The Best Gettysburg Tours

Note: Some tour providers on this list may have limited or ceased operations due to COVID-19. Check with your tour operator about availability before you book.

The Battle of Gettysburg is generally considered one of the most important clashes of the U.S. Civil War. After a three-day engagement in July 1863, the Union forces expelled the Confederate army from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, quashing Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s hopes of invading the North. More than 50,000 Union and Confederate soldiers lost their lives. Historians regard the battle as one of the contributing factors of the Confederacy’s ultimate defeat in the war. President Abraham Lincoln gave his celebrated speech, the Gettysburg Address, at the battlefield a few months later. The site was subsequently designated a 6,000-acre national military park with a cemetery, a museum and more than 1,300 monuments.

Where is Gettysburg? Gettysburg is located in south central Pennsylvania approximately 8 miles north of the Maryland border in Adams County, Pennsylvania. The national military park sits just south of downtown.

When was the Battle of Gettysburg? Union and Confederate armies fought the Battle of Gettysburg from July 1to July 3, 1863.

Who won the Battle of Gettysburg? The Union army defeated the Confederate army at Gettysburg in what is considered one of the most significant battles of the Civil War.

What was the Gettysburg Address? On Nov. 19, 1863, at the dedication ceremony for the Gettysburg National Cemetery, Abraham Lincoln delivered what became one of the best-known presidential speeches. In the brief Gettysburg Address – it’s less than 300 words – Lincoln praised those who died in the Battle of Gettysburg and implored those still living to fight for a unified nation with greater fervor.

What should I do in Gettysburg? There are a variety of Gettysburg attractions outside the national military park, including several museums and vineyards. Visitors with an interest in the paranormal will also want to sign up for a ghost tour.

The National Park Service oversees Gettysburg National Military Park. Its nonprofit partner, the Gettysburg Foundation, owns and operates the visitor center and the attached Gettysburg Museum of the American Civil War. The foundation and area tour companies conduct tours of the battlefield.

The park service and the Gettysburg foundation have separate guest policies and guidelines; it’s best to review each organization’s rules before your visit. Know that large bags and backpacks are not permitted in the museum and visitor center for security purposes and all bags are subject to inspection.

Restroom facilities are located throughout the park but are open seasonally. The visitor center houses restrooms as well as a small restaurant. It is not necessary to show ID to enter the park.

Outside of the national park, Gettysburg has a number of other stops for history buffs, such as the David Wills House, where Lincoln stayed and completed the Gettysburg Address, the Shriver House Museum and the Jennie Wade House. You can also visit the Eisenhower National Historic Site, next to the battlefield, to see President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s former retreat.

If you’re looking to stay in the area overnight, there are several hotels, bed-and-breakfast accommodations and campgrounds in the area.

The Gettysburg National Military Park encompasses much of its namesake battlefield and features related monuments and historic sites, the National Cemetery, a museum about the battle, a visitor center and the Eisenhower National Historic Site.

The visitor center and the museum, owned and operated by the Gettysburg Foundation, are located in the same building just off of Baltimore Pike. At the museum, visitors peruse artifacts as they learn about the battle and the men who fought it. In addition, tourists can view the 22-minute film “A New Birth of Freedom,” narrated by actor Morgan Freeman. Screened in one of the center’s theaters, the short movie explores the history of the battle. Finally, visitors can view the “Gettysburg Cyclorama,” a painting by Paul Philippoteaux. Philippoteaux created two cycloramas: The first debuted in Chicago in 1883, while the second was first shown in Boston in 1884. The museum owns the second version; the 360-degree painting is 377 feet long and 42 feet high. It depicts Pickett’s Charge, an assault ordered by General Lee against Union troops at Cemetery Ridge and named for George Pickett, the major general who led the unsuccessful attack. Tickets for all three attractions can be purchased online at the Gettysburg Foundation’s website. Budget approximately two hours to see these sights.

The Gettysburg National Cemetery is the final resting place for thousands of Union soldiers who died at the Battle of Gettysburg. Here, in addition to burial plots, you’ll find the Soldiers’ National Monument, which marks the center of the cemetery, and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address Memorial. When visiting, respect this special place by silently observing.

The Gettysburg Foundation offers several guided tours of the battlefield. Each guide is licensed and certified by the park service. For car tours, guides drive visitors’ vehicles, provide commentary and answer questions. These two-hour drives cost around $75 dollars for groups of six or fewer passengers; fees increase as passenger numbers and tour lengths increase. The foundation also operates two-hour coach bus tours of the battlefield. Tours depart daily, though specific departure times vary by season. Tickets for the bus tour start at $35 for adults and $21 for children ages 6 to 12. If you’re looking for an active way to tour the park’s battlefields, take a tour with Gettysbike, a private company recommended by the Gettysburg Foundation. Gettysbike offers several different tour options and tickets start at $85 per person for half-day rides.

Many Gettysburg visitors describe it as a very emotional experience. Visitors typically recommend stopping by the museum first rather than trying to explore the park without the introduction and orientation the museum provides. The tour guides are esteemed for their historical knowledge and insight, as are the park rangers.

Drivers coming from the north or south can take Route 15 to Route 97 (also called Baltimore Pike) and head northwest to the visitor center. Those arriving from east or west of the park can take Route 30 to Route 97 and follow the signs. Free on-site parking is available.

Those staying in Gettysburg should utilize rabbittransit, the city’s local public transportation system, which operates three routes to the park’s museum and visitor center. Information regarding fares, routes and schedules is available at the company’s website.