Traveler FAQs

Where is Gettysburg located?

Gettysburg is located in south central Pennsylvania, approximately 12 miles north of the Pennsylvania-Maryland border. Driving times to other areas of interest include:

Westminster, MD and Harrisburg, PA – within an hour

Lancaster County, PA and Baltimore, MD – within 90 minutes

Washington, DC – 2 hours

Philadelphia, PA – 2.5 hours

Pittsburgh, PA – 3.5 hours

Additionally, the Flight 93 Memorial, located in Stoystown, PA, is a 2.5-hour drive west on Route 30.

What airports are closest to Gettysburg?

BWI, Dulles, and Reagan Airports are all within 60-90 miles of Gettysburg; Philadelphia International is 150 miles; and Hagerstown Regional and Harrisburg International are both within 50 miles of Gettysburg.

How long should I plan to stay in Gettysburg?

For first time visitors, Destination Gettysburg recommends three full days. The National Military Park and its Museum and Visitor Center can take a whole day on their own. Beyond that, Historic Gettysburg and Adams County offers a variety of experiences from casual and fine dining, eclectic shopping, and diverse attractions to picturesque landscapes of orchards, wineries, farm markets, and hiking trails in the county.

Is there public transportation in, around, and to Gettysburg?

Rabbittransit operates shuttle lines within Gettysburg and Adams County that make a number of locations accessible to visitors from hotels and shopping areas to the Military Park and downtown. Rabbittransit also provides commuter bus services from Harrisburg International Airport and the Amtrak Harrisburg Station. More information can be found here.

Where can I find information about travel alerts and delays in Gettysburg and Adams County?

Destination Gettysburg maintains a travel alert page for Adams County on its website; Pennsylvania information can also be found at www.511.PA.com

How can I tour the battlefield?

The National Military Park encompasses 10 miles around the town of Gettysburg and can be toured on your own or with a guide.

-To tour on your own, the National Park Service offers an app-guided auto tour that follows the three days of the battle.

-Visitors can also book guided tours on a bus, bicycle, segway, horseback, or carriage. See the Explore section of our website for details and how to book.

-Guests can also hire a licensed battlefield guide for highly personalized experiences. Licensed battlefield guides can be booked here.

Where can I find information about an ancestor who fought at the Battle of Gettysburg?

The Adams County Historical Society, the National Military Park, and The Horse Soldier all offer services to assist visitors in locating these records.

Is Gettysburg only known for the Civil War?

The Battle of Gettysburg and the National Military Park are only part of what makes Gettysburg so compelling. Local sites, from Ike and Mamie’s home and farm, Beyond the Battle Museum and the Adams County Historical Society to WWII: American Experience, tell the story of Gettysburg and Adams County from its earliest days and highlight the area’s contributions throughout American history.

Adams County is also known for its rich agricultural heritage, production, and festivals. Apple, peach, and cherry trees cover some 20,000 acres of farmland and yield innumerable products to be sought, savored, and celebrated with seasonal markets and annual farm festivals.

What is there to do in Gettysburg, beyond the National Military Park, the battlefield, and the monuments?

Gettysburg is a thriving, vibrant town with a welcoming community and an inviting, charming downtown filled with shops, restaurants, period attractions, galleries, coffee shops, ice cream parlors, wineries, distilleries, and specialty boutiques. Visitors can wander the historic streets in any direction from Lincoln Square and find something attractive and appealing on every block.

Additionally, Gettysburg remains an easily walkable town: Guests only need to travel one mile (approximately 20 minutes on foot) from Lincoln Square to the southern end of Steinwehr Avenue to experience everything our destination has to offer.

How can I learn about the history of the town and what happened to civilians during the battle?

 Several walking tour companies offer a variety of entertaining and educational walks that tell the stories of Gettysburg before, during, and after the three days of the battle. See the Explore section of our website for details and how to book with Licensed Town Guides, Reluctant Witnesses, or Hidden Memories walking tours.

Where do I park when I’m in town?

For visitors who want to park and walk around town, Racehorse Alley Parking Garage, behind Hotel Gettysburg, offers long-term paid parking. Shorter term parking is available on borough streets. Download and use Pay by Phone for convenient payment and meter expiration alerts.

What is there to do in the evenings?

Gettysburg and Adams County offer a surprising number of evening and night-time activities for visitors looking to engage with the community after hours. Many local bars, restaurants, and craft beverage houses host trivia, open mic, live music, line dancing and karaoke.

Guests can stroll through town and find ice cream parlors, coffee houses, and candy shops open in the evenings, while Gettysburg Community Theatre, the Majestic, and Totem Pole Playhouse hold evening performances.

Guided ghost walks, town walking tours, and sunset bus tours of the battlefield give guests a chance to be entertained and educated while exploring the destination after dark.