Category: Featured Blogs (Homepage)

All Aboard: Explore Gettysburg’s Countryside by Rail

When people think about Gettysburg, they often picture battlefields, monuments, and the Gettysburg Address. Few realize the railroad helped shape many of those stories.

Long before visitors arrived for weekend getaways, trains carried soldiers, supplies, journalists, and eventually President Abraham Lincoln to Gettysburg. After the battle, the railroad became one of the community’s most important lifelines, helping transport thousands of wounded soldiers to hospitals throughout the region.

Today, trains tell a different story. Instead of rushing people through Gettysburg, they invite visitors to slow down, to watch the countryside roll by, hear stories from the rails, and experience Adams ... Read This Story

Gifts with a Story: Holiday Shopping in Gettysburg & Adams County

By: Tina Klym-Snyder

This Christmas, if you love Gettysburg, give Gettysburg.

This holiday season, plan a getaway to Gettysburg and discover how giving local makes every gift more meaningful. In the season of giving, what better way to show your love of something than by sharing it? And in Adams County, there’s so much to share. From handmade confections, handpicked produce, and heirloom artifacts to dazzling jewelry, stylish décor, charming pop culture, and immersive gaming, From charming downtown boutiques and artisan shops to countryside farm markets and small-town antiques, Gettysburg and Adams County invite visitors to experience the joy of shopping ... Read This Story

Peace, Pottery, and Produce

By Destination Gettysburg Staff, from interviews with David and Junko Young, November 2025

At the foot of Little Round Top, where history shaped the nation, David and Junko Young and their four sons have shaped something quieter: an oasis of handmade pottery, fresh produce, and peace. Their business, The Lion Potter, a Gettysburg pottery studio and farmstand, blends art and farming in a way that feels both surprising and completely natural. It’s not a gallery. It’s not a farmstand. It’s a place where beauty, nourishment, and stillness meet.

The Lion Potter is a Gettysburg pottery studio and farm stand ... Read This Story

Family-Friendly Things to Do This Summer in Gettysburg

By Austin Poulson

While Gettysburg is best known for its Civil War history, families quickly discover there’s much more to explore. From interactive museums and wildlife encounters to mini golf and hands-on learning experiences, Gettysburg offers plenty of opportunities for kids to stay engaged while parents enjoy a memorable summer getaway.

School is out and Summer is the perfect time to make unforgettable memories with your kids. While you may not think of Gettysburg as a “Summer Getaway”, this small Pennsylvania town might surprise you. From hands-on museums to outdoor adventures, Gettysburg makes it easy to keep the whole ... Read This Story

Why Gettysburg Should Be Your Juneteenth Destination This Year

By Moellyn Ramos Yetsko

For a town known for a battle about freedom, Gettysburg still holds a lot of stories peoplenever hear.Most visitors come to Gettysburg expecting cannons, monuments, and Civil War historyfrozen in time. They come looking for Lincoln. For the battlefield. For the turning point.And they should.

But if America’s 250th anniversary is asking us to reflect on the story of this country, whofought for freedom, who defined it, who was denied it, and who is still fighting to fully claim it, then Gettysburg becomes more than a historic destination.It becomes a mirror.Because the story of ... Read This Story

Step Back in History: Gettysburg’s Historic Homes & House Tours

By Carl Whitehill

Gettysburg’s history extends far beyond the battlefield. Throughout town and across Adams County, historic homes, taverns, farms, and museums invite visitors to step inside the stories of civilians, soldiers, presidents, and families who shaped the American experience. From preserved Civil War homes to presidential estates and colonial taverns, these spaces bring history to life in deeply personal ways.

After exploring the battlefield and many museums scattered throughout Gettysburg and its countryside, take time to discover these historic homes where guides bring visitors face-to-face with the people who lived through defining moments in American history.

From Civil ... Read This Story

Tee Off in Gettysburg: A Golfer’s Guide to the Region’s Best Courses

By Austin Poulson

Gettysburg offers a range of scenic and well-designed golf courses, making it a top destination in Pennsylvania for both casual players and dedicated golf getaways.

Gettysburg is known for its pivotal role in American history, but it’s also home to an exceptional golf scene that draws players from across the country. Pristine countryside, rolling mountain views, and well-designed courses make Gettysburg and the surrounding area an ideal spot for golfers of all skill levels.

Carroll Valley Golf Course at Liberty Mountain

Set in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Carroll Valley Golf Course offers a picturesque ... Read This Story

50 WAYS TO EAT YOUR APPLE

As seen in the 2026 Destination Gettysburg Getaway Guide on page 14

More Than Just Pie

If there’s one thing Adams County knows how to do, it’s apples, with the National Apple Harvest Festival proving it deliciously.

This beloved fall tradition, held the first two weekends in October, isn’t just about apples on trees: it’s about apples everywhere, in every form imaginable. In fact, there are at least 50 separate ways in which to find, eat, sip, drizzle, bake, fry, pickle and indulge in apples during the festival.

Most are comfortingly familiar.

Others may stop you mid-bite with a ... Read This Story

Rooted In Tradition

A sixth-generation family farm in Adams County, Pennsylvania, where commitment, tradition, and fun keep the Peters orchard thriving year-round.

By Destination Gettysburg Staff, from interviews with Katie & Amelia Peters, November 2025

Keeping the Orchard Growing

In Adams County, Pennsylvania, fifth-generation farmer David Peters and his wife, Katie, have helped expand an already thriving family orchard business that grows much more than fruit. Their sixth-generation daughters, are learning the rhythm of the land and the reward of working side by side. Together, they balance long hours, community connection, and a heritage that reaches back to 1870.

“We’re in this together,” Katie says. “We figure it out ... Read This Story

Homeschooling Field Trip to Gettysburg: An Educational Itinerary for All Ages 

by: Moellyn Ramos Yetsko

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is an excellent choice for a homeschooling field trip due to its pivotal role in the Civil War, as well as its strong lessons in history, science, and hands-on learning. Whether you’re planning a day trip or a longer stay, Gettysburg provides a wealth of educational opportunities for K-12 students. Here’s an itinerary to help you make the most of your homeschooling lesson plans.   

DAY 1 – Historical Foundations

MORNING

Gettysburg National Military Park and Museum & Visitor Center

Start your journey at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center, the ... Read This Story