My husband %26amp; I will be arriving at the Baltimore airport mid-day on 10/7 and have to be back in Baltimore on the night of 10/9. We want to head straight for Pennsylvania upon arrival. Since we are short on time and there%26#39;s so much to see %26amp; do....Help!!! We want to see the battlefield in Gettysburg, visit and shop at a genuine Amish community and see fall colors. We are not sure of what to do and where to go since we%26#39;ve never had the chance to visit Pennsylvania in the past. Any suggestions on where to go, where to stay and eat and what our priorities should be? We could either spend each night in a different area or both in a central location. Thank you in advance for your help!
Only 2 days in Pennsylvania - What do I see first?
I%26#39;m not too familiar with that part of the state, so I can%26#39;t answer most of your questions, but regarding fall colors, you may need to head west or north of Gettysburg to the mountain ridges. The second week of October is a little early for the fall colors in the southeast/southcentral part of the state, unless we have a particularly cool fall. The mountain ridges tend to hit peak colors a little earlier, and the northern tier of the state even earlier, typically around the time you are planning to be here. You will probably see some color change just about anywhere in the state when you arrive, but you will be a little too early to see peak colors unless you set aside some time to travel further north. Unless the fall colors are your number one priority, you%26#39;ll probably have to settle for partial color change, because otherwise you%26#39;ll spend half of your time driving north to get to the best colors, and will miss out on so much.
Your best bet to see better colors and not drive too far, would be to head west from Gettysburg on Route 30 to Caledonia State Park (less than half an hour) and ask the park rangers for the best areas in the park or in the surrounding state forest where you can find fall colors and views. Sometimes there are isolated valleys that tend to hold cold air, or exposed mountain ridges which tend to have particularly good (and early season) colors.
Only 2 days in Pennsylvania - What do I see first?
you must try and stay at a B%26amp;B in or around Gettysburg that is haunted and take the nightly ghost walks downtown. it%26#39;s fun.
you may be disappointed in Lancaster county, as it is so built up with outlets and many Amish have left. make sure you have a good guidebook that will take you off the beaten path.
the Appalachian Trail cuts through central Penna and a real charming little town along it is worth a visit: Boiling Springs. fly fishing in this area is world class. there are a couple B%26amp;B%26#39;s in Boiling Springs and several in Carlisle.
I spend a good deal of time in Gettysburg and visit every October - I agree, later in the month is better for foliage viewing that far south. Still, it%26#39;s a great time to visit, with the cooler temps and lighter crowds. The James Gettys Hotel is perfect for a night or two - located right off Lincoln Square and central to the battlefields, shops %26amp; great restaurants. Also, the Herr Tavern %26amp; Publick House is great for both dining %26amp; accomodations.
Thanks to all of you for your help. If you think of anything else, please let me know. Since Lancaster County is more outlet shopping, is there any other smaller communities to visit where we could get a true taste of Amish life? Since we live in Houston, I%26#39;m trying to avoid the commercial areas and get out and enjoy nature and smaller communities. I wish we had more time but I will definiitely check out the park and the B%26amp;B%26#39;s. Thanks again!
Please bear with me--this reply is rather disorganized! First of all, October is gorgeous around here. I agree with previous posters that Lancaster is rather commercial, and the traffic can be bad. With only 2 days, you might want to concentrate your time on the area around Gettysburg, which has great scenery! (If you do decide to do a Lancaster/Gettysburg trip, be aware that the main road between them, Route 30, is under construction in York. It can make for a long trip.)
If you really want a rural PA experience, try out Kings Gap State Park, about forty minutes north of Gettysburg. (Detailed directions can be found on the PA DCNR website) It%26#39;s on top of a mountain and offers beautiful views. I think that would be your best bet for fall color. As you drive up the mountain (okay, I know our mountains aren%26#39;t very big), you will probably see an obvious color change. There is an old mansion on top of the ridge that is now used for state conferences, as well as many trails and a wildlife garden that features native plants.
I just discovered some great new driving tours around Carlisle. Not Amish (although there are some Amish communities to the north and west) but still lovely. Here%26#39;s a link to the site.
visitcumberlandvalley.com/tours/itin_taste_c鈥?/a>
And you will be here in the peak of apple season. The area north of Gettysburg has lovely rolling orchards. Hollabaugh Brothers on PA 34 has wonderful apple selections and a neat farm market.
Gettysburg would be my first stop since it%26#39;s due North from BWI. You will spend most of the day on a self guided driving tour that provides you with a map and cd or cassette. The history that they give you at each site where different battles and charges took place is awesome.
Amish country is quaint but very commercial in some areas. So if you want to see farms and buggys you%26#39;d better get a good map of Lancaster county. You can get lost in the hinterlands never to be seen again. Most of the farms and Amish are east of Lancaster city proper on Rt 30 also known as Lancaster Pike. But Rt 340 which runs parallel is less traveled by sightseers and will give you a better taste of Amish country. They have towns along the way called %26#39;Intercourse%26#39;, Bird in Hand etc and you can be sure to see plenty of Amish. Food is Pa German (Deustch). Lot a stick to your ribs. If you should find yourself near a town called New Holland ask for directions to ShadyMaple Smorgasbord.
Just for direction reference, Rt 30 east of the city is called Lincoln Highway. It doesn%26#39;t turn into Lancaster Pike until you hit Exton, about an hour east of here.
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