Relive a defining moment in American history while enjoying all the fun of southern Pennsylvania.

A battlefield may be an unlikely place for a family vacation, but Gettysburg presents a grand opportunity for families to share schoolbook history lessons and experience the beauty of southern Pennsylvania.

Gettysburg was the site of the pivotal battle in the Civil War. In July 1863, 150,000 soldiers were engaged for three days to determine the future of the United States. The battlefield has been preserved to allow visitors to experience the topography that confronted those soldiers.

The 5,900-acre park includes hills, fields, woods and orchards unspoiled by commercial development. There isn't one telephone pole or electrical line to be seen on the site, and their absence is a tremendous aid in imagining a world from another era.

The first stop on your visit should be The Gettysburg National Military Park Visitors Center. There you can arrange for a variety of battlefield tours that the National Park Service offers: a guided bus tour, private guides who will ride in your car, audio tapes timed to the marked plaques, guided bicycle trip or a horseback riding tour.

In early 2008, a new complex will open at the visitor center with several film theaters, and a new Civil War themed cafe. In addition to this, the restored 360-degree-mural titled "Pickett's Charge" that is accompained by a narration depicting the final day of the battle that was previously located in the Cyclorama Center will be moved to the visitor center.

The battlefield site is far too spread out to be comfortably covered on foot. However, there are informative markers as well as statues, cannons, observation towers, and dwellings throughout the battlefield which can be explored outside of the car.

Of particular interest to kids are Devil's Den with its huge boulders, and nearby Little Round Top which holds a commanding view of most of the battlefield. Since so much of the tour of Gettysburg is outdoors, good weather will guarantee a more wonderful experience.

Downtown Gettysburg also has been remarkably well preserved and provides an opportunity for children to experience what life might have been like in the 1860's. There are buildings that still bear the marks of those tumultuous days in July, 1863. Our son Luca, age 12, loved viewing the bullet holes in the side of a brick building and hearing the heroic stories of citizens aiding the young soldiers. Some of these buildings have been turned into museums such as the Shriver House Museum and the Samuel McCreary House.

Details, Details

There are, however, plenty of modern hotels, motels, inns and restaurants available to accomodate the hundreds of visitors and their various budgets. There are also many small museums, civil war memorabilia shops and walking trails that can be enjoyed in town, as well.

Only one hotel exists within the battlefield proper, The Doubleday Inn on Oak Ridge( 717/334-9119), but it only accepts children over age 8. There are also other ones nearby that offer re-enactors telling ghost stories, and history demonstrations with muskets, cannon and cavalry.

Two popular choices are the Baladerry Inn ( 717/337-1342) or the Battlefield Bed and Breakfast Inn, where the staff is always in period costumes ( 717/334-8804). For the summer, camping options include The Drummer Boy Camping Resort ( 800/293-2808) which we saw advertised, and which looked nice.

The popular Wyndham Hotels chain has also opened the new Wyndham Gettsyburg Hotel (717/339-0020). The new 248-room, full-service hotel has two restaurants, a health club and an indoor pool and is located in historic Gettsyburg

For more information, contact the Gettysburg's Convention and Visitors Bureau ( 800/337-5015). Their new website, Gettysburgcivilwar150.com, provides a wealth of information for visitors who are planning a trip to the area during the commoration of the 150th aniversary of the Civil War.  Special events start in 2011 and continue on until 2015, so this is a great time to start planning a visit to the area.

Film editor and journalist Camilla Toniolo spent her 2003 President's Week reliving the American Civil War era with her 12-year-old son, Luca, and another family with two teenage girls. In the past, she has covered European resorts for FTF.