8-year-old granddaughter! This KOA also has a few of the finest men available to assist you in backing in your rig. They are specialists at the task and want to ensure you get backed in safely.
Granite Hill is a wee bit further out the Fairfield Road. This large campground hosts a bunch of activities, including the annual Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival held every May and August. Book your site early if you want to fiddle around, be sure to check out their website.
And, speaking of Bluegrass, we’ve enjoyed the festival in the past and plan to attend again this year. It’s a wonderful event! We heard music from Ricky Scaggs, Rhonda Vincent and tons of other talented artists. We met many great people there and really had a blast. Libby has a new favorite band from that experience, the Trinity River Band – a family band in which talent clearly runs in the gene pool!
Now, if you’re inclined to State Park camping, I’d consider prioritizing Charcoal Hearth Campground in Pine Grove Furnace State Park. You can get to Gettysburg easily for a day trip from there, and the park is really beautiful with lake swimming and bicycling. There are a whole bunch of hiking opportunities in the area, with a smattering of history to boot. You’ll likely see a few Appalachian Trail through-hikers passing by if you’re eating ice cream at the General Store.
Second, but certainly not lesser, is Caledonia State Park, which offers a large swimming pool, hiking, and two different camping areas. Chinquapin Hill is close to the pool, Hosack Run is down the road a wee bit, and you’d have to drive some to get to the pool.
Gettysburg Touring
If you’re interested in the Battle, surely hire a Licensed Battlefield Guide. This is my top recommendation if you’ve never been to Gettysburg before. If you want to go it alone, there is a self-guided auto tour.
If you really want to go it alone, do a little research and try to break up your exploring based on the three-day battle, checking out day one and its area of engagement, then day two, then day three.
Here’s a list of things I’d recommend checking out while visiting Gettysburg:
- The Visitor Center
- Evergreen Cemetery
- Little Round Top, Devils Den, The Peach Orchard, and Culp’s Hill
- Big Round Top (if you’re into a decent uphill hike)
- The entirety of Confederate Avenue/South Confederate Avenue, which turns in to Sykes Avenue, then Sedgwick Avenue
- Both the towers – one on Culp’s Hill, the other on Confederate Avenue
- Benner’s Hill (a short avenue off Route 116 East) This area provides, in my opinion, one of the better opportunities to see just how far a battery would fire their weapons of war.
- The Eternal Light Peace Memorial
- Eisenhower National Historic Site
- The Pennsylvania Monument (and/or your state’s monument)
- All the cool shops on Steinwehr Avenue, Baltimore Street and throughout downtown Gettysburg
- Cavalry Field, often overlooked, but quite an impressive patch of ground!
- Rita’s Italian Ice – you know, ‘cuz it’s good, real good!
- So, there you have it! I’d say a minimum stay of 2 full days for those who wish to do a short tour of Gettysburg, but if you can stay longer and are really a history buff, you’ll need more than 2 days to tour the entire town and Battlefield.
Hope to see you ‘round town!
Respectfully Submitted,
Major Airhead
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