Fredericksburg, VA in One Day

You can do Fredericksburg and Chatham in a day. I've done it. Chatham is well worth visiting. The garden is beautiful and they have some excellent exhibits inside, including a diarama. The Fredericksburg battlefield area has some nice walking trails.

Why not do Fredericksburg and Chatham on the way up and save Chancellorsville/Wilderness, Ellwood, and Spotsylvania for the way back? If you can, you might want to stay overnight and do the latter in two days instead of one.

Of course, if you finish Fredericksburg early and you have the time you can always knock out some of the others to reduce what still needs to be done.
 
The NPS Museum/Visitors' Center in F'Burg is a must see. They show a nice movie in a little theatre describing the battle. Last time I was there me and my girlfriend were waiting for the next showing of the movie and the building started shaking and rumbling and roaring. I thought, "WOW, that movie's got some great special effects!!!" Then I figured out, that ain't the movie and I shouted out "This is an earthquake!!!!!!!!" Sure enough it was. The museum staff hollered at everyone to evacuate the bldg. Same earthquake that messed up the Washington Monument and other bldgs. in DC. When I got home here in Manassas everything that was previously standing upright on my bookshelves was on the floor. F'Burg takes more than a day to see everything if you want to include Chancellorsville. I'd recommend at least two days in that area before heading north up to Maryland.
 
The NPS Museum/Visitors' Center in F'Burg is a must see. They show a nice movie in a little theatre describing the battle. Last time I was there me and my girlfriend were waiting for the next showing of the movie and the building started shaking and rumbling and roaring. I thought, "WOW, that movie's got some great special effects!!!" Then I figured out, that ain't the movie and I shouted out "This is an earthquake!!!!!!!!" Sure enough it was. The museum staff hollered at everyone to evacuate the bldg. Same earthquake that messed up the Washington Monument and other bldgs. in DC. When I got home here in Manassas everything that was previously standing upright on my bookshelves was on the floor. F'Burg takes more than a day to see everything if you want to include Chancellorsville. I'd recommend at least two days in that area before heading north up to Maryland.

Good advice!! Let's just hope I don't experience an earthquake while I'm there. That's quite a story you have to tell. Wow! A trip to remember for sure!
 
You'll love F'Burg. Be careful driving around, there's lots of one-way streets that can be confounding within the old part of the city down by river. Lots of great shops and art galleries. I knew some folk that lived in a little house like within walking distance of Mayre's Heights. It is an historic landmark and one of the few that didn't suffer major damage, being used as a temporary hospital for the wounded and dying. These friends of mine that bought the house years ago put in an addition on the back of the house and had some major excavation work done. Lots of bones were dug up. The wife insisted they were human from amputations. The husband refuted her claims stating they were animal bones. They never had them checked out by a forensic anthropologist. Last I heard they retired to Florida and are currently renting their home and want to sell it for 500K.
 
If you're going to Ellwood, you are already on The Wilderness Battlefield (and have to drive past Chancellorsville and Salem Church) to get there, Saunder's Field is worth a stop while at The Wilderness too.
Don't forget the Irish Brigade monument down on the river in Fredericksburg, the National Cemetery, and close enough to drive by is Guinea Station (where Stonewall died).
Spotsylvania is my favorite battlefield down there (very unspoiled)...Muleshoe Salient and the Bloody Angle are a must.
Great earthworks throughout.
 
I know. I know. One day?!? It sounds crazy to me too, but it looks like that's all the time we will have. We'll be passing through there on a trip to Maryland at the end of August. The trip is connected to business (I'm providing staff development for a Maryland school district) so we're just adding on a wee bit of fun.

Of course we'll visit the Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania Battlefield and Ellwood. I have to see where Longstreet was wounded (Is that well marked?) and where Stonewall's arm is buried. Any other recommendations for must-see attractions? Remember we get up at the crack of dawn when we travel and "get a move on."

Anyone visited Chatham Manor (I saw the lovely thread) and Kenmore Plantation? If I have to pick one, which one do I pick? Shhh. I may be able to persuade the hubby to stay a little bit longer. :sneaky: He kinda likes me and I can be very persuasive at times. :wink:

I read that the 2400 Diner is a great spot for breakfast and I'm sure we'll have dinner at the Bavarian Chef because it's located in the old train station.

Help me out friends!!!

By the way, you inspired me @Jimklag with your bucket list thread! Just saying!
Has the final itinerary been mapped out?
 
Has the final itinerary been mapped out?

We're getting there so to speak. I'm presenting in Temple Hills, MD next Wednesday morning. As soon as I finish we're heading to Fredericksburg. My top priorities are the site of General Longstreet's wounding (big surprise, right?), Ellwood, and Chatham Manor. We may stay there two days or stop off for a night in Richmond. We have to enjoy a beer at Colonial Tavern. It's my buddy, @Jimklag's favorite and I have made a dinner reservation at The Bavarian Chef (thanks for the heads up @dlavin!). We just got home this evening from our eclipse vacation in Sautee Nacoochee, GA. Time to gear up for our next adventure! I'll definitely keep you posted! :smile: We're planning a brief stay at National Harbor, MD (before I present). I just have to take a ride on the Capital Wheel no matter how cheesey it is! :D
 
A Day in Fredicksburg, Va. February 19,1928.

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