Gettysburg is a great place to visit, especially for older children. Besides learning about the United States history, it also has many good museums and other such things that are fun. Closeby are places like Hershey, PA. I would suggest about a three day trip for getting a good experience, but if you are not that into Gettysburg two days is good enough. I will rate each place out of 5 stars, with how interesting it is and how helpful it is to understanding the battle. Here are some places you may want to visit:
The Battlefields- while the battlefields are where the action took place that defined Gettysburg's place in history, it may be boring for some people to be out on fields and hills looking at monuments. It helps if you know what actually happened on the field! There are many different types of tours you can take, and these may make it more interesting if you want to have a structured visit.
Helpful: ***** Interesting: **** (definitely depends on how interested you are though!)
Me on Devil's Den looking out on Little Round Top.
The Wax Museum- the wax museum has several scenes made from wax figues that tell the story of the Civil War and a presentation on Gettysburg. It also boasts a large gift shop.
Helpfulness: *** Interesting: ****
Ghost Tours- there are many ghost tours that you can take in the evening. You are led around the town and battlefields, stopping infront of places where "supernatural" events have taken place.
Helpfulness: ** Interesting: ****
The Monuments- Monuments like the Pennsylvania Monument, the Eternal Light Peace Meomorial, and the Virginia Monument are some of the most popular monuments to visit. Since they are sprinkled on the battlefields, you are sure to run into some, even if they aren't the big ones.
Helpfulness: *** Interesting: ***
Me by the Virginia Monument
The Visitor's Center- The Visitor's Center has pictures, a gift shop, relics from the battlefield, a theater with a map that details the battle actions, and information about the attractions in Gettysburg.
Helpfulness: ***** Interesting: ***
