Taking a Civil War road trip, help!

Joined
Jan 7, 2017
Good evening!
My husband and I will be in Leesburg, va for a work event in February. We're taking a few days off to do some site seeing there, then driving to Gettysburg. We haven't been to any battlefields or sites outside of Georgia and Tennessee and were trying to pre plan our trip so we can do and see as much as possible. We live outside Atlanta and want to go to as many places between there and home. What places do y'all recommend and how much time should we plan on setting aside for each site?
 
Welcome to the forum LittleGeorgia.

There is a great deal to see between Atlanta and Leesburg. Not to mention between Leesburg and Gettysburg. How many days do you have? What route are you going to travel?

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To get a "decent" dose of Gettysburg at least 5-7 days (I go for 2 week stints at a time). But at least 3.
I agree that you need at least 3 days for Gettysburg. I had 5 days in the "September To Remember" CWT visit last year and left there wanting more and have so many things I still didn't see or do.

Weather in February my determine what you can and can't do. Walking the battlefield and its nooks and crannies is a fabulous way to appreciate it.
 
John: we will have about four days. I didn't think we'd have enough time to fully explore but I didn't realize how much time it would take! My third great grandfather and his brother survived Picketts Charge with some others from the 13th Alabama and I am really wanting to spend as much time retracing their steps. I guess we need to take more time off!

Legion Para: we have 3 to 4 days but I'm already wondering if we need more haha we haven't decided a route because we still haven't fully decided our game plan. I think right now my husband is reasoning with himself if we should just book a hotel and stay up in the Virginia or Pennsylvania area for a few days and travel by day to the sites, then drive straight home or if we want to travel and site see as we head home. I do know for sure we are stopping at Andersonville Prison on the way home. That's really our only axiom other than Gettysburg lol

Peter T, that's something else I was concerned about. I live in Georgia and everything was shut down today because we got a quarter inch of snow. If it snows, do national parks close? I worked for a state park here and we closed all the time for weather.

You guys are such a big help! I've got all my battlefield guides out and have made a list with about 30 places I want to go and it's driving my hubby up the wall
 
That's a genius idea. I knew I came to the right spot!! I don't know why I didn't think of that. I really could try to retrace some of his movements in more than one battlefield!

Yes, you could trace your ancestor's wartime experiences. I have done this with my Civil War and WW I ancestors. It takes some research/planning and makes for a great trip.
 
Welcome to CWT from the Smoky Mountain side of North Carolina.

Your hooked for life. Learning and study, researches of the Civil War are exciting and you will learn a lot here, enjoy your stay. But most of all when you visit a battlefield knowing that your ancestors fought or died here to follow in ones footsteps than you realize you are walking in battlefield history.
 
Agree.....3 days minimum at Gettysburg... Hanover is just down the road, where the Electric map is in operation ....then 1/2 hr drive to Antietam and Harpers Ferry is another 20 min. drive from there There is also the Kennedy Farm House where John Brown stayed the night before the raid... a plaque lists all the names of the raiders and how they died or where captured or drowned trying to escape...Charles Town W. Va...where John Brown was tried convicted and hung is near-by...but time is a factor which you need to consider....At Antietam the Burnside Bridge is now reconstructed and it looks Great.....Hope this helps out...
 
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Nope...national parks are open rain or shine, or snow. They only close for holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. BTW...Gettysburg is free...no entry fee. This time of year it is open from 6 AM to 7 PM. ENJOY!!! :D
Also the Seminary Museum (and a tour of the cupola) have a fee and there is a fee for the Visitors Centre film experience, cyclorama program and the museum exhibit hall. So if the weather is poor do those and on the good weather days walk and drive the battlefield.
 
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Good evening!
My husband and I will be in Leesburg, va for a work event in February. We're taking a few days off to do some site seeing there, then driving to Gettysburg. We haven't been to any battlefields or sites outside of Georgia and Tennessee and were trying to pre plan our trip so we can do and see as much as possible. We live outside Atlanta and want to go to as many places between there and home. What places do y'all recommend and how much time should we plan on setting aside for each site?
You'll definitely wanna visit Ball's Bluff since it's in Leesburg. :D

https://www.novaparks.com/parks/balls-bluff-battlefield-regional-park
 
Bdtex: Ball's Bluff is actually our first stop! We'll be in Leesburg for three days for my husband's work event. Most of those days he'll be at seminars and I'll be alone so I'm planning some site seeing for myself. So here's another weird question (my husband worries about me venturing alone in strange lands) are there any places located in not so safe areas I should avoid? Most of the sites here in Atlanta are in rough areas.

uss Alaska: I've been wanting to go for years so if I only get a day there, I'm happy! I'm sure once we're done with this trip we'll start planing another!

PeterT: thank you! I'm definitely writing those down. We may do some inside things even if the weather isn't bad. It's 20 degrees here now and I can't stand it lol. I guess we need to be sure to dress warm!

Nitrofd: thank you! It's 20 in the peach state lol it ain't so peachy!

Reading48: that is very helpful thank you! We were trying to figure out how close other historic sites were so your comment really saved us some time, thank you!!

Seduzal: you're right, I am hooked for life! When I was in high school I found an abandoned cemetery from the 1840s and I started caring for it. Not even the county or the state knew of its existence (it's now a protected historical plot in Tennessee) I loved history before but once I started researching the family, it became something I was almost obsessed with. I found the old foundation for their farmhouse even! It's more intense and fascinating when you realize you're standing in a place someone lived and died hundreds of years before. I've even been a historic interpreter for a state park and I loved every minute! I'm really excited about expanding my knowledge and understanding of this time period in our country. I'd take an educational trip over jewels any day.

Everyone of you is amazing and we appreciate your helping us so much! I'm ready to start this adventure already!
 
http://www.civilwartraveler.com/maps/

Take a look at some of these maps. There are SO many things to visit within an easy distance from Leesburg. As far as safety goes, as long as you're not venturing into some of the rougher sections of the cities of DC or Baltimore, you should be fine by yourself...during day light...with a large dog...and body armor...and a gun...or at least pepper spray...just kidding - you'll be fine.

Have Fun!
USS ALASKA
 
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