How to Take a Guided Tour of the Gettysburg Battlefields

Most Gettysburg tours reach the spot on Little Round Top made famous by the charge of the 20th Maine.

Gettysburg, the site of the bloodiest battle of the American Civil War, is now a tourist attraction that draws thousands of visitors every year. Guided tours are available through the National Parks Services, which runs the park, and some other groups associated with the battlefield.

Things You'll Need

• Credit card to purchase tickets
• A vehicle
• A true love of American history, especially the Civil War period.

Instructions

1. Any tour should start at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center at 1195 Baltimore Pike (Route 97). It features a massive collection of Civil War and Gettysburg artifacts. It also houses the fully restored "Battle of Gettysburg" cyclorama by Paul Dominique Philippoteaux. The park says most visitors spend at least three hours in the museum.

2. Sign up for a tour with a licensed battlefield tour guide at the visitor center. You will get a designated time and place to meet the guide. The guide can drive your car around the 6,000 acre field and point out all of the important landmarks, such as Little Round Top, and monuments. This tour takes about two hours.

3. Visit the Gettysburg Tour Center website. In 2011, the tour center had several guided tour options, including a seasonal double-decker bus tour. The tour includes a dramatic audio recreation of events and covers the entire battlefield. The site also handles tours of individual houses and landmarks, including the Jennie Wade home at 548 Baltimore Street. Wade was baking in her kitchen when a bullet struck and killed her. She was the only civilian casualty of the battle. Check the Gettysburg Address website for other themed tours, such as candlelight and "ghost" tours.

4. Schools can sign up for tours designed for students. The two-hour programs include guided tours of the Soldiers' National Cemetery and demonstrations about the life of the typical Civil War soldier. The park can provide pre-visit materials to teachers.

Tips & Warnings

• Go early in the day. The museum visit and the guided tour of the battlefields will take the whole day.

• Bring a camera to recapture your memories of Gettysburg

• The battle of Gettysburg was fought July 1-3, 1863. The battlefield is busiest in the summer, but it is especially busy on an anniversary week. Book accommodations well in advance if you plan to go during that time.

References

• Gettysburg Battlefield Tours
• Gettysburg Tour Guides
• Ranger Guided Student Programs
• Gettysburg National Park
• Gettysburg Address