Fr. DuBois saw something special when he had built the original church here in 1805. This is truly…read morea beautiful site. It is such a serene and peaceful place to reflect and be thankful. The entire area is surrounded by woods and beautiful scenery. There is a large parking lot as well as two handicap spots up by the bell tower. You can call for a shuttle (301-447-5318) to bring you up from the parking lot as well as to request a golf cart to take those who cannot walk up to the Grotto of Lourdes. There is so much to see here starting with the Pangborn Memorial Campanile with the Blessed Mother on top which can be seen for miles. We were so pleased that we were able to see the Blessed Mother adorned with her floral crown from her May Day crowning earlier this month. The bell tower is 95 feet tall and is crowned with a 26-foot, gold leaf, bronzed figure of the Blessed Mother that is just breathtaking! The statue is the work of Italian sculptor Marcello Tommasi. It was cast in 1964 from a full-size plaster model in Pietresanta, Italy, and came from Italy to Baltimore by boat and then to Emmitsburg by truck. The Pangborn Foundation and its chairman, Thomas W. Pangborn, an industrialist and philanthropist from Hagerstown, Maryland, donated the statue. At the dedication on May 1, 1964, the statue was believed to be the largest ever imported to the United States in a single piece. It stands on the site of Fr. DuBois' original church on the hill that burned down in 1913. Stop in the Visitors Center and pick up a brochure of the property. Here there is also a gift shop and rest rooms. The entire area is mapped out for you. You will see many Statues of the Holy, the stone-encased copper Stations of the Cross, the Mysteries of Light, the 15 Mysteries of the Rosary, Grotto Water, Corpus Christi Lane, Corpus Christi Chapel with the Mother Seton Statue on the exterior, as well as the replica of the Grotto of Lourdes - plus so much more. I had the privilege of visiting Lourdes in June 1965, and it was truly a memorable experience. This grotto is one of the oldest American replicas of the Lourdes shrine in France. It felt like I was truly in Lourdes. One of the holy founders of the Grotto, Father Simon Gabriel Bruté, came to the Mountain in 1812. St. Bernadette, a young country girl of Lourdes, France, originally saw the Blessed Virgin Mary 18 times in 1858. Our Lady told Bernadette that she was to pray for the Conversion of Sinners, and she stated, "I am the Immaculate Conception". Make sure you touch the stone incorporated in the Grotto wall that came from Lourdes. (There is a plaque underneath it.) The Grotto of Lourdes Cave is the center of the Grotto. Here is the beautiful statue of our Lady of Lourdes, hundreds of small and larger devotional candles, the Grotto stream, St. Bernadette's statue on the hill, and benches for reflection and peaceful repose. We did not have time to see it all, so we will definitely be returning. Whether you are a Catholic or not, you will feel at peace here.

Walking the grounds offers a beautiful, peaceful experience. The Stations of the Cross are…read morebeautiful. It is a serene and wonderful experience. Catholics and non-Catholics should visit. It is a wonderful place to pray. Experiencing the Grotto was a blessing.

Imagine visiting a hilltop within the Gettysburg National Military Park with a commanding view…read morewhich was involved in the fighting in early July of 1863. A restoration was indicated to redirect pedestrian traffic and subsequent erosion and is finally complete. Today's visit was a glorious Monday morning in mid June when the visitors were limited and action parking places available (althogh I drove there from home about 2 miles away on my bicycle.) The new parking lot is far more bus than automobile-friendly, thus the best time to visit is a weekday morning. I must say that viewing the sun set from the summit of LRT is out of this world! My photos don't do justice to the spectacular view, so you'll have to come and see for yourself!

Immerse into this historic landscape [Gettysburg PA]…read more On July 2, 1863 Little Round Top saw some of the fiercest fighting here during the Battle of Gettysburg. It is a popular spot for visitors to stop by. The park did some great improvements to Little Round Top since our last visit here in 2018. Noticeable is the improved parking area and better pathways. They've also cleared and cleaned up the wild vegetation and added new interpretative signs making for an improved visitor experience. We didn't do any hiking on the new trails this winter but we enjoyed seeing some of the improvements around the area of Hazletts Battery and my first time up close to see the 44th New York Monument. Little Round Top was a strategic position for the Union army's line of defense. Historic landscape and cool battlefield to visit in Gettysburg! Review #3658

I have driven by the farm many times, alwys when closing. This time I found time to stop. I…read moreexpected to spend an hour or so, and ended up spending a whole afternoon!! The gem here are the rangers. I saw two talks, both of which I was completely enthralled with the history and the lessons. I loved being able to see Ike's book collection. Seeing a book collection tells you a lot about a person. Also the discussion on diplomacy was enlightening and so enjoyable. I did do the home tour. I was inspired by Mrs. Eisenhower, but also the partnership they had as a couple, let me with #relationshipgoals to bring home. The landscape is also just gorgeous! Stop. Learn. Enjoy!

The Eisenhower Home was such an interesting and memorable tour. As grand as President Eisenhower's…read morelife and presidency were, it was fascinating to learn that this peaceful hobby farm was where he chose to retire. You really can learn a lot about someone by seeing the place they chose to call home. Getting there is part of the adventure--you enter via a long, single-lane gravel road. It's so long you might wonder if you've made a wrong turn! Thankfully, GPS got us there without trouble. When you arrive, there's one long row of parking spaces. Head straight to the ticket area for your house tour pass, as they do seem to run out early. While you wait for your tour time, you can explore the expansive outdoor areas. Our favorites were: 1. Eisenhower's vehicles, including the limo that shuttled him to and from Washington, D.C., every weekend. 2. The Secret Service room with the small safe that once held the nuclear codes. 3. The putting green, where we enjoyed a little golf while taking in the gorgeous countryside views. 4. The greenhouse and patio, where we imagined the President and Mamie spending peaceful afternoons. We were lucky to get tickets for the 11 a.m. tour, which began with a 10-20 minute ranger talk about how the Eisenhowers chose this home and some of the people who lived and visited here. Tip: arrive a little early--the ranger shared some great informal stories before the official tour began right at 11 a.m. Inside, the ranger spent about 5 minutes pointing out key details, then let us explore at our own pace with a pamphlet to guide us. Indoor highlights included: 1. The portraits of President Eisenhower, Mamie, and their son John. 2. The TV in the informal living room--such a relatable touch for a world leader. 3. The special staircase wallpaper Mamie ordered, featuring the seals of all 50 states. 4. Mamie's very pink bedroom and bathroom. Between the history, the personal touches, and the beautiful setting, this is an absolute must-visit in Gettysburg.

Its a cute little spot. You can see locals come here for fishing. Or if your in search for an…read moreinstagram worthy spot this is it. I came here looking for ghosts, but that is probably better at night. This bridge had the Union and Confederate army walk across both directions during the civil war, on their way to Gettysburg. It is considered the most historic bridge in Pennsylvania.

This is a beautiful bridge…read more There definitely are not any ghosts here or anywhere in Gettysburg. But this is a cool place to visit. I went late at night to check it out. There was a family lighting a cigarette on a railing and then freaking out when it inevitably fell over from the cig getting small and gravity doing its job. The view around the bridge is pretty cool. We need more covered bridges.

Highly recommended if you've never been. There are no words, truly…read more Simply humbling to be in an area of such historical significance.

When in Harrisburg, visit Gettysburg. I was in awe of the park. The museum, visitors center, and…read moregift shop of course were great, clean, with clean restrooms. But the experience really starts when you drive the tour. We opted to drive the route ourselves for the self guide tour of the battle fields. It really grounded me while driving though. Knowing how many lost their lives in the area. You were driving through a grave site. The feeling of awe, calm, chills, and honor came over me. I can go on and on about this amazing place. But I'll let my photos do all the talking.

Super cool landmark…read more As per the plaque: Constructed in 1860, the Gatehouse was designed by the Baltimore firm of Thomas and James M. Dixon. Built in Tudor Revival Style, it provided for two living units, one on each side of the archway. The Gatehouse resembled a Swiss chalet and became a trademark of the Sheppard. The neighborhood children viewed it as the home of Hansel and Gretel. A tenant alwavs lived in the Gatehouse until 2005. The beautiful Rhododendron Drive was historically entered by driving through the Gatehouse. In 2002 the entire Charles Street entrance was reconstructed and cars no longer entered through the Archway.

A beautiful Shrine of St. Elizabeth, America's only native-born saint. We booked a tour. We loved…read morelearning about her life history. The museum and basilica are beautiful. The basilica has stunning architecture and intricate stained glass. Inside the museum, exhibits detail her journey and impact. The peaceful atmosphere makes it a special visit

There is a peace that comes over you when you come to visit this holy place. There is a lot to see…read morehere. Unfortunately, our time was limited as we were invited as guests to witness the return of something special belonging to Mother Seton. We met in the Marian Room, which had lovely display cases filled with statues of the Virgin Mary (as well as icons) from around the world. We also had a few minutes in the Civil War Sisters Room which highlighted how the sisters served as nurses and were called "angels of the battlefield" by both Union and Confederate soldiers. We then went up to visit the Basilica. The church was completed in 1965, so it is a new church by most standards. It was designed to be just a chapel for the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph. Their order was founded in 1809 and later became known as the Daughters of Charity. All plans were changed when Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton was beatified on March 17, 1963 by Pope John 23rd in Rome, Italy (which I was fortunate enough to attend as I was living in Rome at the time). They decided to build a larger church to honor Blessed Elizabeth Ann Seton. In 1991, the shrine's chapel was designated as a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II. The church is large, open, simple, and just beautiful. Make sure you take time to admire the multiple stained glass windows, the marble and bronze, and the mosaics - especially around the main altar. The many works of art can be attributed to artisans and craftsmen from Italy and Germany. When Mother Seton was canonized in 1975, she was the first American saint of only three in the Catholic Church's history. Her remains were moved from the "God's Little Acre" cemetery to the basilica. There is a special altar on the right side that is called the Altar of Relics. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton's remains rest in a small copper casket beneath the altar enclosed in marble. There is a small relic sitting on top of the altar. The statue of Mother Seton has her dressed in the habit that she and the Sisters of Charity wore since 1809. It was sculpted in Italy. Please do take the time to see the entire complex. It is so worth it!

This is my favorite area in Patapsco state park, I've brought many friends and family here over the…read moreyears. It's beautiful, you can find the ruins of an old mining camp and religious boarding school here. There's even a decent spot to jump off the train tracks into the water below, although take care because the water can be shallow in spots.

Probably one of the more interesting hikes that I have done in awhile. The hike will be quite…read moreshort, but you got hills and steps to get your work out on. I think the feel of the place is supposed to be spooky, unfortunately, I picked a spring break day to do it and there were enough teenagers running around here like savages (just kidding, they were all really sweet) it doesn't really have a scary feel to it at all. To explain the ruins, it was Roman Catholic school in Ilchester, Maryland. The ruins are near Ilchester and Bonnie Branch roads (so the Yelp location is pretty straight on). It was called hell house in the 70s after it was abandoned and vandalized and rumors have it a strange cult started living there. It also had an over zealous caretaker who had a gun and some dogs and would assault vandals. He was displaced after the school was set ablaze by arsonists. Hell House altar structure that most people take pictures of is at the top of a very steep hill, about a mile in. It used to have a large metal cross, and it is a very unique place for a photoshoot. For easy access, park in the lot for patapsco state park (right past the train tracks) where the trailhead is and start coming up to the left of the train tracks.

PROS: the property is well maintained and the garden is plentiful. There's reenactments here while…read moreinside is refurbished. They also have a parking lot next to the house CONS: there's little to no furniture or relics of Lee in this house making it just a house to show OVERALL: if you're looking for a museum style facility for Lee, this is not it. However, it is good for building enthusiasts

In Gettysburg for the 160th Anniversary at Daniel Lady Farms as a reenactor and opted to see the…read morenational park soon after. Exceptional restoration of what was truly had become a commercial enterprise. It's growing slowly, and I am looking forward to seeing furniture added to this historic landmark. Also hopeful that they plan some events where reenactment encampments are stood up to bring up the living history experience for the visiting public!