With no school on Election Day and feeling completely rattled with nerves, I decided to kill two birds and take a day trip with my son and his best friend. We landed on Gettysburg National Military Park, only a 1 hour and 15 minute drive from DC. It was such a hit with all of us that I had to share!
First of all, fair warning - the visitor’s center is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This was a disappointment because it was just redone in 2008 or so and I have been wanting to see it for quite some time. As of last week, you can still visit by reserving tickets in advance. Just not for us that day.
Secondly, the pre-COVID way to tour Gettysburg is to hire a docent to ride along in your vehicle as you drive through the battlefield and various memorials. That was off the table for us (because… COVID), so I started researching.
Pro-tip: download and test the app before you leave your home WiFi.
To my disbelief and delight, I found this gem: for $6.72, you can download a self-guided driving tour, which we connected to the car bluetooth. It says it will take approximately 1-2 hours. It actually took us 3 hours — only because my son and his friend kept hopping out to take a closer look at statues, plaques, and the gorgeous vistas. This impromptu field trip was exactly what each of us needed. The drive was manageable, weather was gorgeous and the kids got to run around. You can speed up or skip the tour as needed, and our assistant gave me driving directions along the way.
Lots of these yard signs (plus Biden signs!) in homes surrounding the battlefield. It sparked a really interesting conversation with the kids.
I recommend you bookend your visit with stops at the nearby Sheetz for bathroom breaks and snacks (my review of the milkshakes and iced coffee is A+). We packed our lunches and ate along the way but there is also a McDonald’s nearby.
Lasagna Love
We know we’ve mentioned this a few times but as we get closer to the holiday season we wanted to remind everyone of an easy way to help those in need! By signing up to volunteer with Lasagna Love you can help make a tasty and nutritious meal for a family in our community that might just need a little help right now. Please reach out if you have any questions about participating. - Haley
DMV Black Restaurant Week
This week is the third annual 2020 DMV Black Restaurant Week. Click here to view the participating restaurants!
Food & Friends
Food & Friends provides nutritionally-tailored, home-delivered meals to people in the Washington D.C. region facing a life-challenging health crisis. We believe that food heals and this year we will prepare and deliver more than 1 million meals across 5,300 square miles to our neighbors – at no charge. Established in 1988 during the height of the AIDS crisis, we strive to help our clients feel better, connect them to their community and empower them to manage their illnesses. Thousands of volunteers will touch more nearly 4,000 lives this year. At Food & Friends, we are driven by a simple premise: anyone can get sick and everyone can help. To volunteer with Food & Friends, visit www.foodandfriends.org/volunteer or you can donate to support our services here.