This park has a paved walking trail that is .5 miles in length. If you are an early-morning walker, there's a good chance you will see a pair of Great Blue Herons who frequent the pond for breakfast. The park has a nice greenspace for running around, kite flying and even hot air balloon take-off! The playground is average, with a plastic rock wall, two slide/monkey bars/stairs combinations, two swing sets (including toddler swings), a see-saw and a ladder climb. There is also a small pavilion with two picnic tables. During the warmer months, the Fayette Co Parks will place a portable toilet at the park, but Kroger is about .5 miles away. Several soccer teams practice at the park, and it's a nice place to bring children and even do a nice moonlit walk. We visit this park about every other week on average.
Visited mid-May 2014. You can read books and watch movies starring Martin Sheen and Jeff Daniels, but nothing prepares you for the experience of walking these hallowed grounds.
The Museum and Visitor's Center, owned and operated by the Gettysburg Foundation, offer (for a fee) a museum, film and cyclorama that provide visitors with a good understanding of the events that led up to the battle, as well as the aftermath. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the center. Private battleground tours are also available. Note that National Park Passes are NOT accepted at Gettysburg.
For those visitors who do not want to pay for the museum, film and cyclorama, you can visit the National Park Service desk inside the center and pick up brochures about the battlefield and request the ranger tour times (offered seasonally). We took two tours, and they were outstanding - probably the best battlefield tours we have ever taken, and we've been to a lot of battlefields. These tours are free. We took the Pickett's Charge Tour (1.5 hrs) and the Little Round Top Tour (1 hr). Be prepared to walk a lot.
We spent the entire day and part of the next day at Gettysburg and the nearby Cemetery and will return next year to see what we missed. If you are familiar with the stories of the individuals and soldiers of Gettysburg, like Longstreet and Lee or Minnesota's 1st Infantry regiment, plan to take the self-guided auto tour, which guides you to the individual and regimental monuments.
For parents and teachers interested in introducing Gettysburg to their children, I recommend MacKinlay Kantor's "Gettysburg" for elementary to middle school ages. For older students, I recommend "The Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara.
For those families with young children who are interested in the National Park Service's Junior Ranger Program, children can earn a badge by completing a booklet on Gettysburg. Ask the Park Ranger inside the Visitor's Center for details. Highly recommended.