"Advice on USA trip" Topic

Hello

I am looking for a bit of advice on my proposed itinerary.

In 2017, I am planning to go to Cold Wars and then visit some of the ACW sites that I missed on my visit last year. I am planning to go to Richmond, Virginia; Norfolk, Virginia; Bentontonville NC; Charleston SC; the battlefields north of Atlanta and Vicksburg. In each case, I am intending to spend two or more days and visit the sites in the area.

Here is where it gets harder. After Vicksburg, I can either go to Mansfield, La or Pea Ridge, Arkansas. I will be flying out of Dallas (17 hours non-stop to Sydney and then have to get on a plane to Melbourne). So, it is a lot easier to go to Mansfield. Pea Ridge (and Wilson's Creek) look a lot more interesting, but the down side is that I will have to drive right across Arkansas to get there and then have a long drive to Dallas (at the end of a trip where I will have done a lot of driving). What do you think? Is it worth it to go to Pea Ridge (and Wilson's Creek)?

Second question. Having regard to my proposed itinerary, are there any other things that I really should do along the way? I am already thinking of visiting Colonial Williamsburg, doing a walking tour in Charleston and visiting Natchez. I should also add that I know nothing about any AWI sites that I might go near along the way. Any suggestions would be welcome.

My apologies for being so long-winded. Any information will be gratefully received.

Thank you

I haven't been in many years, but Yorktown has been extended and improved greatly, so if you're going to Williamsburg,would be worth visiting.

I was impressed by Wilson's Creek. You can see where two Union attacks almost met, which says a lot about Civil War ranges.

The Mill Springs Battlefield in southern Kentucky should be coming under Federal jurisdiction about then. Up to now, it has been a local or state affair. I was there a few months ago, and they have really done a lot of work and added quite a bit of real estate.

Flying over the great rivers of the South--Mississippi, Tennessee, Cumberland--always inspires me to go out and paint more gunboats!

The Reaper factory is in a suburb northeast of the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. They are mainly fantasy, but they have some things that are of use even if you are strictly historical. The store tries to stock all their current and past figures.

Grelber

Thank you for your responses. I'd love to go to Kentucky, but I can't see how I can fit it in without crisscrossing whole states.

Any feedback on Pea Ridge would be appreciated.

While I am at it, any feedback on wargame stores or great bookshops on my route would also be appreciated.

Regards

Do consider the potential weather. It is really nice to do the battlefields in June to September with the smaller risk of rain.

martin

Thanks Martin
I would rather go in April or May, but the timing is dictated by Cold Wars. I can't imagine that the weather is likely to be much worse than I experienced going to Cold Wars in 2015. I could go later and attend Historicon instead, but I really don't want to battle the summer crowds, heat and humidity.
Regards

I went to Pea Ridge 3 years ago. My parents moved to that area. From Dallas, it is not worth the drive. I was disappointed in Pea Ridge, while they have most of the land the battle took place at, it is just overgrown and poorly kept. The museum is very small and contains the gift shop as well. The tour of the battlefield is done by driving your car along the outer perimeter and stopping at sign posts to read what happened there.

While I thought it was okay, and I was only 30 minutes away, I would have been very annoyed had I driven the 9+ hours from Dallas to see it. It takes an hour total to see everything. I do not recommend the trip. There are some other things to do around Dallas, or even go see the Alamo.

Did you visit Manassas the last time you were here?

For AWI you can hit Guilford Courthouse, Cowpens, Kings Mountain & Camden on your way through the Carolinas. I've been to the first two and they shouldn't take more than a couple of hours each (if that, Cowpens is tiny!).

Manassas is very nice, and if you are driving from Lancaster south to Virginia you can take route 15 which I think is a beautiful drive. It will pass through Gettysburg and take you down to Leesburg. Balls Bluff is a quick stop (5 minutes if that) from 15 and the battlefield is in good condition. The geography gives you an idea what the Union forces faced when crossing the river. One of the park rangers there has written a detailed account of the battle and gives one heck of a tour. Also, Huzzah Hobbies is right down the road from Leesburg and is a great gaming store with friendly ownership. The route also allows you to avoid some of 95S which can be a doozy to drive.

I have been to Mansfield, Wilson's Creek and Pea Ridge. Without a doubt, the best is Wilson's Creek. The park is amazing and the battle is small enough to see in a day. Springfield, MO is nearby and you can find plenty of places to eat or shop (The Bass Pro shop is located there as well).

The best reason to see Pea Ridge is to study the terrain as only then will some movements become clearer. While walking the ground, you see why the Union army fought the way they did. It is not obvious to many game maps or otherwise, but they were most certainly occupying the high ground when you are there.

Mansfield is surprisingly small and not a lot to see. I was more surprised about how many men were jammed into an area than anything else. I kept thinking if the terrain were remotely close to the 1860s, there would have not been enough room to maneuver.

I think you will not be disappointed with Wilson's Creek.
Larry

Hi

You also have Prairie grove in AK. Both Wilsons creek and Pea ridge are worth seeing.

Another vote for Wilson's Creek

The Bentonville airport in Arkansas is right near Pea Ridge. That makes it easy. Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove battlefields are well worth a look and you can drive from there across the border of Missouri and check out Wilsons Creek.

Another recommendation for Yorktown. Also, I prefer Jamestown to Colonial Williamsburg. Everything is obviously a re-creation, but it's really neat nonetheless.

Thank you for your suggestions and views.

I went to Manassas, Gettysburg and the battlefields around Fredericksburg in 2015. I might go back to Manassas, as the snow restricted my walking last time.

I'll do some investigations on Jamestown, Yorktown and the AWI sites.

The information that I can fly from Bentonville Ark to Dallas/FW is really helpful and decides me to go to Pea Ridge and Wilson' Creek.

Regards

If you're planning to drive between Atlanta and Vicksburg, Shiloh isn't too far out of the way, and well worth a visit.

Around Atlanta, I suggest Kennesaw Mountain (and some of it's outlying sites) and Pickets Mill. If you have time, Resaca to the north as a nice walking tour.

Thank you for the suggestions. I went to Shiloh ( and Murfreesboro, Franklin, Chattanooga and Chickamauga) in 2015. It would be nice to revisit all of them, but there are a lot of other things to see. I am to go to Kennesaw Mountain and Reasaca.

Look up Picketts Mill. It is a great state park in mostly its natural state. Not far from Kennesaw and a walkthrough will only take a couple of hours. Definitely one of my favorite stops in the Atlanta area. Kennesaw tends to get too crowded. Too many folks walking dogs, jogging, biking etc.

You'll love Charleston not only for the visit to Fort Sumpter and other locals but the food and beauty of the area.

Pea Ridge and Wilson's Creek are both national battlefields. Fairly large and expansive. Mansfield is barely interpreted and is much, much smaller. I would say go to Pear Ridge and Wilson's Creek, and while near Pea Ridge, you can go to Prairie Grove.

If you want to go to Kentucky, I can take you to several places depending on timing (I am leading two tours at Perryville next May already). Mill Springs, Barbourville, Camp Wild Cat, Perryville, Richmond, Cynthiana, Tebb's Bend, Munfordville.

North of Atlanta there is Resaca and Pickett's Mill (and Kennesaw, but do NOT go there on weekend…it is the most visited national park in the US due to runners and bikers – as pointed out by others).

You gave no indication of whether you have any interest in maritime history. If you do, while in Norfolk, you should try to find time to visit The Mariners Museum in Newport News, Virginia (just across Hampton Roads). It is one of the oldest and largest maritime museums in the U.S., and has a lot of naval artifacts. It would also be on the way between Norfolk and Yorktown or Williamsburg.

If you bring US81 south from Lancaster you'll miss all of the DC traffic and you'll go right by Antietam.

Also just off US81 in Martinsburg WV is a good gaming store, Your Hobby Place. Dave the owner is a long time gamer and will probably run a booth at Cold Wars.

We spent several days in Williamsburg last year and had a great time, make sure you do one of the ghost walks. Jamestown and Yorktown are right there too.

Since you are going to Bentonville might as well hit Guildford Courthouse and Cowpens

Thank you for the suggestions.

Unfortunately, I won't get to Kentucky. Maybe next time.

I will certainly go to the Mariners' Museum.

I went to Antietam in 2015 and enjoyed it very much, although hiking the trails in snow and ice was challenging for an Australian.

Regards

In the same area, the Virginia War Museum in Newport News is small but absolutely fantastic.

If you have interest beyond the wars, Monticello is a good visit. And sounds like Appomattox should be on your itinerary. And keep time open for the unexpected to pop up.

My wife and I put 2,000 miles on a rental in a week touring battle sites – but a bunch of nice stops, besides the planned ones, kept her interested. This was basically Philadelphia to West Virginia to Williamsburg generally. And if you have the interest, visit both Jamestowns, the actual site and the recreated site.

Have fun and hope you have the sort of weather that will allow a good trip. And let us know how it goes.

If you go to Hampton Roads or Newport News in VA you can hit up Ft Monroe, the old Fort is still there, run now by the National Park Service. And in Norfolk they have USS Wisconsin, am Iowa Class Battleship. Williamsburg is pretty interesting, especially now that they have reenactors playing the parts of period people, you can speak with a slave and then with Thomas Jefferson. The actors are rigorously trained. Yorktown is fascinating. The problem with Virginia is that there is almost too much to see.

Vicksburg is great, seeing the Cairo alone would make it worthwhile. You mentioned Charleston, well since I assume that you're driving you'll probably drive near Kings Mountain AWI battlefield as well as Cowpens (again AWI). other possible battlefields in the general vicinity of where you will be include Champion's Hill in Mississippi, of course Corinth, easily done in around an hour, and Shiloh.

Here's a little something to whet your appetite for Vicksburg.

theminiaturespage.com

�"TMP link

Another vote for Yorktown!

Thank you again. All suggestions noted.

I went to Shiloh and Corinth last time (I can recommend Borroum's Drug Store in Corinth for lunch). I nearly went to Monicello last time, but opted for Lexington instead, only to find a lot of stuff closed.

I don't have to keep the wife entertained, as she will be home in Melbourne. I am doing this trip because my youngest son will be in his final year of school, so we can't all go off to Europe. Same story for my previous trip in 2015, except it was then my oldest son.

Regards

Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg are very close. It's been years but finding food was difficult. My favorites Petersburg national battlefield, Harper's Ferry, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park (check ahead for extra programs run by the park service). For famous homes in Virginia: Mount Vernon (George Washington's) Monticello (Thomas Jefferson) and Michie Tavern Get there early and buy tickets and plan to walk the grounds while you wait for your enterance time.

Two more sites to tempt your interest:

link

acwm.org/visit-us

Thank you. For your suggestions. Hopefully, I will see some of you at Cold Wars.

Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown are all in the same general area and worth visiting. Hampton is nearby and the maritime museum is well worth a stop if heading that way.

Richmond's White House of the Confederacy is located downtown in what seems to be the middle of a hospital complex. The house is kitted out like many other mansions. The attached museum is good, but I am influenced because when I went, they had a special Confederate battle flags exhibit on the second floor. Note that parking is in the medical garage (tough to spot the sign) and you get the ticket validated when you pay the museum/house admission fee.

Petersburg is nearby. Like other national parks, a great spot for a couple hours. The crater is not as large after 150 years of erosion, but it's there.

As you're in Lancaster, further west on the PA turnpike is Harrisburg with an ACW museum. Not a lot of items when I went, but airy and big on top of the hill. Big attraction: Pickett's uniform.

About where I-81 comes in on the PA turnpike is Carlisle Barracks -- US Army archive with a walking trail/exhibits and a tiny museum. Check hours. Been a while since I was there.

Gettysburg is nearby. Drivable, walkable, museum, tad commercial.

Antietam is better. Last I went (admittedly a half dozen years ago). Less developed, just as drivable/walkable. Museum. Harper's Ferry is OK, but my wife liked the John Brown story more than I did. A couple museums, warehouse, etc.

I-81 south through MD, VA is a lot less crowded than I-95. Luray Caverns, Auto museum, hedge maze worth a side trip if you like stalactites. Enjoyable half day about 10 years ago.

Don't know if you're headed to Washington DC. Was there back in April. Be prepared for traffic, sometimes not too bad. Of note: Be prepared for long lines outside the museums on the mall -- security checkpoint do bag checks. Air & Space, Natural History have the longest lines. Art museums have the shortest. No problems with Lincoln, Jefferson, Vietnam, Korea, and other 'open' memorials.

Manassas is nice, but watch the I-95 corridor. If you are in that area, Triangle has the US Marine Corps Museum. Just off I-95 (can see the spires from the highway). Excellent "new style" museum -- walk around, in and out of vehicles/dioramas, etc. For example, hilltop Vietnam exhibit you walk out of a helicopter into a diorama where they boost the temperature (the Frozen Chosin room is refrigerated). Timeline paths for early history, WWII, etc.

Lots of ACW battleground sites in VA. Most are a couple hours. Appomattox about an hour to see the house and hear the talk.

Charleston SC is an excellent walking city. Worth the entire day. Natchez is another architectural wonder of a city. About a half day of walking and driving.

Vicksburg National Park is well worth the stopover. Drivable/walkable like the other national parks. We spent a few hours there.

Been to Shiloh a number of times. Like Antietam, more isolated and drivable/walkable. Museum. Nearby Savannah, Tenn (not Georgia) is a small town with hotels, restaurants, etc. Also nearby south of Savannah about 15-20 minutes is a big dam on the Tenn river. Lots of fishing.

Like anything else, you can find some out of the way interesting spots if you want to head off the interstate path. My wife and I like walking, so plenty of small parks are around with trails. Hardly ever crowded.

In terms of distances and times, within 12 hours of Trenton, NJ (near where I live), and uninterrupted driving (other than gas and food), you can get to Knoxville, Tenn, or Louisville, Kentucky, or Indianapolis, Ind., or the North Carolina/South Carolina border. Charlestown, SC to Dallas is about 2 long days of driving, give or take.

Sorry, don't know about Pea Ridge and Wilson's Creek.

Hope this helps…

Thank you Russ for taking so much trouble and providing so much useful information.

I will be going down the I-95 on the Sunday after the Cold Wars, so I am hoping that the traffic won't be too bad then.

The dam near Shiloh is Pickwick Dam. I stayed next to it last time.

Regards

A couple of suggestions to add :
a) Brandy Station
b) Cedar Mountain
c) I assume that you will be doing the 7 day battles -Malvern Hill is especially nice .
d) in Charleston -the USS Yorktown (at Patriots point)
e) At Antietam -if you don't hate horses- take a guided horseback tour – actually most battlefields have this option. its a very cool way to view the battlefield and you get to see parts not normally walked on.
f) In DC the spy museum is fun .
g) Colonial Williamsburg is interesting ,but I prefer Jamestown(less touristy) if you only can visit 1, make it Williamsburg.

f)

I'd recommend spending a couple of days in Yorktown aresa, visiting Yorktown battlefield, Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg.

The USMC Museum at Quantico is exception.

The Air and Space Museum in DC, and it's annex which is in Dulles, just outside the Washington Airport is worth the trip if you are interested in airplanes and space exploration.

Andy:
If you're going to Cold Wars, there's a chunk of history just a few miles away. The Hans Herr farm 1849 Hans Herr Drive in Willow Street, Pa., has an Eastern Woodland Indian longhouse reconstructed from local archeological site, furnished with handmade period-correct implements and furnishings.