Beyond the Book: I've Made my Choice

“Is there a place that you have traveled to when you were younger that you wish you could visit again?”

To tell the truth, this is a hard question to answer. I haven’t been to as many places as I would have liked, but I feel each and every one of them had so much to offer. It would be so nice to visit a place and stay for an extended time. I think that’s the best way to really understand a place, but unfortunately, I’ve only had that privilege once. 

After thinking it over, I’d make my selection from four places: the Pacific Northwest, Arizona, Italy, or the Virginia, Washington DC., Pennsylvania area. I totally enjoyed my time in each place and would love to revisit any or all of them. Still, if I had to pick just one I’d probably pick the Virginia, Washington, Pennsylvania area. I was a history teacher for many years, and there’s a lot of American history here. I may also have a fondness for the area because I lived in Virginia for several years and loved it.

I lived in Colonial Heights, which is separated from Petersburg by the Appomattox River. Petersburg had a Civil War battlefield to visit as well as a Confederate museum. They also have Blandford Church with tombstones dating back for centuries. It’s the oldest building in Petersburg and was used by the South during the Civil War.

Virginia also has Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown, and Appomattox Courthouse. I was going to explain the significance of each place, but I realized that if I did this was going to be a very long post. If you don’t know what happened in these places it would be very easy to Google them. Oh, and don’t forget to visit Mt. Vernon and Monticello, and do go to Pony Penning Day on Chincoteague Island. 

I’ve visited Washington, DC many times, but somehow I always run out of time before I run out of things to do. I recommend that everyone who can visit America’s capital.

Pennsylvania is full of history too. The Battle of Gettysburg took place in Pennsylvania and was the turning point of the American Civil War. You can tour the battlefield, museum, and visitor’s center and see artifacts from the battle. You can also visit the Gettysburg National Cemetery and see the place where Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address.

I also enjoyed touring historic Philadelphia. I have an old picture of me and my boys sitting in George Washington’s pew in Christ Church. We also saw Betsy Ross’s house, which I still remember because it was so small. You can also drive about thirty minutes and see Valley Forge where American troops almost froze during the winter of 1777-1778 during the American Revolution. There were plenty of other things to do too. If you have time drive to Hershey, Pennsylvania and see Hershey’s chocolate being created. Lancaster, PA is fun too. They have the largest Amish settlement in the country, and some homes are open to visitors. 

I’ve barely scratched the surface of things to do, but you get the idea. It’s a fun area with many diverse recreational areas as well as fine dining. Since I was a teacher you’ll have to forgive me for concentrating on the history of these places. For me, it’s fascinating. Have any of you visited these places?