Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
I’ve recently taken a spontaneous road trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was officially the week of Spring Break, and I had a trip planned to go down south, but that wasn’t for another three days and I was feeling the urge to get out of town. I had a rough time with the semester leading up to spring break, so I called my parents and broke down confessing that I just needed to get away. They suggested that I take a mini vacation before my big vacation. I am an avid user of ZipCar on my college campus, so they thought it would be a great idea to take the car and reserve a hotel and go somewhere for a night. I love the idea of a spontaneous trip, so I jumped at this opportunity and booked a ZipCar for the next morning. Deciding on where I wanted to go was the tough part; there’s so many places to explore on the east coast. My dad gave me the idea of going to Gettysburg. He’s a huge history buff and I hadn’t been there since 2011, so I booked a hotel and was on my way early the next morning.
It took me four and a half hours to get to Gettysburg. The city was a mess in the morning; it was a Monday (a regular work day for the working folk). It took at least an hour to get through Manhattan. Once I was finally through the hustle and bustle, I took the interstate all the way to Pennsylvania. I tried to take as many small highways as I could because it’s not fun driving on an interstate the whole time. I was refreshed with the countryside singing its morning song beyond my windshield. I go to school on Long Island, but even that feels crowded at times. Out there though, it felt limitless and I could breathe. I blasted country music, singing as loudly as I could because that was my time to feel free and boundless of school papers and deadlines.
My road trip to Gettysburg turned into a road trip to Washington DC and Valley Forge as as well. I documented the places I visited and the places I ate at. I took pictures on my Canon and I have now complied my “get-away” into a travel column for anyone that may be curious about taking a similar trip. I have compiled a list of places to visit on such a trip and I will review them all. First, let’s start with The Ragged Edge!
The Ragged Edge Coffee House
I checked into my hotel, and set out about town to find a coffee shop where I could relax. I am a big fan of Yelp and I use it on any trip I take. The reviews always pan out to live up to their reputations (knock on wood), so I find it to be a reliable source when I feel like a burger or Mexican food. I Yelped, “Coffee shops in Gettysburg” and a few options came up. There was one though that caught my attention. It was referred to as a “hipster” spot where locals would go to complete work, to read a book and to enjoy a nice cup of coffee.
The Ragged Edge was located about 20 minutes from my hotel. It was easy to drive to and a side street around the corner offered free two-hour parking. I ordered a medium chai and a blueberry muffin. The staff was laid back and friendly.
There was tons of seating on the main floor plus an additional floor upstairs and a garden out back. The windowsill was lined with a library of books that one could read for leisure and return when finished, whether that be in the same day or two weeks later.
I worked on a paper that I hadn't yet started working on for one of my classes. I was able to zone out to the assortment of music playing above my head. The atmosphere was comfortable and tranquil. The Ragged is a place with a history, that of which I wanted to know more about but was too shy to ask.
