Xintao | 26 Jun 2014 7:05 a.m. PST |
We are heading out on Tuesday and most likely will visit Anteitam on the way down. That leaves Wednesday for another historic excursion. We did Fredricksburg last year. Any recommendations? Xin |
Disco Joe | 26 Jun 2014 7:14 a.m. PST |
What about the Marine museum on the way down or go alittle further to visit Yorktown, Jamestown and Williamsburg. |
Dynaman8789 | 26 Jun 2014 7:17 a.m. PST |
My wife and I went to Monticello and Montpelier. Few hours away but worth it. There is a nearly limitless list of things to do around DC of course. If you like airplanes then go to the Air and Space Adjunct museum next to the Dulles airport. Then stop by the Mannassas battlefields nearby. |
Tgunner | 26 Jun 2014 7:19 a.m. PST |
There's also Ft. McHenry in Baltimore. |
Goshawk | 26 Jun 2014 7:20 a.m. PST |
Antietam is fantastic. Perhaps visit Harpers Ferry? |
altfritz | 26 Jun 2014 7:23 a.m. PST |
Isn't the "Wilderness" just there as well? |
lloydthegamer | 26 Jun 2014 7:31 a.m. PST |
Harpers Ferry for sure. The Museum of Civil War Medicine in Fredrick is well worth a visit. Gettysburg is not too far north of there as well. |
jrbatso | 26 Jun 2014 7:31 a.m. PST |
Chancellorsville, Wilderness and Spotsylvania are all nearby. |
Bushy Run Battlefield | 26 Jun 2014 8:17 a.m. PST |
I would also recommend the Civil War Medicine museum in Frederick, one of the best ACW museums I have visited and if you are at Antietam you are not far away. |
Royal Air Force | 26 Jun 2014 8:24 a.m. PST |
I can't recommend the USMC museum highly enough. Definitely one of the best museums I've been to, and absolutely free as well |
Schogun | 26 Jun 2014 8:43 a.m. PST |
The US Marine Corps museum is one of the best I've ever visited. Close by and free! As mentioned, four battlefields nearby. My group is going down to Richmond to the Confederate museum(s). We want to visit before they're closed for relocation and consolidation. |
corporalpat | 26 Jun 2014 10:42 a.m. PST |
I would recommend Chancellorsville, Wilderness and Spotsylvania as well. |
Marc33594 | 26 Jun 2014 12:35 p.m. PST |
Another vote for the Marine Museum, very well done. And another shout out for the Museum of Civil War Medicine. A friend and I were fortunate enough to get a tour by one of the docents who just happened to be a retired Army surgeon! |
HesseDarmstadt62 | 26 Jun 2014 2:08 p.m. PST |
The Richmond area has a great selection of battlefields: In addition to the 1864 ones mentioned, the Seven Days ones(1862) are excellent; if you go a bit farther south, Petersburg and Five Forks are well worth the trip. As someone mentioned, Yorktown isn't too far and it is great. The USS Wisconsin is nearby at Norfolk, too. One of the advantages of living out here in the Mid-Atlantic is the large number of battlefields/historic sites within easy driving distance. If you head up to the DC area, in addition to the places mentioned already, I recommend Fort Washington--a good sized fort built after the War of 1812 to protect DC from another British attack up the Potomac. It's in Maryland, but easy to get to off I-495/95 North, right after crossing the Wilson Bridge. There are also some nice 1896 coastal defense batteries on the site as well. regards, HesseDarmstadt62 |
Prince of Moskova | 26 Jun 2014 4:41 p.m. PST |
The Marine musuem is great, Harpers Ferry is well worth a visit as is Antietam. The Wilderness, Chancelorsville, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania are excellent sites. If you like steak and seafood visit Olde Towne Steak & Seafood for an excellent meal. |
MadDrMark | 10 Jul 2014 1:29 p.m. PST |
I stopped by Manassas on my way home from Historicon last year. One of the loveliest Civil War sites, in my opinion, and just a short drive from Fredericksburg. link |
Rev Zoom | 11 Jul 2014 4:35 p.m. PST |
Marine Museum at Quantico is fantastic. Don't overlook Guinea Station where Jackson died. The Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond is one of the best. While in Richmond, go see Hollywood Cemetery. Head on down to the Virginia Beach area and go to the USS Monitor display and museum. If you can get over to Plymouth, NC, there is the Albemarle museum and a repro of the Albemarle – actually running on the river. As far as battlefields, Antietam is great. So is Harper's Ferry just to the north. Monacacy is just to the east of Antietam but not a whole lot there. Oh, how could I forget – the South Mountain battlefiels – especially Fox's Gap – where Garland and Reno were killed just yards apart – are really worth seeing and very overlooked. Cold Harbor/Gaines Mill is very good. Malvern Hill is often overlooked but after seeing it and reading what happened to the Confederates charging up the hill, it makes you wonder what Lee was thinking when he did the same thing exactly one year later at Gettysburg with Pickett's Charge. Head on over to Yellow Tavern – not much there but you can see where Stuart got hit. The C'ville/Wilderness/Spotsylvania battlefields are ok, but a lot of development has taken place – probably Spotsylvania is the best of the three. |
cyclorama fan | 13 Jul 2014 6:08 p.m. PST |
Visitor center at Chancellorsville reopened just this spring with brand-new, expanded exhibits. And an often overlooked but fantastic museum imho is at White Oak, located six miles east of Fredericksburg, in Stafford County: whiteoakmuseum.com |
cyclorama fan | 13 Jul 2014 6:28 p.m. PST |
Forgot one: broad selection of articles by NPS historians on little-known and behind-the-scenes aspects of Fredericksburg area Civil War sites (categories by battle and other topics listed at right), many open to the public: npsfrsp.wordpress.com |
thomalley | 15 Jul 2014 9:06 p.m. PST |
If your coming through Frederick, MD there's the Monocacy Battlefield. It's just off I-270. nps.gov/mono/index.htm Small museum with good view of the field. |
Walter White | 16 Jul 2014 6:30 a.m. PST |
Visit the Slaughter Pen Farm tract just south of Fredericksburg. The Civil War Trust bought the whole shebang and opened new interpretive trails this year. This is the open area opposite of where Jackson was deployed on the Confederate right. A potential Union breakthrough at this point nearly won the battle for the Federals. |
jpipes | 17 Jul 2014 6:51 p.m. PST |
Just walked that entire area this evening as dusk was setting in. I was the only person around and it was stunning. The ground itself hasn't changed since the battle and nearly as many men fought here as over at Mary's Heights. As mentioned it was here that the Union broke through Southern lines and if they has been supported it likely would have turned the tide of the battle. Highly highly highly recommended walk. |