Saturday, June 2, 2012

Hampton Inn Gettysburg


We only got to spend one night at the Hampton Inn Gettysburg, as this was a last second, spontaneous trip to see Gettysburg National Park.  Upon arriving, the staff was friendly and the hotel was clean with plenty of parking.  The room was very clean and the beds were comfortable.

In the morning, a free breakfast was available, which was a nice bonus that we weren't even aware of as we booked this from the car while driving there.  We'd definitely recommend this hotel to anyone looking to stay in Gettysburg.  There may be some cheaper options out there, but from passing them on the road, they looked a bit undesirable, so it's worth it to pay the extra for this hotel.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Exploring Gettysburg National Historical Park











Probably the most well-known site from the days of the Civil War in America is the Gettysburg National Historical Park.  This enormous park honors the memory of all who lost their lives during America's most tragic war.

Starting at the Visitor's Center, you can explore the history of the Civil War in the museum to give you a good understanding of what life was like during this rough period of American history.  Whether you're a history buff or not, all Americans can appreciate this museum.

From there, you have the option of taking a guided tour on a bus, or to do a self-guided tour throughout the park.  You're provided with a full map that also gives a full explanation of the top sites to see.  The park has made it easy to follow this route as signs are placed throughout the drive to guide you.  If you do need to leave a portion of the way in though, be aware that many of the roads are one-way and you may need to backtrack to get back to where you left off.

The amount of monuments in this park is astounding and impossible to stop and visit them all in one visit.  However, the major ones can be covered in a few hours and the scenery is gorgeous.  This is a great place to spend a day both for the scenery and to honor those who fought in this tragic war, as well as see where Abraham Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Eisenhower National Historic Site



In Gettysburg, PA is the Eisenhower National Historic Site, where former president Dwight D. Eisenhower lived.  Located adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Historic Park, this site can only be visited by catching a bus from the Gettysburg Visitor's Center with paid admission.

Once you arrive by bus, you're greeted by a park ranger who'll give you an overview of the history of the entire site and walk you to the main house.  Inside the main house, you'll be greeted by another park ranger who will give you some more information about the house, focusing on how his wife, Mamie, used this house to greet visiting dignitaries.

Afterwards, you can explore the house and the grounds on your own, including a small building where the secret service were stationed 24 hours a day.  When visiting Gettysburg, this is definitely a highlight of the visit and worth the extra price in admission.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Appalachian Brewing Company

Cheddar ale soup
The BBQ Clucker
Beer battered fish and chips

Appalachian Brewing Company, which has several locations in Pennsylvania, has a brewpub location in Gettysburg (and for our Philadelphia readers, in Collegeville!). Luckily for us, they are open late, so when we decided to leave late in the afternoon from our suburban-Philadelphia residence for the trip to Gettysburg, ABC was still open for dinner (and a few drinks).

We dined on the BBQ Clucker, a chicken breast with their on house made root bear BBQ sauce and topped with cheddar cheese (super yum) and the beer battered fish and chips (so fresh!). And, something you can't not order at ABC, their cheddar ale soup (mmm...cheesy).

I've been to both the Collegeville location here in the Philadelphia suburbs and now the Gettysburg location and I cannot complain about the service or the quality of the food or drink, both have been wonderful at both places. Like a big chain, you know what you're getting when you walk into an ABC, but with the joy of walking into a small business.

Monday, May 28, 2012

The Avenue Restaurant

Turkey and cheese sandwich with mashed potatoes
Corned beef sandwich and corn nuggets

The Avenue Restaurant along Gettysburg's famed Steinwehr Ave., is definitely worth passing by (unless you're stopping for coffee and corn nuggets).

We stopped here for lunch after flipping a coin between the avenue's couple of restaurants. Diners, especially diners that have been around and family owned for a number of years (and brags about it), are usually the best bets. This was not the case with The Avenue Restaurant.

We both ordered sandwiches. I ordered a corned beef with cheddar and my dining partner ordered a turkey and cheese. While the turkey and cheese was OK (nothing to write home about), the corned beef was tough and nearly inedible. When you bit into the sandwich, all the meat came out with it because, frankly, I couldn't bite through it.

I decided that, to give the sandwich a fair chance, I would fork-and-knife it. The meat DID cut, though not easily. For corned beef, it was the toughest, most bland meat I have ever eaten. I didn't even make it through half of the sandwich.

However, as my side I ordered corn nuggets, which may have been the only bright spot in this meal. They were cooked well and properly served with warm maple syrup.

Definitely pass on The Avenue Restaurant, and check out some of Gettysburg's other eateries.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Bierstube, Old City Philadelphia




Bierstube, in Old City Philadelphia, excited me. I love German food, probably more than any other style of cuisine, and it is new to the area - and it had open reservations for a last minute, prime-time dinner hour on a Friday night.

I can understand why.

While the food was awesome, seriously awesome, the service was lacking. We waited quite a while before anyone even saw us at the hostess stand. It looked like the host was also acting as a server and bar-back because they were understaffed, leaving us standing at the entrance waiting to be seated.

Once we were seated, it took another long while for our waiter to get to our table. Again, it seemed to be an understaffing problem.

The one person on staff who was very helpful was the actual bar-back who brought our meals to the table. I ordered the sausage platter, and asked (after the fact) what kinds of sausages I'd be dining on that evening. He didn't know and rather than make something up, walked into the kitchen and asked. And returned promptly.

Service aside, the food was delicious. All of the sausages in the sausage platter were fantastic, as well as the sauce they were in and the spicy mustard. I also ordered pierogi which were delightful.

The weinerschnitzel was very different from traditional, but still delicious. They use what tastes like panko instead of traditional breadcrumbs for the crust, which gives it a crispier, lighter crust. The sauce on the schnitzel was also magnificent.

So, while I don't highly recommend the service, I do highly recommend the food here. Maybe eating at the bar is a better idea.