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Gettysburg Battlefield Self-Guided Driving Tour
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Overview
Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together!
This narrated, self-guided tour of the Battle of Gettysburg brings to life the most important battle of the Civil War! Here, Union forces staged a nearly impossible defense against Confederate attackers and won! Drive in the footsteps of Civil War soldiers, re-live the battle strategies of the key Gettysburg generals, and embark on an adventure that brings this historic three-day battle to life. This tour allows you to explore Gettysburg’s history with maximum flexibility, safety, and value.
• This flexible, self-led tour option is great for independent travelers
• The in-depth audio narration helps bring the history to life
After booking, you can check your email before downloading the Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. The preceding steps require good internet/wifi access. Follow the audio instructions and the route from there.
Description
Stop At: Gettysburg Heritage Center, 297 Steinwehr Ave, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325
A visit to the Gettysburg Battlefield is not complete without stopping at the Gettysburg Heritage Center Museum.
The tour begins at either the Heritage Center or the National Park Visitor Center. If you’re not at either location yet, head over now. From there, we’ll follow the official Auto Tour route.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Gettysburg Auto Tour Stop 1, 48 Reynolds Ave S, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
As we continue driving, dawn breaks on the first day of battle. At McPherson's Ridge, Union and Confederate armies clash and generals on both sides order their regiments into place. We'll be able to imagine the movements of the battle as we look out over the ridge.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: The Railroad Cut, 17325, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
Our drive takes us over the Railway Cut, where we'll explore the different battle strategies of the generals on both sides of the fight. This was the unlikely site of a major skirmish during the first day. We'll continue forward, diving into the backstories of some of the key battlefield players.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: The Eternal Light Peace Memorial, Confederate Avenue, Mummasburg Rd, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325
As we drive, we'll pass the first of many memorials at Gettysburg - the Eternal Light Peace Memorial. This memorial commemorates the reunification of the United States. Maine granite forms the base, while Alabama limestone forms the pillar -- a symbolic unification of north and south.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Oak Ridge Observation Tower, Oak Ridge Observation Tower, Doubleday Ave, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
We'll continue driving along the Gettysburg Auto Road. Our next stop is at the Oak Ridge Observation Tower. Here we'll be able to jump back to that first day of battle -- but by now, it's the afternoon. We'll "join" the fight as Union soldiers try to keep the Confederacy at bay. The top of this tower is a great place to get panoramic views of the historic fields that once saw so much violence and bloodshed.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment Monument, 220 Doubleday Ave, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
We'll continue driving, following the progress of the first day of battle as we follow the Gettysburg Battlefield Auto Road. Though we'll pass several more memorials, one in particular stands out: the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry Monument. There’s a dog sculpted on the other side of the statue’s base. That’s Battlefield Sallie! She served as a mascot of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry, and accompanied these Union soldiers for most of the Civil War. We'll drive past Sallie and learn a little about the importance of drummers and military music during the war.
Duration: 5 minutes
Pass By: Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center, 111 Seminary Rdg, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325
Our journey continues along the Gettysburg Auto Road as evening descends on the first day of battle. Union soldiers have paid heavily and lost ground. Is there any hope of success? We'll explore the various plans and strategies the generals come up with as they bunker down after the first day.
Stop At: North Carolina Memorial, W Confederate Ave, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
Our drive takes us past the North Carolina Memorial and Virginia Monument.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Gettysburg Auto Tour Stop 5, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
We'll continue driving along the Gettysburg Battlefield Auto Road. The infamous Pickett's Charge on Day 3 began at this stop, but we'll save that story for a little later on the tour. Instead, we'll now enter the second day of battle. Troops on both sides have begun to organize and mobilize. Whose strategy will finally succeed?
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Longstreet Observation Tower, SW Confederate Ave, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
Our drive takes us past the Longstreet Observation Tower, which offers a great vantage point over the second day's battlefield.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Eisenhower National Historic Site, 250 Eisenhower Farm Rd, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325
Here we can take an optional detour off of the Gettysburg Auto Road to visit the Eisenhower National Historic Site, which overlooks the battlefield. President Eisenhower often stayed here.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Warfield Ridge, Warfield Ridge Observation Tower, SW Confederate Ave, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
We're back on the Gettysburg Road, following the activities of Day 2 of the battle. Confederate troops assemble here, ready to attack one of the strategic Union outposts. Specially trained Union marksmen are in a position to defend. The stage is set...
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Little Round Top, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Due to ongoing construction work, Little Round Top is currently inaccessible to visitors. However, you don’t have to miss out on this historic site's fascinating stories and sights. With our tour, you can still listen to the narrations and view the pictures of the battle that took place at Little Round Top. You will learn about the brave soldiers who fought and died there, the strategic importance of the hill, and the heroic actions that changed the war's course. Our tour will give you a vivid sense of what it was like to be at Little Round Top, even though you can’t see it in person.
Duration: 5 minutes
Pass By: Devil's Den, Devil's Den, Sickles Ave, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
Here, Confederate sharpshooters set up positions among the volcanic rocks. From the safety of the rocky cover at Devil's Den, they’re able to pick off soldier after soldier on the Union side.
Stop At: Gettysburg Auto Tour Stop 9, Sickles Ave, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
We continue driving along the Gettysburg Auto Road, passing the Wheat Fields. This area represented the second major skirmish site on Day 2. We'll find ourselves in the heat of battle, fighting alongside Union soldiers to defend against the Confederates. We'll also learn about the strange tale of Union soldier JJ Purman.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: The Peach Orchard, Wheatfield Rd, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
Our drives takes us past the Peach Orchard, where the battles of the second day continued. We'll start seeing which strategies were successful and which were not as we drive past.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: The Abraham Trostle Farm, United States Ave, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
We'll continue past the Trostle farm. When fighting broke out in Gettysburg, the Trostle family fled their home. They left so abruptly that dinner was still on the table!
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Gettysburg Auto Tour Stop 11, 232-370 United States Ave, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
Our journey along the Gettysburg Battlefield Auto Road now takes us to Plum Run, where we catch up with the soldiers who just escaped the skirmish at the Peach Orchard.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: The George Weikert Farm, United States Ave, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
We'll continue towards the George Weikert Farm. Like the Trostles, the Weikert's hastily evacuated when the battle erupted. But they returned to a grislier scene -- their farm had been converted into a battlefield hospital. As we drive, we'll learn a little about military doctors and the effects of war.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: State of Pennsylvania Monument, Hancock Ave, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325
Our path brings us to the Pennsylvania Memorial. This monument commemorates the nearly 35,000 Pennsylvanian soldiers who fought in this battle. While the stakes were high for everyone, they were particularly intense for these men of Pennsylvania: they weren’t fighting for an abstract idea, they were fighting for their very state.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Spangler's Spring, Colgrove Ave, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
The Gettysburg Auto Road brings us deeper into the Gettysburg woods, where we'll come across Spangler's Spring. We'll dive into the significance of this small but mighty site and then continue forward to Culp's Hill Tower. Here, Union and Confederate soldiers clashed again, fighting for control of this strategic outpost. Luckily for the Union, they are able to defend the hill until evening finally descended.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: East Cemetery Hill, East Cemetery Hill, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
We continue the driving tour to East Cemetery Hill. Night has fallen across the battlefield, and ordinarily this would mean an end to the fighting. But the Confederate failure to fully capture Culp’s Hill bothers them, so they try a nighttime raid. This was the moment the Union came closest to losing. Through a mixture of perseverance, skill, and luck, the Union prevailed. Once we explore this historic site and understand what was at stake, we'll continue driving. Day 2 has come to a close; the third and final day of battle is ahead.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Gettysburg Auto Tour Stop 15, Hancock Ave, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
The third day dawns, and the Union and Confederate troops prepare for a final, epic battle. This is the infamous Pickett's Charge by the Confederates. We'll stand at the top of the hill, looking down at the empty expanse of the final battlefield. As we follow the progress of this last charge, we'll take a look at the "high water mark" -- the spot that marks the farthest the Confederacy advanced up the hill, towards the Union defenses.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Gettysburg Auto Tour Stop 16, Soldiers’ National Cemetery, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
We'll follow the Gettysburg Battlefield Auto Road to the final stop: the National Cemetery. Here we visit and honor the graves of the fallen Union soldiers who defended their country and morals.
Duration: 5 minutes
Pass By: Lincoln's Gettysburg Address Memorial, 97 Taneytown Rd, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
This is also the site of President Abraham Lincoln's famed Gettysburg Address. Given the monumental nature of the battle, most people expected President Lincoln to deliver quite a lengthy speech. But Lincoln didn’t want to steal attention that he believed belonged to the Union soldiers who sacrificed their lives here. Our tour officially ends at this final, poignant stop.
Schedule
- Reservations are REQUIRED for all bookings
- Book Your Package On-Line and Receive Your Confirmation
- Departure point: Detailed check-in instructions - including the address and parking information if applicable - will be included in your final confirmation email.
- Duration: 2 to 4 hours (Approx.)
- Departure Time:
Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.
Gettysburg Battlefield Self-Guided Driving Tour
4/10/2020 - 11/30/2024Monday - Sunday : 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM - Return Details:
125 Taneytown Rd, 125 Taneytown Rd, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
What's Included
- Easy to use: Stories play automatically by GPS. Hands-free. Get HELP all day: Call, Chat, or Email.
- Don’t miss a thing: Full itinerary, travel tips, professionally narrated, videos, text, hidden gems.
- Offline use: No cell signal or wifi required. Offline GPS Map & route. Stop-to-stop direction.
- Private tour in your/rental car: No group. Take breaks for photos/ snacks/hikes. Go at your own pace
- App on your phone: A link to download the Tour Guide App by Action and Password for your tours.
- Flexible schedule: Use any day, any time. Travel over multiple days or on next trip. Never expires.
- Good value: Buy just one per car. Don’t pay for each person. Save money compared to a bus tour.
- Gratuities (Optional)
- Transportation, parking fee, food/drinks
- National Park/attraction Passes, entry tickets, or reservation
What To Bring
- Confirmation Voucher (printed or mobile)
- Any required or suggested items listed on your confirmation email.
- A Smile!
Additional Info
- Wheelchair accessible
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- How it works: Once you book a tour, you’ll get a text/email with instructions. Download the app (while in good wifi/signal) and use your unique password to access your tours. To begin touring, go to the Starting Point and launch the app. The audio starts automatically. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience. Please note that no one will meet you at the starting point.
- Good value: Purchase only one tour for the entire vehicle instead of taking the bus and paying for each person. You will see a significant saving. Connect your phone to car speakers by a wire or bluetooth. Enjoy the tour by listening together as you drive.
- Flexible Schedule: Once the app/tour is on your phone, you can use it any day and at any time. You can use it over multiple days. And, also use it on your next trip here. This tour never expires.
- Preview the tour: You can use it before the trip at home (highly recommended), use it during the trip, and use it after you come back.
- Don't miss a thing: You will get everything with the app - a complete itinerary, travel tips, professionally narrated audio stories, story script, images, videos, deep dives, hidden gems, exciting locations, recommendations for hikes, adventure, activities, treks, and stop-by-stop direction.
- Private tour: You can use it in your car or rental car. No worries about groups or crowds. Start the tour app on your phone. And it will direct you step by step. You can stop for as many breaks as you like. Take a break for Instagram photos, and take a break for lunch/snacks. Go on a hike. The tour will wait for you and start when you start again. You can even do the tour over multiple days. Go at your own pace.
- Easy to use: The stories play themselves as soon as the GPS is activated. It requires no use of your hands at all. You can get HELP by calling, chatting, or emailing any time of the day.
- Offline: There is no need for a cell signal or Wi-Fi while touring. App’s GPS map works offline.
- Expiration/go again: The tour will last for the rest of your life on your phone. It is available for use on any day of your next trip.
- Use pictures for a photo book: Create a photo book using clean (no crowd) app images of each spot to make a memorable trip. All the photos and the correct sequence is ready in the app for you to use.
- Social media: Share clean (no crowd) images with friends/family.
- This 20+mile-long tour covers the essentials of Gettysburg Battlefield in 2-4 hours.
- Devices supported include iPhones with iOS 13 & above, Android phones with version 9 & above and all cellular-enabled tablets & iPads.
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
Reviews
Average 4.46 out of 5 stars based on 512 traveler reviews collected by Cool Destinations and partner sites such as Trustpilot, Viator, and TripAdvisor
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.