Remove Ads
5.0
6,038 votes

Gettysburg National Military Park

1195 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325 USA

Free
Free to Visit
Closed Now
Opens Fri 6a
  • Independent
  • Credit Cards
    Accepted
  • Pet Friendly
  • Wheelchair
    Accessible
  • Public
    Restrooms
Add to Trip

Historic Treasure

Our Take

Gettysburg is the kind of place you could make a quick stop, or spend a full day exploring. The battlefield has roads so it’s easy to drive from one monument or site to the next. There’s an audio tour and there is even an app you can download to help add dimension to what you’re seeing and to find the highlights at the park. It’s especially haunting thinking about the brave and dedicated men who walked into certain death across open fields during battle. It helps to have an appreciation for military history, but even families will enjoy a visit. Some recommended reading beforehand: “The Red Badge of Courage” for background and “The Killer Angels”.

Remove Ads

“A hallowed ground of valor and sacrifice”

Step into the pages of American history and pay homage to the soldiers who fought in one of the most pivotal battles of the Civil War at Gettysburg National Military Park. Explore the battlefield that witnessed the epic three-day battle that changed the course of the nation's history. Walk in the footsteps of soldiers and generals, and gain a deeper understanding of the strategies, struggles, and sacrifices that took place on this hallowed ground. Marvel at the monuments, memorials, and markers that commemorate the valor and bravery of those who fought and fell in the Battle of Gettysburg.

Read More >
Add Review
Thanks!
Your Rating
1
2
3
4
5

Reviewed by
Jenn

  • 4 Reviews
  • 14 Helpful
September 23, 2014
Rated 5.0

Visited mid-May 2014. You can read books and watch movies starring Martin Sheen and Jeff Daniels, but nothing prepares you for the experience of walking these hallowed grounds.

The Museum and Visitor's Center, owned and operated by the Gettysburg Foundation, offer (for a fee) a museum, film and cyclorama that provide visitors with a good understanding of the events that led up to the battle, as well as the aftermath. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the center. Private battleground tours are also available. Note that National Park Passes are NOT accepted at Gettysburg.

For those visitors who do not want to pay for the museum, film and cyclorama, you can visit the National Park Service desk inside the center and pick up brochures about the battlefield and request the ranger tour times (offered seasonally). We took two tours, and they were outstanding - probably the best battlefield tours we have ever taken, and we've been to a lot of battlefields. These tours are free. We took the Pickett's Charge Tour (1.5 hrs) and the Little Round Top Tour (1 hr). Be prepared to walk a lot.

We spent the entire day and part of the next day at Gettysburg and the nearby Cemetery and will return next year to see what we missed. If you are familiar with the stories of the individuals and soldiers of Gettysburg, like Longstreet and Lee or Minnesota's 1st Infantry regiment, plan to take the self-guided auto tour, which guides you to the individual and regimental monuments.

For parents and teachers interested in introducing Gettysburg to their children, I recommend MacKinlay Kantor's "Gettysburg" for elementary to middle school ages. For older students, I recommend "The Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara.

For those families with young children who are interested in the National Park Service's Junior Ranger Program, children can earn a badge by completing a booklet on Gettysburg. Ask the Park Ranger inside the Visitor's Center for details. Highly recommended.

10 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by
Nick Philpott

  • Road Warrior
  • 160 Reviews
  • 138 Helpful
July 11, 2014
Rated 4.0

The museum here is extremely well-planned, so you can make your way through the history of the battle inside, learning about Pickett's Charge and Little Round Top and whathaveyou, before you go out on the fields and see exactly where it all happened. It pretty excellent.

6 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by
TheAwesome7887

  • 1 Review
  • 3 Helpful
November 30, 2013
Rated

This place is beautiful! Could spend a week here just soaking up the info and emotions

3 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by
Dana P.

  • 14 Reviews
  • 6 Helpful
December 07, 2018
Rated 5.0

My husband, daughter (13), and I spent a day at Gettysburg during our 10 day, 9 state road trip. It was amazing! After visiting the museum and the cyclorama, listening in on a ranger talk, and watching the movie, we hired a private tour guide to take us out into the park. It was a bit of a splurge for us, but so worth it. He road in our RV and spent 2 hours telling us about the battle. We got out frequently and explored the grounds and monuments while he told us stories specific to each site. He also brought us to the monument dedicated to soldiers from our state, a nice treat. We were impressed with our entire day at Gettysburg. I highly recommend spending the extra money to hire a private tour guide.

2 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by
Ashdyan7

  • 17 Reviews
  • 28 Helpful
July 13, 2014
Rated

This museum is really quite sobering. It's one thing to learn about the battle of Gettysburg in school, but to actually go to the museum and experience it's interactive and visual stations all throughout, I left feeling a lot more aware of what exactly led up to the battle where over 51,000 men lost there lives.

2 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by
JenniMitchell

  • 39 Reviews
  • 15 Helpful
August 28, 2018
Rated 5.0

Another amazing National Park to visit. We spent a few hours here but could have spent a few days. Admission fee for the film, cyclorama, and museum was well worth it. Breathtakingly beautiful landscape in which to immerse yourself in such an important moment in American history and honor those who sacrificed their lives for liberty.

1 person found this review helpful

Reviewed by
Renee G

  • 5 Reviews
  • 2 Helpful
February 27, 2015
Rated 5.0

I'm in no way a civil war history fan. It's just not something I found intriguing. Useful and necessary history to study but not fascinating. Visiting Gettysburg changed that. I could have spent an entire week immersed in the history and scenery - definitely worth a visit!!

1 person found this review helpful

Reviewed by
Dana Newkirk

  • Road Warrior
  • 298 Reviews
  • 377 Helpful
September 19, 2014
Rated 3.0

This place is awesome, and I've honestly seen some truly bizarre stuff while visiting. If you're in Gettysburg for the paranormal, expect this place to be packed at night with groups of investigators. Often times on a busy night it's a sea of camera flashes going off until sunrise so if you're expecting a creepy experience you'll still have fun, but it wont be as creepy as you think.

1 person found this review helpful

Reviewed by
Erica Griffith

  • 92 Reviews
  • 106 Helpful
July 14, 2014
Rated 4.0

It was crazy to stand and look around a place where there was so much bloodshed and rich history. Really makes you think.

1 person found this review helpful

Reviewed by
Tatiana Danger

  • Road Warrior
  • 1,169 Reviews
  • 910 Helpful
July 13, 2014
Rated 4.0

Been here several times. It's quite somber to say the least. It's incredibly well-maintained, and there's a fantastic visitor's center that takes you through the entire battle and provides loads of background if military history isn't your thing. Plan on spending a few hours here. There's so much to do and see and explore.

1 person found this review helpful

Be the first to add a review to the Gettysburg National Military Park.

Gettysburg National Military Park

1195 Baltimore Street
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
17325 USA
Remove Ads

Hours

Closed Now
  • Sun - Sat: 6:00 am - 7:00 pm

Problem with this listing? Let us know.

Has RV parking changed? Let us know.

Remove Ads
  • Check
    Parking
  • Check
    Pets Allowed
  • Check
    Restrooms
  • Unavailable
    Wifi
  • Check
    Wheelchair Accessible
  • Check
    Credit Cards Accepted
Affiliation
National park
  • Check
    Outdoor Seating
See More Details (18)

Campground, Parking, Dining

Remove Ads

Nearby Hotels

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
FastBook
$$

Click to discover a
great deal!

Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
New Oxford, Pennsylvania
Carroll Valley, Pennsylvania
Spring Grove, Pennsylvania
Remove Ads
Remove Ads
60903