DAY 1

After spending the night at one of Harrisburg’s diverse accommodations, such as the charming Milestone Inn located along the Susquehanna River adjacent to Harrisburg’s scenic Riverfront Park or the Hilton Harrisburg located in the heart of the city’s lively downtown, get ready to start the first day of your Story Stop tour throughout Harrisburg. 

Camp Curtin

Head over to Story Stop #20, The Ladies of Harrisburg at N. 6th Street.  Explore the historic grounds of this uptown neighborhood, Camp Curtin, and learn about the largest federal training camp in operation during the Civil War. This stop will highlight the significant role this camp played in the war and feature stories of those who worked and trained here. 

Broad Street Market

Nearby on N. 3rd Street is the historical Broad Street Market, one of the oldest continuously operating farmers markets in the country and helped feed the troops training at Camp Curtin. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the market is one of the oldest continuously operated farmers markets in the country. Sample the diverse selection of authentic Amish goods and other local produce inside from vendors who still provide ample substance for weary travelers and the local lunch crowd.

Fort Hunter Mansion and Park

After fortifying the troops, burn off those calories with a scenic walk along the Susquehanna River to Fort Hunter Mansion and Park. Explore the 40-acre historic grounds and take in the beautiful scenery. Professionally guided tours of the elegantly restored Mansion House look back in time to sophisticated country living in the 19th century.  The park also offers picnic pavilions, play equipment, free walking tour brochures, a river front walk, and a Pennsylvania Canal trail.

Harrisburg Cemetery

Next, head up to North 13th Street to Story Stop #16 Harrisburg Cemetery. Here you can pay homage at the graves of the many fallen union soldiers. Established in 1845 as a burial ground, the 350-acre cemetery is the oldest and largest in Harrisburg.  Among the 30,000+ buried here are well-known Pennsylvanians, Revolutionary War and Civil War soldiers, and some Pennsylvania governors. This tranquil setting among the beautiful gardens allow for peaceful reflection.  And for those Civil War enthusiasts, bring along a paper and charcoal to capture the actual engraved names and dates of fallen union soldiers. This also makes for a perfect show and tell project for those traveling with children.

The National Civil War Museum

Your next stop is at The National Civil War Museum located at Harrisburg’s highest point in Reservoir Park. Considered to be the world’s largest museum dedicated to the American Civil War, the museum contains over 24,000 Civil War items and artifacts. Distinguished by stately columns and crowned with a 19th Century-styled cupola, the building features a magnificent central rotunda, 17 themed galleries, a gift shop, and generous ballroom for special events and functions.  In addition, Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts, located in Reservoir Park surrounding the museum, offers 13-weeks of free, high-quality performances, three to four evenings a week throughout the summer.  Performances include a wide range of family-oriented musical and performing arts genres so that attendees can experience diversity and explore new music, such as comedy, gospel, rhythm, jazz, poetry, oldies and even hip-hop.

Evening

Finish the day by heading back downtown to the various restaurants located in the city-we recommend checking out the international dishes at Bricco, for the ultimate fine dining experience and an impressive wine cellar.

DAY 2

Fresh Start
Make sure to feed the troops with a large breakfast because today is all about walking. Stroll over to Walnut Street and check out one of Harrisburg's favorite breakfast spots, Bagel Lovers, choose among 20 varieties of fresh NY style bagels, spreads, pastries and even an espresso bar.

Riverfront Park
Then head to nearby Story Stop #22, Threatened Invasion of Harrisburg at the Riverfront Park at Walnut Street. This stop tells the story of the fight to save Harrisburg, an important Union state capital that would have been a major asset for rebel forces to capture. As a key transportation hub and home to a major training facility, the Confederate forces were after the cache of military supplies and access to the railroad.

City Island
Walk a little farther down Riverfront Park to Market Street and cross the Market Street Bridge (walking bridge only!), making your way to the various attractions on City Island. The island was a stopping-off point for Union soldiers who crossed over it to defend Harrisburg from the threat of invasion by Rebel forces. Enjoy an afternoon of water golf, batting cages, mini-train ride around the island, and an ice cream cone from one of the food stands. In the summer you can also catch a Harrisburg Senators afternoon baseball game at Commerce Bank Park Stadium.

Harris-Cameron Mansion
Walk back to Harrisburg via the Market Street Bridge and head on over to Story Stop #18, Harrisburg's Grand Review of Black Troops, located at Washington and Front Street. Visit the beautiful Harris-Cameron Mansion, a national historic landmark and former home of Harris-Simon Cameron, President Lincoln's first Secretary of War and founding father of Harrisburg. Tours are available M-F at 11 AM and 1 PM.

Shipoke
Afterwards, head just down the road to discover the oldest section in the city, Shipoke. A quaint and charismatic neighborhood, Shipoke was settled by the Europeans in 1710 as a small trading post. Today, the neighborhood is an excellent place to explore while admiring the area's unique architecture, especially the classic Victorian homes. Wrap up the day by enjoying dinner at one of Central PA's most celebrated restaurants, Char's Bella Mundo, an intimate bistro located right in the heart of Shipoke.

DAY 3

Market Square
After a hearty breakfast at RASBERRIES in the Hilton Harrisburg, set out on your third day just outside on Market Square, containing Story Stop #19, Market Square During the Civil War. During the Civil War, the Square was a focal point of troop movements, rallies and the hustle and bustle of war-time excitement with the market houses the prime focus of commerce. The houses were removed in 1889 to make way for the better flow of growing 19th Century traffic.

Train Station
Continue the day by making your way down 4th and Chestnut Street to Story Stop, #17 Harrisburg: Crossroads of the Union located at the Train Station Plaza.  The Pennsylvania Railroad completed this Queen Anne-style station in 1887.  Designated as a National Engineering Landmark, the train station is one of the few railroad stations that still maintains a train shed above the track and retains a red brick exterior.

State Capitol Complex
Next, set your course for 3rd Street to discover Pennsylvania's beautiful State Capitol Building, a National Historic Landmark. When President Theodore Roosevelt attended the dedication of the building on October 4, 1906, he said, "This is the handsomest building I ever saw."

The Capitol was designed in the American Renaissance style by Philadelphia architect Joseph Huston, who envisioned the building as a "Palace of Art." Free 30-minute tours of the Capitol Complex are available every half hour to point out the architectural and artistic highlights, and to make the Capitol's history come alive. Call the Tour Guide Office 800-TOUR-N-PA (868-7672) to confirm times and tour schedule. Reservations are suggested and required for groups of 10 or more. Special school group tours are also available with advance notice.

Lunch
When it's time for lunch, head over to Strawberry Square to pick up something to eat in the food court and explore the specialty stores. Have your picture taken by the distinctive 'Chockablock Clock' and post it to the photo-sharing Web site Flickr when you get home!

Thomas Morris Chester
Nearby is Story Stop #21, Thomas Morris Chester located at Market and 3rd Street. Son of an ex-slave and a Harrisburg native, Thomas Morris Chester was commissioned in 1864 by the Philadelphia Press to cover the activities of black troops on the Virginia front. The only black correspondent for a major daily during the Civil War, Chester covered the crucial final year of the war around Richmond. His records constitute the most sustained and extensive first-hand account of black soldiers.

Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts
Continue down Market Street and check out one of Harrisburg's neatest attractions: The Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts. Enjoy a Hollywood blockbuster at their Select Medical I-MAX theatre or explore the many traveling displays or permanent exhibitions like Forces of Nature Gallery featured in their Harsco Science Center. There is also a Starbucks for those diehards needing their caffeine fix.

Night Life
Tonight is all about downtown. Enjoy some cocktails and hors d'oeuvers at any of the hotspots located in Harrisburg's "Restaurant Row" on 2nd Street. From pubs and clubs to fine dining and big burgers, the downtown will keep you busy all evening!

DAY 4

Wake up in Harrisburg and head over to Cafe Fresco for a delicious breakfast. This hip, downtown eatery located on 2nd Street features an array of breakfast offerings with an emphasis on gourmet espressos and coffees.

York County
After breakfast, set out in your car for a short drive to York County on your first leg of the "Road To Gettysburg" portion of the PA Civil War Trails. Here, 13 interpretive markers and historical attractions honor the lives of this country's extraordinary patriots.

In York County you will discover stories of Revolutionary War heroes and the Second Continental Congress' adoption of the Articles of Confederation. Celebrate America's favorite president at the historic Hanover Junction Train Station along the York County Heritage Rail Trail where President Lincoln visited in November 1863 en route to delivering the Gettysburg Address. Take a picture with a newly installed Lincoln bust.

Gettysburg
From York, continue onto nearby Gettysburg. This small historic town found itself in the center of what would become a pivotal point in American history. More than 50,000 soldiers were killed or wounded in the fields surrounding this town of only 2,400 residents. Gettysburg invites you to explore this hallowed ground and learn the tragic and heroic stories of its own citizens as troops retreated from town leaving behind tens of thousands of wounded soldiers. Retrace the footsteps of Lincoln, as his short visit to deliver a few appropriate remarks changed Gettysburg from a place of tragedy to one of hope.

Cumberland County
From Gettysburg, you can make your way back toward Harrisburg via the "Road to Harrisburg" portion of the trail system and stop in Cumberland Valley, the site of the Confederate invasion into the state of Pennsylvania.

Dickinson College, the Cumberland County Historical Society, and the Army Heritage Education Center all carry the heartfelt stories of those impacted by the Civil War. Capture the spirit of this living history through first person interpreters, participate in a "Live and Learn Weekend," and experience the rampage through Shippensburg during the March to Destiny. You can also step into Civil War winter encampment cabins at Army Heritage Day. Shopping is a fine retreat at the end of your travels, so leave time to discover the Civil War and More shop in Mechanicsburg.

After a fulfilling day of marching through time, head back to Harrisburg for a relaxing and low key evening. Although the Capital City features foods from a variety of global regions, Harrisburg is known for its killer pizza pies. We recommend checking out some of the local specialty pizza restaurants.

DAY 5

Start your final day by visiting Harrisburg's best kept secret: Ciao! A Bakery. Located on Chestnut Street, this bakery will please the pickiest eater.

Lancaster-Set off along the trail's "Road To Gettysburg" path to Lancaster to discover stories of battles and decisions that had a major impact on the outcome of the war.

In June 1863 the Confederate Army had taken York and was preparing to cross the Susquehanna River eastward into Lancaster County by capturing the Wrightsville-Columbia Bridge. The plan was to overtake Lancaster city and advance to Harrisburg and ultimately Philadelphia. Failing to defend the western (Wrightsville) edge of the bridge, Union troops and PA Militia retreated across the river on June 28.

To prevent the Confederate advance, the union troops and Columbia's citizens burned the bridge, the key thoroughfare for the area. This proved effective and played an integral part in the prelude to the Battle of Gettysburg. Learn more by visiting the nearby towns of Columbia and Marietta.

Franklin County-This county was important to the war effort as Union soldiers and supplies headed to the Shenandoah Valley aboard the trains of the Cumberland Valley Railroad and community buildings served as hospitals.

When the war crossed the Mason Dixon Line in October 1862, General J.E.B. Stuart and 1,800 Confederate soldiers raided Franklin County. They seized hostages in Mercersburg and cut the telegraph wires and burned railroad shops and warehouses in Chambersburg. This stop is about the devastation of war.

In June 1863, Gen. Robert E. Lee and 65,000 men headquartered in Chambersburg before deciding to move east to meet the Union Army. On July 30 1864, Gen. John McCausland brought the ultimate retaliation-a ransom of Chambersburg for $100,000 in gold or $500,000 in Yankee currency. With no ransom forthcoming, Confederate soldiers burned the core of Chambersburg. 550 structures burned and 2,000 people were homeless.

Greater Reading-Continue your journey to Reading, where PA's Ringgold Light Artillery was one of the first regiments to answer President Lincoln's call to arms. This brave group of volunteers said goodbye to their homes and marched into Washington as the First Defenders of the Union. In addition to supplying patriotism and militia, Greater Reading provided heavy ammunition to the war effort and respite to fleeing slaves with its Underground Railroad stops. For those pursuing PA's Civil War Trail, plan on numerous stops here to visit cemeteries and iron furnaces like Hopewell and Joanna that thrived during the fight to save the union.

Home Sweet Home-Complete your journey by returning to Harrisburg to enjoy an eloquent dinner at The Firehouse, a favorite restaurant specializing in New American Cuisine. This fully restored 1871 firehouse provides a choice of dining areas that will match your mood.