A visit to Gettysburg Pennsylvania

We spent a weekend in Gettysburg Pennsylvania getting to learn more about the history here, and finding out what a hidden gem the charming little town is.

Gettysburg is known as the site of the famous battle during the Civil War, and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. There is so much history to explore on a battlefield tour, and a visit to some of the museums in the area.

On the blog, I will highlight our visit to Gettysburg Pennsylvania, which includes a tour of the battlefield, and our stay in this historic town. You can easily explore Gettysburg on a day trip, it’s a small town, and you can probably spend a few hours getting to see most of the main sites.

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How to spend the day in Gettysburg

Gettysburg Visitors Center

Your first stop when visiting Gettysburg is at the Visitors center. This is where you will purchase your tickets for the museum, and for guided tours of the battlefield as well.

You can also purchase tickets to visit the Eisenhower National Historic Site and explore Eisenhower’s home and farm. There are also free self-guided tours of the grounds as well.

At the Visitors center, you can learn more about the battle of Gettysburg with the many interactive exhibits, which includes a short film on the battle, and the Cyclorama and Museum experience.

There is also a Museum book store, and Battlegrounds Cafe where you can pick up some souvenirs and snacks.

The Visitors Center is also the pickup location if you’re planning on taking the Gettysburg Battlefield bus tours, or the free shuttles to the town and the Eisenhower Historic Site.

Keep in mind, the guided bus tour lasts about two hours, so I highly recommend you bring snacks and water, or have a meal beforehand at the cafe located at the Visitors center. 

The Gettysburg Battlefield tour 

The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in the Civil War that led to to the Union Victory, and the defeat of General Robert E. Lee’s invasion of the North.

The 6000 acre Civil War Military parks helps to tell the story, and history of the soldiers who fought here during the Battle of Gettysburg.

Since the battlefield is so huge, one of the best ways to explore it is with one of the Licensed Battlefield Guides.

The Guides offer either a two hour car or bus tour. Guided ticket tours can be purchased at the Gettysburg Visitors Center, or reserved online.

Private Car tours cost between $75-$150 depending on how many people are in the car, while the bus tour fees cost $35 (ages 13 and up), $21 (ages 6-12) and children 5 and under are FREE.

The two hour guided bus tour was the best way to help us interpret the history, and was very informative. The tour makes a few stops along the way, with a bathroom break midway.

BOOK ONE OF THESE PRIVATE GETTYSBURG BATTLEFIELD TOURS INSTEAD:

Once you make your way along the battlefield, you will notice the re-enactments. There is usually one going on in different areas of the battlefield, which was pretty cool! 

If you decide that you want to go on a self guided tour of the the battlefield instead, make sure to download the Gettysburg App.

The App allows you to take a tour of the Gettysburg battlefield in the comfort of your own car. It’s definitely an option when visiting with kids! 

The Monuments and Memorials at Gettysburg

One thing you will notice on your battlefield tour are the vast number of monuments all around.

There are over 1000 monuments, memorials, markers, and plaques on the battlefield that commemorate and memorialize the men who fought and died during the Battle of Gettysburg.

We definitely learned a lot on our Gettysburg battlefield bus tour, and I highly recommend going on the tour, either with a guide or an audio tour on your own.

Visit the Gettysburg National Cemetery

One place not to miss on a visit to Gettysburg Pennsylvania is the Gettysburg National Cemetery.

The cemetery is the final resting place for more than 3500 Union soldiers killed during the battle of Gettysburg, and where Abraham Lincoln delivered the famous Gettysburg Address.

You can visit the actual spot where Lincoln delivered his speech, which is now marked by a monument. It felt amazing stepping foot where such an important part of our history happened!

BOOK A GETTYSBURG TOUR HERE:

Where to stay in Gettysburg

We stayed at the historic Gettysburg Hotel, which was perfect because of it’s location in the town square, and just a short walking distance to everything.

There are also a few other hotels and historic inns you can stay in and around the area as well, but book early to ensure you get a room on your visit.

We spent the weekend in Gettysburg and during our visit there happened to be an antique market going on along the streets. It was so awesome, and made for a really entertaining stroll while out exploring the town. 

Recommended Gettysburg Hotel:

Do some shopping while in town  

One of the best things to do on your visit to Gettysburg is to shop! There are so many cute little boutique shops and antique stores lining the street.

One in particular is Gallery 30, which specializes in American fine art and artisan crafts with an emphasis on local and regional art.

Another shop worth mentioning is Lark, which also specializes in unique, handmade, and fair-trade goods from small businesses and artisans in the U.S. and around the world. These little shops were so fun and you’ll definitely find something for everyone here!

Go on a ghost tour 

One of the best things to do in Gettysburg is to go on one of the many ghost tours in town. There are quite a few ghost tours to choose from, and it’s the perfect activity to add to your Gettysburg itinerary if that’s your thing.

We skipped the ghost tours, but heard great things about them. We did however, get to stay in one of the top ten most haunted places at the Gettysburg hotel.

We didn’t experience any paranormal activities, but knowing we actually spent the night there was thrilling enough!

BOOK THIS GETTYSBURG GHOST TOUR:

Visit the museums in Gettysburg

On your sightseeing stroll around Gettysburg, make sure to pay a visit to one of the museums in town. There are a few historic museums to explore, including the Davis Wills house museum, which was once the home of Gettysburg attorney David Wills.

The building was the center of the immense clean-up process after the Battle of Gettysburg and where President Lincoln put the finishing touches on his Gettysburg Address.

You can go on a tour of the building which is free and is run by the National Park Service. Make sure to bring the kids National Parks passport and get it stamped!

There are a few other museums to explore like the Shriver House, where you can learn about the civilian experience during the battle with historians dressed in period costume.

The Seminary Ridge Museum consists of three floors of exhibits about the Civil War experience, with many artifacts and documents to explore.

The Jennie Wade House tells the story of Jennie Wade, the civilian casualty during the battle with exhibits on domestic wartime life. There are guides dressed in period attire telling the tragic story of Jennie and her family, and artifacts from that day.

Cross the Sachs covered bridge 

One thing not to miss on your visit to Gettysburg is The Sachs covered bridge. The bridge is located within the Gettysburg National military park, and is one of Pennsylvania’s most historic covered bridge, built around 1854.

One thing we learned about the bridge was that it was listed as one of the top ten most haunted places in Gettysburg.

We didn’t experience any paranormal activity, but it was eerie enough knowing there’s some haunted history here.

We had an amazing time on our visit to Gettysburg Pennsylvania. We enjoyed the battlefield bus tour, and getting to know the town of Gettysburg as well. Its such a charming place in the US, filled with so much history. Spend the night in Gettsyburg and fall in love, its definitely worth a visit!

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