Gettysburg

Discover Gettysburg battlefield through two self-guided tours — a 40-stop comprehensive audio guide and a 25-stop driving tour covering the three-day Civil War battle of July 1863 and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

Welcome to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania — the rural Adams County crossroads town where, over three sweltering days in July of 1863, the largest battle ever fought on the North American continent determined the fate of a nation. Approximately 165,000 soldiers clashed across rolling farmland, rocky hillsides, and quiet orchards, leaving behind more than 50,000 casualties and changing the course of the American Civil War forever.

This comprehensive guide system offers two self-guided tours that together let you experience the battlefield at your own pace. The 40-stop Main Audio Guide walks you through every major action of the battle day by day — the opening shots at McPherson Ridge on Day 1, Confederate attacks on Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, the Peach Orchard, and Devil's Den on Day 2, and the climactic Pickett's Charge across the open field on Day 3, ending at the Soldiers' National Cemetery where Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address.

The 25-stop Driving Guide is designed as a self-paced route through the National Military Park's auto tour, covering the key sites in chronological order. Park your car, listen at each stop, and walk to the monuments and viewpoints. Together the two guides give you a deep, narrative experience of one of the most consequential battles in American history.

Both tours cover the major sites: the Gettysburg Heritage Center, Seminary Ridge and Lee's headquarters, Eisenhower National Historic Site, Little Round Top, Devil's Den, the Wheatfield and Peach Orchard, Plum Run, Culp's Hill, Cemetery Hill, the Confederate artillery line, Pickett's Charge field, the Angle and High Water Mark, Meade's headquarters at the Leister House, the Soldiers' National Cemetery, the Lincoln Address site, the Jennie Wade House, and many more. Whether you have an afternoon or a full day, this guide is your companion through the sacred ground of Gettysburg.

ACCESSIBILITY

The Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center, the Cyclorama painting, and the Soldiers' National Cemetery main pathway are wheelchair accessible. Most battlefield viewpoints have accessible parking and short paved paths. The Pennsylvania Memorial, the Virginia Monument, and most major monuments are reachable by short walks from accessible parking. Some sites — Little Round Top stairs, Devil's Den boulders, Culp's Hill tower — involve uneven terrain and stairs. The Eisenhower National Historic Site shuttle from the visitor center is accessible. Service animals are permitted on all park trails and in buildings. Audio description and assistive listening devices are available at the visitor center.

HOW TO REACH

Gettysburg is in south-central Pennsylvania, about 80 miles north of Washington, DC and 50 miles southwest of Harrisburg. By car, take US Route 15 from DC/Baltimore or PA Route 30 from Lancaster/York. The nearest major airports are Harrisburg International (MDT, 45 minutes), Baltimore-Washington International (BWI, 1.5 hours), and Washington Dulles (IAD, 1.75 hours). There is no commercial rail service to Gettysburg; the closest Amtrak stations are in Harrisburg and Lancaster. Once in Gettysburg, the National Military Park is best explored by car — the 24-mile auto tour route winds through all the major battlefield sites. Free shuttle service runs in summer from the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center to key trailheads. The town center is walkable; ranger-led programs, licensed battlefield guides, bike rentals, Segway tours, and horseback tours are available.

ADMISSION

Gettysburg National Military Park grounds and the 24-mile auto tour route are FREE to enter. The Museum and Visitor Center costs: Museum experience (film + Cyclorama + museum): adult $19, senior/military $17, youth $13. Eisenhower NHS shuttle + tour: $9 adult. Licensed Battlefield Guide (private 2-hour tour, up to 6 in your car): $90. Gettysburg Heritage Center (town museum): $11. Jennie Wade House: $9.50. Bike rentals, horseback tours, Segway tours, ghost tours all priced separately. Senior, military, AAA, and group discounts at most sites. Park is open daily; visitor center hours vary by season (typically 8 am-5 pm winter, 8 am-7 pm summer). Cyclorama and film shows run on a timed schedule — book ahead in summer.