Pennsylvania - 5 Suitcases

Explore 5 States in 6 Days: A Complete Itinerary for West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, and DC

Elle MacRae — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 13:11:14 +0000

On our quest to visit all 50 states, we embarked on a road trip that would take us to 5 states and Washington, DC. Over 6 days we visited West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, and Washington, DC while hugging the Mason-Dixon Line.

Fun Fact: The Mason-Dixon Line separates 4 states: Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia. It later became known as the border between the Southern slave states and the Northern free states.

All five states would be new destinations for the kids, and New Jersey and Delaware were new for me. We tacked on a day in DC since it’s the kids favorite city (so far!).

Our itinerary has all of the elements of an epic family road trip:

Adventure
Rollercoasters
Waterslides
History
Culture

Seriously, what more could you want?

How We Ended Up Visiting These States

Each year we gift the kids a trip as part of their Christmas gift. On January 1st, we randomly select the name of a state the kids haven’t visited and plan a trip to that destination. For this trip, the kids pulled West Virginia.

Our family of 5 took a road trip from Florida up to West Virginia. Since we were already in the area, it only made sense for us to visit a few other neighboring states so we could add them to the list of states we’ve visited.

Using the strategy outlined in the post above, our itinerary quickly began to take shape, and Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, and Washington, DC were added to our trip.

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Day One- Davis, West Virginia

After a long drive from Florida to West Virginia, it was time for a bunch of Florida kids to experience some snow! The first stop on our road trip was Blackwater Falls State Park, home to the longest sled run on the East Coast.

The park has a conveyor belt, called the Magic Carpet, that carries passengers to the top of a hill. From there, it’s a quick 1/4-mile descent to the bottom. What an adventure! Smiley, Stinky, and I had so much fun! Scoop and Ashley didn’t love it, but they took advantage of the hot cocoa bar and fire while we went sledding.

West Virginia is known for having wooden “Almost Heaven” swings (pictured left) that are sprinkled throughout the state. We hiked the short, but icy, trail that led to the swing and the gorgeous Blackwater Falls.

Next, we went back to the Canaan Valley Resort. There was plenty of snow on the ground and the kids were dying to go sledding again. Lucky for them, we brought along a set of roll-up sleds. They spent hours zooming down the hills surrounding the resort.

Even Scoop had fun this go around! What a great way to kick off our epic winter road trip!

Dining: Canaan Valley Resort, Mama Mia Pie & Pasta
Lodging: Canaan Valley Resort

Day Two- Gettysburg & Hershey, Pennsylvania

We got up early and made the 3-hour trek to Gettysburg. Not only are we trying to visit all 50 states, but we’re also trying to hit up as many National Park Sites as possible.

Gettysburg was the site of the bloodiest battle in US History. The Battle of Gettysburg was a three-day battle in the American Civil War between July 1 and July 3, 1863, where an estimated 50,000 people lost their lives. The battle is considered the turning point of the Civil War- where the odds turned from being in favor of the Confederacy to favoring the Union forces.

While we were at the Gettysburg National Military Park we:

Visited the Museum and Visitor Center
Paid our respects at the National Cemetery
Saw where Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address
Saw the battlefield

About a mile away from the famous battlefield is another National Park Site- the Eisenhower National Historic Site. This was the home of the 34th President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and his wife, Mamie. The home was closed for tours during our visit (tours are seasonal), but we were able to explore the grounds. It was nice having the whole place to ourselves.

While we could have spent longer exploring Gettysburg, we had more fun on the agenda for the day so drove an hour to Hershey.

Our final stop of the day was Hersheypark. Our daughter is a total theme park junkie, so I knew we had to visit Hersheypark, a place I visited when I was about her age. When you purchase a regular ticket to the park, you can preview the park the evening before your visit.

After checking in to our hotel, we told the kids we were going out to dinner and surprised them with a nighttime visit to Hersheypark. They thought we were sneaking in (lol) so it made it EXTRA exciting for them.

Check out the video below for their adorable reactions!

Dining: The Chocolate Avenue Grill
Lodging: Holiday Inn Express, Harrisburg

Day Three- Hershey, Pennsylavania

Day three of our trip was all about Hersheypark! Since we visited during the winter months, and on a holiday, the park had limited hours. However, since we previewed the park the night before, we didn’t feel like we missed out on anything.

The park opened a little later that day, so we started our day at Chocolate World which is a large shop that had a few add-on experiences for visitors to enjoy. There’s also an eatery and a free ride that tells how chocolate was made, which we rode multiple times until the park opened.

We spent the rest of the day hanging out at the theme park. The kids had a blast on the rides! Unfortunately, the rollercoasters were all closed due to the cold temperatures, but we made the best of it!

Later in the day, we purchased tickets for the drive-thru light show. We slowly crept through the 2-mile trail of holiday lights.

Dining: Applebee’s
Lodging: Holiday Inn Express, Harrisburg

Day Four- Perryville, Maryland

The next morning was Christmas Day! We got up bright and early and drove about 90 minutes southeast to Perryville, Maryland.

Originally, I considered visiting Philadelphia after our time in Hershey, but with it being a holiday (and many places would be closed), I opted to add a day at the Great Wolf Lodge in Perryville, Maryland to our itinerary, instead. The Great Wolf Lodge is a massive, indoor waterpark and kid’s entertainment complex. They have an arcade, bowling alley, mini golf, ropes course, and much more. What better place to celebrate Christmas?

Sure, it was un-traditional, but the kids had an absolute blast, and in the end, that’s all that matters!

Day Five- Pennsville, New Jersey; New Castle, Delaware; and Baltimore, Maryland

With New Jersey and Delaware so close, we couldn’t NOT visit. I went back and forth between visiting Camden, New Jersey, and Pennsville, New Jersey before ultimately deciding on the latter. Although Camden had way more things to do, it was a little further away. Since we would be backtracking to Baltimore, timewise, it made more sense for us to go to Pennsville.

Pennsville is the home of Fort Mott, which is one of the very few things to do in this part of the state. Fortunately for us, we love a good fort so our kids were thrilled to check it out! Fort Mott is a post-Civil War outpost located on the Delaware River. There was plenty of signage for us to learn about the fort…mostly our kids just enjoyed running around with the muskets they bought in Gettysburg.

Afterward, we drove to New Castle, Delaware. Oh my gosh, ya’ll, it was the CUTEST colonial town! Our first stop was the New Castle Court House, which is part of the First State National Historical Park.

At the courthouse, we learned how Delaware declared independence from Pennsylvania and Great Britain and became the first state. We also learned about the famous Americans who once called New Castle their home.

Afterward, we strolled around the town making stops at the Historical Society, a colonial cemetery (Immanuel on the Green), the old pillory, and other key sites around the courthouse. I seriously could have spent an entire weekend checking out this charming town. It reminded me so much of Williamsburg, Virginia. I guess that just gives us a reason to return!

After a couple of hours in New Castle, we backtracked to Maryland. We took the Fort McHenry Tunnel (our kids’ first tunnel experience) and made a pitstop at Fort McHenry. Fort McHenry was the scene of one of the most influential battles in American History. The Battle of Baltimore was a conflict between the British and the Americans during the War of 1812. The battle was a turning point in the war. After the British invaded DC (and torched it!), they headed north to Baltimore.

The Brits pounded Fort McHenry for 25 hours, but the Americans were able to defend their brick fortress successfully. From this point on, the Americans had the upper hand during the war.

During the battle, Maryland native Francis Scott Key witnessed the chaos at the fort from afar. At dawn, he looked out and saw a large American Flag waving over the fort, which inspired him to write a poem that would later become our national anthem.

We really enjoyed the National Park’s Junior Ranger Program. It was a great way for the kids to learn what happened at Fort McHenry. They completed several different activities in an activity book and earned a Junior Ranger badge for their efforts.

By the time we finished with the fort, it was about 4 PM. We planned to check in to our hotel and walk around the Baltimore Harbor. However, after driving around, we realized that might not be the safest idea. We noticed an increase in police presence, including 2 armed guards at Chick-fil-A. It turns out, the harbor becomes a totally different place at night. We took our dinner to go and walked back to the hotel to hunker down for the evening.

Dining: Chick-fil-A
Lodging: Staybridge Suites- Baltimore Inner Harbor

Day Six- Washington, DC

On the final day of our Mason-Dixon Road Trip, we drove south to Washington, DC. DC is our kiddos’ favorite city to explore, so since we were in the area, we just HAD to make a pitstop.

On our last visit, we spent 4 days exploring the capital. This time, I wanted to hit some of the
sites we didn’t get to see last time.

We started our morning off at the National Museum of African American History and
Culture, one of the newest museums in DC. The museum’s collection focuses heavily on the
slave trade, the lives of slaves, the Reconstruction Era, and the Civil Rights Movement.
Learning about this part of our nation’s history was an extremely somber (but necessary)
experience.

From there, we headed to the National Mall, also known as America’s Front Yard. The National Mall has more than 100 monuments, memorials, and museums. We started at the far end of the Mall and worked our way back toward the National Museum of African American History and
Culture.

Our first stop was the Lincoln Memorial. It was a cool spot to tie in our visit to this morning’s
museum and our time in Gettysburg (the monument has the Gettysburg address engraved in it).

From there, we made our way along the north side of the National Mall. We stopped by the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Constitution Gardens, Signers’ Memorial, and the
Lockkeeper’s House. Next, we cut across to the World War II Memorial before seeing the
Washington Monument.

Our last stop of the day was National Archives where we saw the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights. Although we could
have easily popped next door to the National Museum of Natural History or the National
Museum of American History, we chose to get on the road instead. We knew traffic would be
heavy and our hotel was two hours south.

Free Family Road Trip Starter Kit

Ready to hit the road with magic in the speakers?

Don’t forget to grab our FREE Family Road Trip Starter Kit — packed with printable checklists, kid-approved games, and snack ideas for your next adventure!

Includes:

Packing checklist
I Spy game
Travel Bingo boards
Snack list
Activity ideas

Click here to download yours now!

Planning an Epic Road Trip

Now that you’ve seen how we spent 6 days traveling through West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, and DC, we hope that we’ve inspired you to take your own road trip.

Here are some handy posts to help you start planning your own road trip!

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure!

For future reference, save our “Our 6-Day Itinerary for West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, and DC.” Pin one of the images below to Pinterest. Read about how you can start your own 50 State Challenge! Go ahead and follow 5 Suitcases on Pinterest while you’re at it!

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19 National Park Sites in Pennsylvania: A Complete Travel Guide

Elle MacRae — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 17:03:29 +0000

Since Pennsylvania was one of the Thirteen Colonies, and the second state to declare independence from Great Britain, it’s no surprise that it is teaming with historical sites. Pennsylvania has 1 National Forest, 116 State Parks, and 19 National Park Sites.

The Keystone State is a treasure trove of historical events from the Declaration of Independence, and the Liberty Bell to the Battle of Gettysburg.

National Parks in Pennsylvania

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

Located about 80 miles east of Pittsburg, the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site is where the Pennsylvania Main Line of Public Works constructed the Allegheny Portage Railroad.

During the 1820s, the United States was eager to move westward, but the Allegheny Mountains stood in the way. The locomotives could not handle the steep grades of the mountains, so engineers sought a different path. They constructed a railroad with ten inclined planes that pulled freight and passengers up and down the mountains.

Today, visitors can see the remains of this ingenious system and learn about how the railroad impacted westward expansion.

Amenities: Exhibits, park film, Engine House 6, Lemon House Tavern, hiking, biking, heritage hikes, etc
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 110 Federal Park Road, Gallitzin, PA 16641
National Park Website for Allegheny Portage Railroad NHS

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Nearly 230 miles of the Appalachian Trail pass through Pennsylvania. How cool would it be to say you’ve actually walked the Appalachian Trail? Nobody needs to know it was just a portion of it. *wink*

Amenities: Appalachian Trail Museum, hiking, picnicking
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: The trail passes through Boiling Springs, Duncannon, and Wind Gap.
National Park Website for Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The Delaware River flows along the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. This recreation area provides 40 miles of waterfront beckoning you to experience it. You can rent equipment along the river and set out for a day of canoeing, kayaking, or rafting. The Delaware Water Gap also has over 100 miles of hiking trails, including 27 miles of the Appalachian Trail.

Amenities: Kayaking, canoeing, bicycling, camping, hiking, fishing, waterfalls
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 1978 River Road, Bushkill, PA 18324
National Park Website for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Edgar Allen Poe National Historic Site

The Edgar Allen Poe National Historic Site is located in Philadelphia. The King of Macabre wrote some of his most famous works while living in Philly. The park grants visitors the opportunity to explore the home of one of the greatest names in horror writing.

Amenities: Tour Poe’s Home, visit the Reading Room
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 532 N. 7th Street, Philadelphia 19123
National Park Website for Edgar Allen Poe National Historic Site

Eisenhower National Historic Site

Tour the home of the 34th President of the United States. Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie, purchased this farm near Gettysburg. “Ike”, as he was called, often traveled from DC to Gettysburg by helicopter (he was the first president to travel this way!) during his presidency.

Amenities: Tour the Eisenhower home and farm
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 250 Eisenhower Farm Rd., Gettysburg, PA 17325
National Park Website for Eisenhower National Historic Site

First State National Historical Park (DE & PA)

Although a bulk of the First State NHP is located in Delaware, part of it bleeds into Pennsylvania. Located next to Brandywine Creek State Park, this tract of woodlands offers trails for hiking and horseback riding. Nearby, you can also see historic Quaker homes.

Amenities: hiking, horseback riding
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 211 Delaware Street, New Castle, DE 19270
National Park Website for First State National Historical Park

Flight 93 National Memorial

The Flight 93 National Memorial is the site where Flight 93 crashed on September 11, 2001. On this dreadful day, hijackers seized four commercial airplanes and used them as weapons against the American people. Two of the planes crashed into the Twin Towers in NYC, and the third was driven into the Pentagon.

Passengers on Flight 93 fought back against the hijackers and fought to regain control of the plane. Unfortunately, the plane crashed in rural Pennsylvania killing all of the passengers.

The memorial, which protects the crash site, is only open to family members of the victims. There is a wall of inscribed names honoring these men and women.

Amenities: walking trails, September 11 Observance
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 6424 Lincoln Highway, Stoystown, PA 15563
National Park Website for Flight 93 National Memorial

Fort Necessity National Battlefield

Located about 60 miles southeast of Pittsburg, you’ll find the Fort Necessity Battlefield. This site features a reconstruction of the fort built by George Washington in 1755.

While he was in his young twenties, Washington was in charge of British troops that were sent to the area. He and his men had many encounters with the French in the area. As a response, he constructed Fort Necessity. The fort was attacked by the French and their native allies causing Washington to retreat.

Amenities: self-guided battlefield tour, historic weapons demonstrations, hiking
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 1 Washington Parkway, Farmington 15437
National Park Website for Fort Necessity National Battlefield.

Friendship Hill National Historic Site

When Albert Gallatin immigrated to America from Switzerland in 1780, he bought a tract of land and built a home he called Friendship Hill.

He would later serve in the Pennsylvania State Legislature, the U.S. Senate, and the House of Representatives. He also helped Thomas Jefferson be elected President. In turn, Jefferson had Gallatin serve as the Secretary of Treasury. Gallatin helped finance the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark’s expedition.

The park preserves his home and celebrates his accomplishments.

Amenities: hiking, tour the Gallatin House
Entrance Fee: Free
Address:223 New Geneva Rd. Point Marion, PA 15470
National Park Website for Friendship Hill NHS

Gettysburg National Military Park

Gettysburg is home to the bloodiest battle of the American Civil War. On July 1, 1863, the Union and Confederacy engaged in a 3-day battle that ended in 51,000 casualties.

Abraham Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address at the dedication ceremony for the Gettysburg National Cemetery. Today, the park has more than 1,300 monuments, markers, and memorials. Take the full 24-mile auto tour, or choose to just hit the highlights.

Amenities: driving tour, horseback riding, battleground tours, living history program
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg 17325
National Park Website for Gettysburg National Military Park.

Gloria Dei Church National Historic Site

Gloria De Church, also known as Old Swedes Church was built in 1698. Today, it features models of the ships that brought Swedish colonists to America.

The church is still a working church, so be sure to check their schedule of events before visiting.

Amenities: Churchyard, Henrickson House museum, historic graveyard
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 916 S. Swanson Street, Philadelphia 19147
National Park Website for Gloria Dei Church National Historic Site

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

While the South made their money off enslaved labor, Northern states made their fortunes from factories. Mark Bird established Hopewell Furnace in 1771. He used local ore to create iron goods.

Hopewell Furnace was often called an “iron plantation” because of its similarities with southern plantations. It was a self-sustained community that included the homes of workers, a church, an apple orchard, community stores, and more.

Amenities: Self-guided tour, living history programs, demonstrations, hiking, apple picking
Entrance Fee: Free
Address:2 Mark Bird Lane, Elverson, PA 19520
National Park Website for Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

Independence National Historical Park

This place is an American History lover’s DREAM! Located in the historic Old City of downtown Philadelphia, this size is composed of two dozen spots that played a role in American Independence.

Start your visit at the Visitor Center to pick up information on the different sites, get your ticket for Independence Hall, and sign up for guided tours.

Amenities: Tour Independence Hall, Pose with Historical Statues, visit more than 2 dozen locations that played a part in the quest for Independence
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
National Park Website for Independence National Historical Park

Johnstown Flood National Memorial

On May 30, 1889, torrential rain pounded on Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Nearby rivers, lakes, and streams flooded the streets. The following day, the South Fork Dam was pushed to the limits causing it to collapse. sending 20 million tons of water rushing toward several nearby towns. Within minutes, Johnstown was destroyed and more than 2,200 people lost their lives.

Amenities: Visitor Center, scenic drive, remains of the dam
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 733 Lake Road, South Fork, PA 15956
National Park Website for Johnstown Flood National Memorial

Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River

Did you know Pennsylvania is home to the largest free-flowing river in the eastern United States? Enjoy a day of leisure by exploring the Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River.

Points of interest include:

National Canal Museum
Delaware Canal
Riegelsville Historic District & Benjamin Riegel House
Tinicum Park
Ralph Stover State Park
Tohickon Valley Park
Honey Hollow Watershed National Historic Landmark
Phillips Mill
Parry Mansion
Washington Crossing Historic Park

Amenities: Boating, fishing, hiking, biking
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 1234 Market Street, Philadelphia 19107
National Park Website for Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River

Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

The Heritage Trails are a series of trails covering 710 miles throughout Maryland, Virginia, DC, and Pennsylvania. There is no official visitor center for this trail network.

Amenities: Paddling, Hiking, Biking
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: c/o Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
142 W. Potomac St.
Williamsport 21795
National Park Website for Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

Steamtown National Historic Site

At the Steamtown National Historic Site, train lovers (and visitors) can explore historic locomotives and train cars. You can also visit a working rail yard or take a guided train tour.

Amenities: Explore the Roundhouse, train rides, guided tours
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 350 Cliff Street, Scranton, PA 18503
National Park Website for Steamtown National Historic Site

Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial

While you may know who Thaddeus Kosciuszko is, he was a pretty big deal in his day. His good friend, Thomas Jefferson, once called him “As pure a son of liberty, as I have ever known…”. Kosciuszko served as a general and was responsible for fortifying many Colonial towns. Today, you can visit his former home and learn about his contributions to America.

Amenities: Explore the Roundhouse, train rides, guided tours
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 350 Cliff Street, Scranton, PA 18503
National Park Website for Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial

Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreation River

The river, which offers Class 1 and Class II rapids, forms the boundary between New York and Pennsylvania. It is a wonderful place to spend the day out on the water.

Amenities: Rafting, canoeing, fishing
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 350 Cliff Street, Scranton, PA 18503
National Park Website for Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River

Valley Forge National Historical Park

George Washington and his troops set up camp at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777. The men faced tremendous adversity including starvation, frigid temperatures, and illness.

The park stands in honor of those troops who gave their lives, and those who overcame such tribulations and went on to fight for our independence.

Amenities: walking, trolly, or auto tours
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 1400 North Outer Line Drive King of Prussia, PA 19406
National Park Website for Valley Forge National Historical Park

What Should I Take With Me?

When you’re hiking, please remember to leave no trace! This means to pack out everything that you pack in and if you see trash, pick it up.

Backpack– to store all of your belongings
Dry Bag– to keep your electronics and wallet safe, in case of rain (or kayaking)
Trail GPS– the Garmin Oregon handled GPS works offline. You can view maps, waypoints, tracks, and trails even if you don’t have a signal.
First-Aid Kit– this ultralight, watertight medical kit is a must if you’re hitting the trails!
Sunscreen- yes, you can get sunburned in the forest.
Insect Repellant
Water Bottle– Always pack more water than you think you’ll need!
Snacks
Hammock– I honestly pack a hammock on most hiking trips. Psh, I even bring them along with me when we go on cruises. There are plenty of spots in the forest to put up a hammock and chill out for a bit.

If you’re traveling with your pup, like we often do, be sure to bring along their leash, poop bags, a water dish (this one is collapsible), extra water, food, and snacks.

How to Visit the Parks for Free

Although some National Park sites are free, some of them require a fee to enter. This fee ranges from $5 per vehicle to $35 per vehicle whereas some charge up to $20 a person.

The National Parks offer Free National Park Days where you can access the park for free! Learn more about these days.

If you have a fourth-grader, you can get an annual pass that grants you access to all of the parks for free! Every year, starting on September 1st, all fourth-grade students are eligible for an Every Kid Outdoors Pass. The pass grants free access to the entire family! Fill out the form at www.everykidoutdoors.gov

Other National Park Resources

National Parks in Nearby States

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The Best-Kept Secret About Hersheypark!

Elle MacRae — Sat, 01 Feb 2025 23:16:53 +0000

You may know about our quest to visit all 50 states and our goal to see all of the National Parks, but did you know we’re also on a mission to visit as many theme parks as possible? Yeah, we didn’t either lol However, while we were on our Mason-Dixon Road Trip, I realized we’ve hit up a TON of theme parks. Over the last few years, we’ve hit up Disney World, Universal Orlando, Wild Adventures, SeaWorld, Legoland, and Peppa Pig Theme Park. On this trip, we added a new theme park to our list: Hersheypark.

Hersheypark is a candy-themed park in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Yes, that Hershey. Believe it or not, the park opened in 1906! The founder of the Hershey, Milton S. Hershey, opened the park to create a green space for factory workers to unwind with their families. In 1908, a merry-go-round was installed. Shortly after, a carousel, roller coaster, and other rides were added. Soon, the park became a full-on theme park.

I first visited Hersheypark in the mid-90s (It blows my kid’s minds that I was alive in the 1900s) with my family. I remember loving it as a kid, so when I began mapping out our Mason-Dixon Road Trip, I knew we had to take the kids.

The Best Kept Secret About Hersheypark!

While researching the park, I came across a juicy little tidbit of info that blew my mind! Believe it or not, when you purchase a regular ticket to Hersheypark, you get instant access to preview the park the evening before. Whaaaaaatttt!?!?! Extra time in the park? Yes, please!

The hours of this preview window vary, so you’ll want to check out the official website near the time of your visit to confirm what they will be. Typically, you’ll get 1.5 to 2 hours to explore Hersheypark.

Once I found this out, I switched up our itinerary a little bit to make sure we were in Hershey in time to take advantage of this. We hit up Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site and high-tailed it to the land of chocolatey goodness.

After checking in to our hotel, we told the kids we were going out to eat and surprised them by taking them to Hersheypark for our preview. Our preview night was December 23rd, so it was during the holiday season. I expected it to be crowded, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. The park was dead. We walked up to each ride and had 0 wait times! During our 90-minute preview, we rode at least a dozen rides. Anyone who visits theme parks will tell you, that’s quite impressive!

Our Hersheypark Experience

The next day, we got up to hit the park again. With the preview under our belt, we had a pretty good grasp of the park’s layout. The kids mapped out what rides they wanted to conquer again and couldn’t have been more excited about visiting the park.

Since we were visiting the park on Christmas Eve, the park had limited hours. The park opened at noon, but Hershey’s Chocolate World opened at 10 so we headed to the theme park to check that out. Hershey’s Chocolate World has shops, eateries, and add-on features. There is a free ride that takes you through the process of making chocolate, which we all enjoyed. We ended up doing it twice just to kill time. At the end of the ride, they give you a sample of Hershey’s chocolate, which my kids thought was pretty cool.

We spent some time in the shops before waiting at the park’s entrance for the park to open. In our experience, many parks will open a few minutes early… although there was an announcement that the park was ready for visitors, they didn’t open the gates until noon on the dot.

The park closed at 4 on the day of our visit, so we had 4 hours in the park. Despite this, we didn’t feel robbed of our time since we had the preview. Plus, we had another day of 0 lines, so we walked directly onto every ride, which was pretty amazing! If you visit any of the Florida theme parks around the holidays you’ll experience longer than normal wait times, so to have virtually no wait was remarkable.

One bummer was that several rides were not open due to the temperatures. Since it was so cold out, there were no roller coasters open (which is something we’ve experienced at other parks). As far as thrill rides are concerned, there were only 2 available: an indoor roller coaster, and a “baby roller coaster” as my kids called it. All the open rides were the type of rides you’d find at the fair, which was a bummer.

What to Pack with You for Hersheypark

Sunscreen
Water bottle
Towels/bathing suit (if visiting during the warm months when the waterpark is open)

What We Loved/Hated About the Park

The Sweet Stuff

We loved that the park had short wait times.
The park was decorated for the holidays and had the most incredible Santa. He even had his reindeer available for kids to visit (from a distance).
The park was clean and easy to navigate.
The park has an app that you can use to check wait times, order food, view maps, etc.
There are storage lockers available to rent for the day. This is handy if you don’t feel like toting around a backpack or bag of towels (if you’re hitting up the waterpark).
Rider swaps are available if needed. This is super handy if there isn’t one adult per child. You can ride the attraction with one kid while the other(s) stay with the operator. When you finish, you can swap out the kids and go on the ride again without having to wait in line.

The Bittersweet Stuff

The prices for adding on things like making your bar of chocolate were pretty expensive, especially when you have a larger family.
There were a lot of rides that our boys could ride, but our daughter couldn’t, and vice versa. There were very few rides that all 3 kids could ride together, which meant we often had to split up. It would have been nice if there were more rides that everyone could enjoy.
There were not a lot of rides that adults could ride on. The kids had to ride alone on most rides, which wasn’t an issue for our kids but I could see it being a problem for others.
Speaking of rides, there were some rides that the kids were permitted to ride during our preview, but not permitted to ride the next day. Although the kids were measured before each ride (which I totally get), not everyone was on the same page with who could ride.
There weren’t many food options when we visited. We saw evidence of several eateries around the park, but they were not open during our visit.

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure

For future reference, be sure to save our “Epic Guide to Hersheypark.” Pin one of the images below to Pinterest. Go ahead and follow 5 Suitcases on Pinterest while you’re at it!

While we were in Pennsylvania, we also visited Gettysburg National Military Park and the Eisenhower National Historic Site. Check out our YouTube Channel to watch more videos from our Mason-Dixon Road Trip or other theme parks.

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The Ultimate Guide to Visiting the Eisenhower National Historic Site

Elle MacRae — Sat, 25 Jan 2025 12:14:00 +0000

Our quest to visit all of the National Park Sites brought us to the Eisenhower National Historic Site located about a mile from the Gettysburg National Military Park. Over the years, we’ve visited a handful of homes of former Presidents: Lincoln’s Birthplace, the home and high school of Jimmy Carter, and even the White House! It’s a pretty cool way to get a sense of who our nation’s leaders are, as real people.

Although there are tours offered sporadically at the farm, they were not offered during our stay. However, the grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset so we were still able to experience the farm.

The Eisenhower's in Gettysburg

Despite being born in Kansas, Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States, considered Gettysburg his home. In fact, the farm in Gettysburg is the only farm he and his wife Mamie owned.

Eisenhower first visited the town when he was a cadet at West Point. Three years later, he returned with his young wife to command Camp Colt, a training camp.

When World War II broke out, Eisenhower led the opening phases of the Italian campaign and the Allied invasion of Western Europe. When the war was over, he and Mamie purchased their Gettysburg farm.

The “run-down ” farm comprised of 189 acres and included 600 chickens, 25 cows, and several buildings. It offered the couple a private retreat when Eisenhower served as President he preferred it over Camp David.

Fun Fact: Eisenhower was the first US President to travel by helicopter. While it would take him 2 hours to drive from DC to Gettysburg, he could fly there in under an hour!

Did you know that the farm served as a temporary White House? IN 1955, Eisenhower suffered from a heart attack. Rather than recovering in Washington DC, he headed home to Pennsylvania.

Our Experience

When we pulled onto the property, it was a ghost town. We had the place all to ourselves! Without a map available, we were left to just wander around aimlessly. We visited the main home, the helicopter landing pad, and saw the guesthouse. I found the map (below) online after we returned from our trip. I had no idea there was a second farm that we could have explored!

Without a tour available, or even a ranger on site, we ended up missing out on a lot. We only saw about 1/4 of what the site had to offer. Everything was pretty much left up for us to interpret.

All that being said…it’s still pretty cool to have been able to visit the home of another president. The kids liked being able to peek in the windows of the garage and see the antique cars. They also enjoyed running around the fields, I think it was their way of decompressing after the heaviness of Gettysburg.

Things to Know Before Visiting Eisenhower National Historic Site

The Best Time to Visit Eisenhower National Historic Site

If you want to tour the home, visit the official website for dates and times that they are offered. The dates are pretty hit or miss.

Entrance Fees

Hey oh! Entrance to the Eisenhower farm is free! But, if you plan on visiting more National Parks over the course of a year, you may want to look into the America the Beautiful Pass (which can be purchased at most National Parks). The pass gets you into all National Parks, Forests, Monuments, and more.

Cell Service

We had full bars during our visit.

Have Your Pooch Tag Along

Ike and Mamie lived on a farm, so of course four-legged friends are allowed to visit! Pets must remain on a leash at all times and humans are responsible for cleaning up after their furry pals. Pets are not permitted in the home.

Where is Eisenhower National Historic Site located?

The physical address is:

250 Eisenhower Farm Rd, Gettysburg, PA

You may encounter an old Secret Service Hut and a “Private Road” sign. You can disregard these, as they are for historical purposes only.

Other Cool Information

Distance From Major Cities

Baltimore, MD- 57 mi
Washington, DC- 75 mi
Philadelphia, PA- 142 mi
Pittsburgh, PA- 185 mi
New York City, NY- 211 mi
Akron, OH- 288 mi
Cleveland, OH- 311 mi
Buffalo, NY- 337 mi
Charlotte, NC- 441 mi

Distance from Nearby National Parks

Shenandoah National Park- 105 mi
New River Gorge National Park- 319 mi
Cuyahoga Valley National Park- 322 mi
Congaree National Park– 549 mi

FAQ About Eisenhower National Historic Site

Is Eisenhower National Historic Siteworth visiting?

If you’re visiting Gettysburg, you may as well make a pit stop at the Eisenhower National Historic Site. The grounds offer beautiful views of the surrounding area…plus, it’s pretty cool to visit the home of a president.

Taking part in a tour would definitely enhance your visit.

How much time do you need at Eisenhower National Historic Site?

We were at the site for just under an hour. Plan on spending about 2 hours there, if you get a tour.

What is the best time of year to visit?

The best time to visit the Eisenhower National Historic Site is during the spring, summer, and fall seasons as this is when tours of the Eisenhower home are available; winter months see the house tours closed, although you can still explore the grounds on a self-guided basis.

How much does it cost to get in to Eisenhower National Historic Site?

The site is free to visit.

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure

For future reference, save our post: “Eisenhower National Historic Site: Hanging Out at a President’s House!”. While you’re at it, browse the Ultimate National Park Bucket List. Plan your trip around Free National Park Days and learn about The National Park’s Awesome Junior Ranger Program.

While on our Mason-Dixon Road Trip, we also visited the nearby Gettysburg National Military Park and Hersheypark.

Pin one of the images below to Pinterest. Go ahead and follow 5Suitcases on Pinterest while you’re at it!

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5 Memorable Things to do in Gettysburg with Kids

Elle MacRae — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 15:20:54 +0000

Gettysburg is home to the bloodiest battle in US History. The Battle of Gettysburg was a three-day battle in the American Civil War between July 1 and July 3, 1863, where an estimated 50,000 people lost their lives. The battle is considered the turning point of the Civil War- where the odds turned from being in favor of the Confederacy to favoring the Union forces.

Knowing this, it’s obvious that visiting Gettysburg with kids is way too scary for them. Right? Well, we disagree. We believe in teaching our kids an accurate account of what happened in history. We rarely sugarcoat things for them, but we make it palatable and easy for them to understand.

We visited Gettysburg on our Mason-Dixon Road Trip. The trip was a Christmas gift to our kiddos and featured fun things like sledding, the longest sled run on the East Coast, Hersheypark, and Great Wolf Lodge, which had a bit of history sprinkled in. On our trip, we learned more about slavery at Gettysburg and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Over the years, we’ve been tracking the life of Abraham Lincoln. We visited the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park in Kentucky, the White House where he lived, the Ford Theatre where he was shot, and the Pederson House where he ultimately passed away. We visited the Lincoln Memorial to pay him tribute and saw his funeral train. It only made sense that we visited the site of one of his most famous speeches.

What Makes This Place Qualify as a National Park Site?

As stated above, Gettysburg was home to one of the most important battles in American history. The events that took place here led to the Union winning the Civil War and to Abraham Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation, a decree that freed the slaves.

Things to Know Before Visiting Gettysburg National Military Park

The Best Time to Visit Gettysburg National Military Park

Fall is the perfect time to visit Gettysburg. Visitors can enjoy smaller crowds, cooler weather, and fall foliage during these months.

Spring is also a lovely time to visit, although you may encounter school groups at this time.

Our most recent visit was during the winter. It was absolutely freezing but the crowds were minimal.

Entrance Fees

Visiting Visitor Center and parts of the museum are free. The self-guided driving tour is also free.

The film, Cyclorama, and Museum Experience are all an additional fee.

Adult (ages 13+) = $20.75
Seniors (65+), Military Veterans, AAA = $19.75
Youth (ages 6-12) = $15.75
Active Duty U.S. Military Personnel = FREE
Children (5 and under) = FREE

Cell Service

We had full bars during our visit.

5 Things to DO With Kids While Visiting Gettysburg

Start at the Visitor Center

When visiting any National Park site, you should start at the Visitor Center. The center will always offer a wealth of information and interesting exhibits that educate you on the site. The Gettysburg National Military Park has both free and paid exhibits. On our most recent visit, we chose to just hit up the free stuff- but it was still plenty to give the kids a background on what they’ll be seeing.

The free portion of the Visitor Center was very small, but it allowed us to look at some relics of the war. I took this time to teach our kids about children’s roles during the war. They were all surprised to learn that as many as 20% (250,000-420,000) of the Civil War soldiers were younger than 18!

Edward Black, age 8, was the youngest soldier to enlist during the Civil War. He was a drummer boy for the 21st Indiana Volunteers.

Kids who did not enlist during the war still had huge responsibilities. They were left to help manage farms, care for younger siblings, work in family businesses, and raise money for the troops.

Grab a Junior Ranger Badge

While you’re at the Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center, stop by the information desk and ask for the Junior Ranger Booklet. Complete at least 3 of the 7 activities in the booklet and you’ll be rewarded with a wooden Junior Ranger badge! Activities include answering questions about the exhibits, puzzles, and more. This hands-on activity is a great way for kids to learn about what happened at Gettysburg.

Pose with Abe

Just outside of the Visitor Center, you’ll find a statue of Honest Abe. The statue stands in honor of the Gettysburg Address, a famous speech that Lincoln delivered here during the Civil War.

See Where Lincoln Gave the Gettysburg Address

The Gettysburg Address is a famous speech that President Abraham Lincoln gave during the American Civil War. The speech was made at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery (Gettysburg Cemetery) on November 19, 1863. Lincoln gave the speech 4 and a half months after the Union defeated the Confederacy in the Battle of Gettysburg.

The speech is known as one of the most influential speeches in American History. In it, Lincoln described the sacrifices of those who died at Gettysburg in honor of the freedoms outlined in the Declaration of Independence. He ensured that “those dead shall not have died in vain- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom- and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Visit the Battlefield

Of course, no visit to Gettysburg would be complete without a trip to the battlefield. Our boys used their spending money to purchase muskets in the gift shop that they toted all over town (and all over Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey).

If your kiddos are up to it, you can stop by several monuments/memorials surrounding the area.

Bonus: The Driving Tour

If your family is really into history, you can do the self-guided auto tour. Stop by the Visitors Center to grab a map and simply follow the route markers around town. The driving tour is 20+ miles and takes between 2 and 4 hours. Although I’ve done the tour in the past, we skipped it when we took the kids since we had already been in the car for so long.

Where is Gettysburg National Military Park located?

The physical address is:

1195 Baltimore Pike
Gettysburg, PA 17325

The park is open from sunrise to sunset.

Check Park Hours Here

Other Cool Information

Fun Fact:

Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife Mamie purchased a farm a mile from the Gettysburg battlefield. Today, it is known as the Eisenhower National Historic Site.

Distance From Major Cities

Baltimore, MD- 57 mi
Washington, DC- 75 mi
Philadelphia, PA- 142 mi
Pittsburgh, PA- 185 mi
New York City, NY- 211 mi
Akron, OH- 288 mi
Cleveland, OH- 311 mi
Buffalo, NY- 337 mi
Charlotte, NC- 441 mi

Distance from Nearby National Parks

Shenandoah National Park- 105 mi
New River Gorge National Park- 319 mi
Cuyahoga Valley National Park- 322 mi
Congaree National Park– 549 mi

FAQ About Gettysburg National Military Park

Is Gettysburg National Military Park worth visiting?

Gettysburg is most definitely worth visiting. I’ve been learning about the events that took place here since I was a young girl. No matter how many times I visit, I still find it fascinating.

How much time do you need at Gettysburg National Military Park?

Plan on spending at least 2 hours at Gettysburg National Military Park. This time frame will allow you enough time to hit up the Visitor Center, visit the battlefield, see the cemetery, and hit up some of the monuments/memorials.

What is the best time of year to visit?

The best time to visit Gettysburg is during the fall months since the weather is a bit cooler. Winter tends to be a bit cold in this part of the country. Summer (June-August) is peak season so anticipate larger crowds if you visit during this time.

How much does it cost to get in to Gettysburg National Military Park?

It is free to visit the battlefield, cemetery, monuments, and memorials of Gettysburg. There are some ticketed exhibits located at the Visitor Center.

Free Family Road Trip Starter Kit

Ready to hit the road with magic in the speakers?

Don’t forget to grab our FREE Family Road Trip Starter Kit — packed with printable checklists, kid-approved games, and snack ideas for your next adventure!

Includes:

Packing checklist
I Spy game
Travel Bingo boards
Snack list
Activity ideas

Click here to download yours now!

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure

For future reference, save our post: “5 Things to Do in Gettysburg with Kids”. While you’re at it, browse the Ulitmate National Park Bucket List. Plan your trip around Free National Park Days and learn about The National Park’s Awesome Junior Ranger Program.

While on our Mason-Dixon Road Trip, we also visited the nearby Eisenhower National Historic Site and Hersheypark.

Pin one of the images below to Pinterest. Go ahead and follow 5Suitcases on Pinterest while you’re at it!

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Pennsylvania - 5 Suitcases

Explore 5 States in 6 Days: A Complete Itinerary for West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, and DC

How We Ended Up Visiting These States

Day One- Davis, West Virginia

Day Two- Gettysburg & Hershey, Pennsylvania

Day Three- Hershey, Pennsylavania

Day Four- Perryville, Maryland

Day Five- Pennsville, New Jersey; New Castle, Delaware; and Baltimore, Maryland

Day Six- Washington, DC

Free Family Road Trip Starter Kit

Planning an Epic Road Trip

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure!

19 National Park Sites in Pennsylvania: A Complete Travel Guide

National Parks in Pennsylvania

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Edgar Allen Poe National Historic Site

Eisenhower National Historic Site

First State National Historical Park (DE & PA)

Flight 93 National Memorial

Fort Necessity National Battlefield

Friendship Hill National Historic Site

Gettysburg National Military Park

Gloria Dei Church National Historic Site

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

Independence National Historical Park

Johnstown Flood National Memorial

Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River

Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

Steamtown National Historic Site

Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial

Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreation River

Valley Forge National Historical Park

What Should I Take With Me?

How to Visit the Parks for Free

Other National Park Resources

National Parks in Nearby States

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure!

The Best-Kept Secret About Hersheypark!

The Best Kept Secret About Hersheypark!

Our Hersheypark Experience

What to Pack with You for Hersheypark

What We Loved/Hated About the Park

The Sweet Stuff

The Bittersweet Stuff

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting the Eisenhower National Historic Site

The Eisenhower's in Gettysburg

Fun Fact: Eisenhower was the first US President to travel by helicopter. While it would take him 2 hours to drive from DC to Gettysburg, he could fly there in under an hour!

Our Experience

Things to Know Before Visiting Eisenhower National Historic Site

The Best Time to Visit Eisenhower National Historic Site

Entrance Fees

Cell Service

Have Your Pooch Tag Along

Where is Eisenhower National Historic Site located?

Other Cool Information

Distance From Major Cities

Distance from Nearby National Parks

National Parks Sites in Pennsylvania

FAQ About Eisenhower National Historic Site

Is Eisenhower National Historic Siteworth visiting?

How much time do you need at Eisenhower National Historic Site?

What is the best time of year to visit?

How much does it cost to get in to Eisenhower National Historic Site?

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure

5 Memorable Things to do in Gettysburg with Kids

What Makes This Place Qualify as a National Park Site?

Things to Know Before Visiting Gettysburg National Military Park

The Best Time to Visit Gettysburg National Military Park

Entrance Fees

Cell Service

5 Things to DO With Kids While Visiting Gettysburg

Start at the Visitor Center

Grab a Junior Ranger Badge

Pose with Abe

See Where Lincoln Gave the Gettysburg Address

Visit the Battlefield

Bonus: The Driving Tour