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!

Do not fool yourself if you think you know everything about Gettysburg! It's been 30 years since…read morelast visiting the area and the Museum is the best National Museum I can remember ~ MOVIE + CYCLORAMA + BUS TOUR are just a phenomenal experience ... Movie is top-rate (narrated by Morgan Freeman), Cyclorama is beyond belief in that is one complete piece and the bus tour (2 hourse) was far too short .. .. Well laid-out exhibits and terrific displays can keep you in the museum for hours .. .. And, they have a large gift shop and food court should you get hungry or just want to avoid the elements outside .. .. I did the BUS TOUR first and then did the MUSEUM/FILM/CYCLORAMA the following morning (best for small crowds) .. ..

This was my first time in PA and I couldn't pass up the opportunity of going to Gettysburg. I am a…read morehuge history buff, and have been wanting to come here since I was a little kid. It did not disappoint. We did started with the Cyclorama, a 360 degree painting of Pickett's Charge with lights and sound. We then did a bus tour of the battlefield. Our tour guide Charlie, was just amazing. He was informative, and very funny. We stopped at some of the many monuments and locations on the battlefield such as Culp's Hill, Pickett's Charge, and Little Round Top. I cannot recommend this place more, I'd give it 11 stars if I could. You definitely give yourself a few days here.

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.

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.

The first of the three remaining covered bridges in Maryland that the family visited. It was built…read morein the first half of the 1800. This beautiful bridge was still being use during our visit. My daughter drove her vehicle through it for the ultimate experience. This location had no adjacent parking nor restroom facility.

The Utica Road Covered Bridge is a Burr truss wooden covered bridge located. Originally built in…read more1834, it spanned the Monocacy River at the Devilbiss Bridge crossing. An 1889 flood damaged the bridge and the surviving half was moved to Fishing Creek in 1891. A pier was inserted at the middle of the bridge to halve its span. The Utica Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The bridge is currently closed, which just means that you'll find it at one end or the other of a dead end road. The bridge is still open for pedestrian traffic. [Review 15592 overall - 637 in Maryland - 1096 of 2021.]

Our first cavern tour ever! Our tour guide Robin made it fun and interactive. We were grateful for…read morethe 52 degree temperature inside the caverns in contrast to the humid 85 degrees on the outside. Experiencing cave darkness was memorable and intense. My favorite area was where we could see the crystal clear pond in the cave floor. Next to the visitor center are some goats, alpacas, and a turkey. Also there's a cage with a blue and white peacock. I wish the peacocks had more space to roam, as mentioned by another Yelper.

PROS: very cool cavern! Huge, many tunnels, and history behind it is neat. Ian the tour guide was…read moreamazing! Loads of parking, affordable, big gift shop, walk-in's welcome CONS: you need to walk up and down a 70 step staircase which some people can't do OVERALL: unless you have a challenge taking on a large staircase I highly recommend coming here as it'll blow your mind!

Visiting Antietam was a wonderful experience and the battlefield is very well-preserved. There's a…read morewealth of information available here and we learned a large amount about the battle that we hadn't known. The NPS has done a great job here and we really enjoyed being able to visit.

Wonderful place. Must be experienced to understand. The park service, abt and others have done a…read morewonderful job to bring the landscape back to September 1862 and preserve it. You can drive or walk the many miles of trails. Bucket list

Such a great experience! Our guide did a wonderful job explaining things and helped our group of…read morestudents leave with new knowledge.

Located just off US-15, the Catoctin Furnace (also known as Catoctin Iron Furnace) is a historic…read moreiron forge. Only the smelting blast furnace remains and the forge is long gone. Catoctin Furnace was constructed in 1774 by four brothers Thomas, Baker, Roger and James Johnson to produce pig iron from locally mined hematite. In blast by 1776, the furnace provided ammunition (cannonballs) for the American Revolutionary War. Ultimately, three furnaces were built at the site, each named for the site. The first Catoctin Furnace was rebuilt a short distance away in 1787. The second, named Isabella was built in the 1850s by Jacob Kunkel (references give dates from 1853 to 1867). It still stands, within Cunningham Falls State Park. In 1973, the Catoctin Furnace Historical Society, Inc. was formed by G. Eugene Anderson, Clement E. Gardiner, J. Franklin Mentzer, and Earl M. Shankle to "foster and promote the restoration of the Catoctin Furnace Historic District...and to maintain the same exclusively for educational and scientific purposes...to exhibit to coming generations our heritage of the past..." The Catoctin Furnace Historical Society, Inc., celebrates, studies, and preserves the rich history of this pre-revolutionary industrial village, including the architecture, cultural landscapes, lifeways, and foodways of the workers. This is a nice stop just off the highway for a bit of industrial era and Revolutionary War history. Several captions adorn the site pointing out the important parts. Much of the area is handicapped accessible. [Review 15590 overall - 635 in Maryland - 1094 of 2021.]

If you love history, specifically civil war history, make this a stop if you're in the area. Stop…read moreby the visitor's center first and pick up some guides & pamphlets to guide you on your journey through. Make sure you have a car, if not you'll be setting aside the whole day trying to walk it. Are you a jogger/cyclist? Love the outdoors? Then also make this a stop, maybe you'll learn something and pick up a few interests on your morning run. Do you fall into none of the previous categories? Well, maybe avoid it. Most of it just looks like big empty fields - it kind of is exactly that to the non-enthusiasts and imagination-deprived. The whole thing is free (including parking) for a budget friendly experience. My cons: 1). some portions lacked proper explanation as to what you were looking at. The "Grist Mill" location on the map did not have a mill. There was an office building with a "do not enter" sign and a small run down shack. Were either of those a mill? Sure didn't look like it. Did the mill just USED to stand here years ago? Who knows. As an actual history enthusiast I would've appreciated the ability to explore the historic buildings more. Several very old farmhouses related to the battle still stand and look in decent shape! Perhaps the budget does not allow, but it would be nice to place an employee at these places and allow people to tour. Also upon peering through the windows, it would seem a lot of history has been lost. The insides are barren and empty. Many times it felt like you'd get somewhere, step out and look at a field, then hop back in and go to the next place. This is coming from someone ACTUALLY interested. I'm not sure what the solution is, but I'm sure there's something they could do to make the experience a bit more compelling.

For history lovers, there's much to see at Monocacy National Battlefield. For non-history lovers…read morewho find all Civil War battlefields to be just boring fields, there's something for you too. For the history lovers: 1) Monuments: There are several monuments to stop and see that honor the fallen soldiers. 2) Buildings: From the new visitors center to a historic farm, there's plenty to see. Grist Mill, used as a Union field hospital, is worth a visit as well as Edgewood, a beautiful old home behind it. The Thomas House where civilians hid during the battle is worth a stop too. 3) Trails: There are several that offer beautiful views of the river. The trail by Grist Mill is family-friendly and popular for local families. Entrance is free!

Definitely one of the first places to visit if you're in the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore. We…read morestopped by as our first stop when staying in the neighborhood, since the vantage point provides perspectives and ideas of all the other places to visit afterwards. The harbor views are beautiful and vast, and the signage within the observation area talk about all the neighborhoods and give a history of Baltimore. There's even a small section dedicated to honor the memories of Marylanders lost in the 9/11 attack. Pricing is very reasonable at just $8 per person, and the elevator ride to the top is quick.

We were in Baltimore for the weekend and staying about two blocks from the inner harbor. My…read morehusband suggested going to this place Saturday morning. It was a great idea. Pricing is only 8 dollars for each adult which is a great price to go up to the 27th floor of the World Trade Center. There are four different sides of the building with written panels explaining what landmarks and buildings are out in that direction. The views are spectacular. They also have tributes to those from Maryland who perished in the World Trade Center in New York on 9-11. There are also several panels listing movies filmed in Baltimore and famous people from Maryland.