Travel Log: One Week In Gettysburg, PA
Some trips are all about covering miles. Others are about slowing down and letting a place really sink in. Gettysburg was one of those.
We rolled in from Somerset, PA, under a heat wave that seemed determined to follow us. The air felt thick enough to chew, but the history here – and the small-town charm – made it worth braving the weather. Gettysburg isn’t just a battlefield; it’s layers of stories, from centuries-old taverns to modern coffee shops, all woven together in one walkable town.
Over the course of a week, we split our time between exploring the historic sites, tracking down old favorites (and new), and hiding out in the camper when the sun made even walking across the gravel feel like work. We had scooter tours and bus tours, ghost stories in hotel lobbies, chipmunk standoffs at the campsite, and more than one math worksheet meet its fiery end in a campfire.
It was the kind of stop that gave us both a lot to remember – and a lot to be grateful for – before we packed up and pointed the Jeep toward our final stop of the season.
Snapshot: Gettysburg, PA
- Duration: 7 days
- Miles driven from last stop: 122 miles
- Must-see attraction: Gettysburg National Military Park & Cyclorama
- Ariel’s rating: 🐾🐾🐾🐾 (4/5 paws — solid chipmunk action, but no successful catches)
Day 1 – Arrival Under a Heat Wave and the Great Sewer Hose Surrender
We left Somerset this morning and made the 122-mile trek east, rolling into Gettysburg under the kind of heat wave that makes even walking to the picnic table feel like an athletic event. By the time I’d wrestled the jacks, leveled the rig, and wrangled the hookups, I was melting. The only thing standing between me and a full campsite meltdown was the promise of a cold shower once everything was done.
Of course, it wouldn’t be the last stop of the trip without one final “why didn’t we pack that?” moment. Back in Lewisburg, we’d left in such a rush that we forgot the second sewer hose. I’d been stubborn about replacing it all summer – forty-plus dollars for a glorified plastic tube? No thanks. But today, the sewer drop was just far enough away to force my hand. Amazon had one for a little less than the camp store, so I caved and ordered it.
The rest of the day? Pure air-conditioned survival mode. We stayed inside, cooked dinner in the camper, and ignored the grill entirely. No exploring, no sightseeing – just the quiet hum of the A/C, cold drinks, and the occasional sigh of relief that we didn’t have to be anywhere else.
Best moment of the day? That shower after set-up – rinsing off the sweat, the road, and the stubborn pride that thought I could make it all summer with one sewer hose.
Day 2 – Chipmunks, Chocolate Chip Pancakes, and Ghost Stories
Ariel knew exactly where she was the moment her paws hit the gravel this morning. She made a beeline for a stand of trees by the edge of the campground – the same ones she’d scouted out last time we were here – where a community of chipmunks lives, plays, and apparently taunts passing terriers. One little daredevil bolted straight up a tree after just a few sniffs, and if Ariel could climb, she’d have been right behind him. (For the record: no chipmunks were eaten today. But the chase was very exciting.)
We started our morning in town with breakfast at The Honeybee. I had a chicken and bacon salad, M went for chocolate chip pancakes, and we fueled up just enough to wander the streets without melting in the August heat. Gettysburg is the kind of place where the history is layered over itself – the shops and cafés tucked inside buildings older than most states, the quiet brick walls that have seen more than they tell. We stood outside the home where Abraham Lincoln spent the night before delivering the Gettysburg Address, then made our way to the cemetery where he gave it.
After hours of walking, we ducked into the Gettysburg Hotel for cold drinks. One of the staff noticed us cooling off and, unprompted, launched into stories about the ghosts that still haunt the place. The drinks were good, but the impromptu ghost tour was better.
By the time we got back to the campground for dinner, Ariel had fully recovered from her chipmunk encounter… and was circling for her own meal, which is always her true favorite moment of the day.
Day 3 – Scooter Tours, First-Time Parking Wins, and Math Worksheet Bonfires
We kicked off the day with breakfast at a different diner – and let’s just say it wasn’t exactly The Honeybee. My tuna melt and M’s BLT did the job, but the food was forgettable enough that I was already planning lunch in my head before we’d finished.
From there, we headed to the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitors Center. M drove us the whole way – and for the first time ever, parked the Jeep neatly between two other cars. Her grin said it all.
The highlight of the day was our two-hour scooter tour of the battlefield. Three-wheeled scooters are just plain fun, and our guide, Jim, knew the history inside and out. Between the breeze, the wide-open fields, and Jim’s storytelling, it was one of those tours that sticks with you.
Dinner was at the Dobbin House Springhouse Tavern, one of the oldest continuous taverns in Gettysburg. The history was impressive… the meal, not so much. The dining room was crammed with tables, the service was slow, and my stuffed shrimp were more stuffing than shrimp. M’s burger didn’t wow her either. We left with full stomachs, but no plans to return.
Back at the campground, I insisted on a campfire – even in the heat. We crumpled up and burned M’s math worksheets from last school year, watching the pages curl into ash. She called it “cathartic.” I called it “a perfect campfire activity.”
M’s favorite part of the day? Driving – no contest. Mine? Zipping around the battlefield on that scooter. Ariel’s? Dinner, as always.
Day 4 – The Great Chipmunk Standoff and a Burger Break at The Gettysburger
Ariel started the morning enjoying the quiet outside the camper – until her peace was shattered by a full-scale perimeter breach. A chipmunk, bold as brass, parked himself on the highest rock in the decorative border around our site and just stared her down. Ariel charged… right up until her cable pulled her up short. She barked. The chipmunk didn’t flinch. Eventually I told her to hush or head inside, and she was left to watch, indignant, as her tiny nemesis sauntered off. (No chipmunks were harmed, though Ariel swears the imagined version of the day ended differently.)
For the humans, the day was all about diving deeper into Gettysburg’s history. We returned to the Visitors’ Center for the Battlefield Bus Tour. While some of the facts overlapped with our scooter tour, the stories and perspectives were different enough to keep us hooked. After two hours, we were starving, so we headed straight to The Gettysburger – a repeat from our last visit, and just as good this time. Burgers all around, naturally.
With lunch handled, we went back to the Visitors’ Center to see the cyclorama – a massive 360-degree diorama of the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Standing in the center while the narration played and the lights highlighted different sections of the battlefield was surprisingly moving. The museum itself is extensive, with enough to keep any history buff busy for hours. We wrapped things up in the gift shop, because of course we did.
A quick grocery stop, a quiet dinner at the camper, and another campfire rounded out the night – complete with another round of “goodbye and good riddance” to M’s math worksheets.
The moment I’ll remember most? The deer that stepped out of the shrubbery at dusk, just across the road from our campsite. The kind of still, unexpected sight that makes you pause – even in a place with as much history as Gettysburg.
Day 5 – Lazy Camper Day and the Dog Who Worked a Little Magic
The heat was back in full force today, the kind that makes the air feel heavy and your hair stick to the back of your neck. M and I made the executive decision to stay put in the camper with the A/C running, only venturing out when absolutely necessary. We played games, watched M*A*S*H*, and let the day stretch out in the easy, unhurried way only a lazy camper day can.
Ariel still insisted on her morning walk, of course. First, she spotted two little dogs and went full-on “loud and proud,” barking like they were invading her personal space from a hundred yards away. But then we met a small black dog walking his person, and something about his calm, unbothered presence flipped a switch. Ariel walked beside him without a peep, like she’d been sprinkled with some kind of magic “good manners” dust. They didn’t even make eye contact, but I think she liked him.
Meals were equally low-effort – salad and sandwiches for lunch, frozen dinners for supper. Some days, that’s just the level of ambition you have, and that’s okay.
Day 6 – Nowhere Fun, But No Major Engine Trouble Either
Today’s itinerary? Nowhere fun.
The heat was relentless again, but the bigger concern was the little glowing “check engine” light on the Jeep’s dashboard. I’d noticed it yesterday, and with our departure coming up on Monday, I wanted to make sure we weren’t about to tow home with a surprise disaster waiting under the hood.
Once we were up, I left M and Ariel in the blessedly cool camper and drove into town. The mechanic confirmed it was an exhaust problem – the same one we’d fixed last year at the local dealership. Not great news, but not catastrophic either. He said it was safe to drive for now, which meant we could finish the trip without calling a tow truck. That was all I needed to hear.
I celebrated with a pizza on the way back to the campground. We spent the rest of the day in the A/C, playing board games and ignoring the thermometer outside. Dinner was mac & cheese – because if you can’t be on the road, you might as well lean into the comfort food.
Favorite moment? That exact second the mechanic said, “You’ll be fine to drive for a while.” The last stop of the trip is not the time for a major repair bill.
Day 7 – A Postcard-Worthy Brunch and Wrapping Up in Gettysburg
We wrapped up our last full day in Gettysburg with brunch at a small local spot, Village Book and Table. It was the kind of place that feels like it belongs in a postcard – warm, welcoming, and very reasonably priced. The food was as good as the name promised, and it made me wish we’d found it earlier in the week.
After brunch, we went to mass at the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine. The church itself is beautiful, with soaring ceilings and a quiet stillness that makes you stop for a moment before you sit down. There’s also a museum and a gift shop, and on a cooler day I would have loved to do the outdoor tour again. But with the heat still pressing down, we kept things indoors.
The afternoon was all about getting organized for tomorrow’s travel day – securing things inside the camper, double-checking the lists, and mentally shifting from “explore” mode to “tow” mode. We’ll head back to our home campground in the morning, but the adventure’s not over yet.
Ariel’s Adventures
This place had potential. I remembered my chipmunk rocks from last time and, sure enough, they were still here – complete with residents. One of them even had the nerve to sit on the top rock and stare at me. I was mid-charge when my cable ruined everything. He knows exactly how far it reaches. It’s okay – I captured him in my imagination and taught him SEVERAL lessons in respect.
Not all was lost. I made a new friend – a little black dog who didn’t bark, didn’t lunge, didn’t even give me the side-eye. We just walked together like we’d known each other for years. I liked him.
In between patrols, I supervised campfires, helped destroy math worksheets, and monitored the perimeter for… well, mostly more chipmunks. None were caught. But they know I’m here. And that’s enough.
My Gettysburg score: 🐾🐾🐾🐾 – points off for the heat and lack of snacks, but solid action overall.
Road Trip Rhythm
American Pie – Don McLean
Long, winding, and full of stories – just like Gettysburg. This one’s for slow drives past old brick buildings, open fields, and places where history still hangs in the air. Let it play all the way through while you take the long way back to camp.
Favorite Snapshot
Gettysburg gave us history, heat, a few ghost stories, and more chipmunk encounters than I’d planned for. It was the perfect blend of sightseeing and slowing down – the kind of stop that fills both the scrapbook and the mental “remember this” list. Now it’s time to trade rolling hills for rolling waves. Next up: two weeks at the retreat house in Cape May Point. Different view, different pace, same gratitude for every mile in between.
