Gettysburg Battlefield Self-Guided Driving Tour

Tour Details

Type
Driving
Duration
1 - 2 Hours
Audio Stories
49
Deep Dives
33

Welcome to the Gettysburg Battlefield Self-Guided Driving Tour

Welcome to the narrated driving tour of the Battle of Gettysburg, the most crucial battle of the Civil War! Here, Union forces staged a nearly impossible defense against Confederate attackers–and won! Walk in the footsteps of Civil War soldiers, re-live the battle strategies of the key generals, and embark on an adventure that brings this historic three-day battle to life on your Gettysburg auto tour.

This self-guided Gettysburg Auto tour lets you explore Gettysburg’s historical wonders with maximum flexibility, safety, and value. Hop in your car, get the tour guide app set up on your phone, and get started. All audio plays automatically based on location.

Follow the Battle

The tour follows the intense 3-day battle at Gettysburg chronologically. It begins at the Gettysburg Heritage Center, where you learn about the lead-up to the battle. Before you start driving, be sure to download the Action Tour Guide app and enter your unique password to access the audio tour. Then, you’ll explore McPherson’s Ridge, the site of the first skirmish of the first day. From there, you continue past the Railway Cut, Iverson’s Pits, and Seminary Ridge until you reach the end of Day 1.

As you continue to follow the route on the Gettysburg Auto Tour, begin Day 2 with an exploration at Little Round Top, Devil’s Den, the Peach Orchard, and Culp’s Hill. Day 3 then starts with the infamous Pickett’s Charge. This comprehensive tour ends at the Gettysburg Cemetery, where you hear Lincoln’s poignant Gettysburg Address. And if you ever have questions, feel free to reach out to us over chat, call, or email – we’re always available and looking forward to helping you!

Starting Point Address: Gettysburg Heritage Center Parking Lot at 1 Culp Street. Culp St Gettysburg, PA 17325

What You'll See

Gettysburg Visitor Center
Embark on this journey into the past at the Gettysburg Visitor Center! Get ready to be transported right into the middle of the battlefield... both in time and space. As we begin driving along the Gettysburg Battlefield Auto Road, we step back in time to the eve of battle. Who are the combatants? The generals? What are they fighting for? Why? We'll dive into the history of the United States of America up to the point of the Civil War. That'll help us understand what made Gettysburg such a poignant battle, and why a victory here was so important.
McPherson Ridge (Auto Tour 1)
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.
The Railway Cut
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.
Eternal Light Peace Memorial (Auto Tour 2)
As we drive, we'll pass the first of many memoirals 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.
Oak Ridge Observation Tower (Auto Tour 3)
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.
Battlefield Sallie Memorial
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.
Seminary Ridge Museum
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.
North Carolina Memorial (Auto Tour 4)
Our drive takes us past the North Carolina Memorial and Virginia Monument.
Virginia Monument (Auto Tour 5)
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?
Pitzer Woods (Auto Tour 6) & Longstreet Observation Tower
Our drive takes us past the Longstreet Observation Tower, which offers a great vantage point over the second day's battlefield.
Eisenhower National Historic Site
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.
Warfield Ridge (Auto Tour 7)
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 position to defend. The stage is set....
Little Round Top (Auto Tour 8)
Our drive passes Little Round Top, a critical skirmish site on the second day. Here Union soldiers just barely hold off Confederate troops, maintaining their control of this strategic hill. As we drive around the hill, we'll cross the Valley of Death -- an appropriate name for the site of such a bloody skirmish.
Devil's Den
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.
The Wheat Field (Auto Tour 9)
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.
The Peach Orchard (Auto Tour 10)
Our drives take 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.
The Abraham Trostle Farm
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!
Plum Run (Auto Tour 11)
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.
The George Weikert Farm
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.
Pennsylvania Memorial (Auto Tour 12)
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.
Spangler's Spring (Auto Tour 13)
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.
East Cemetery Hill (Auto Tour 14)
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.
The High Water Mark (Auto Tour 15)
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.
National Cemetery (Auto Tour 16)
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.
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
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.

Preview The Tour

Stop A : Welcome

Stop C : The Civil War & Battle of Gettysburg

Stop 2 : Eternal Light Peace Memorial

Stop 8 : Little Round Top

Stop 12 : Pennsylvania Memorial

Tour FAQs

These days, there are much better options for touring a historic site like this than the type of Gettysburg guide you might have in mind. More specifically, you can get a rich, exciting, and complete tour of the Gettysburg Battlefield by using an app!

The truth is that there are pros and cons to every season, so it’s important to know all the facts and make an informed decision. Here’s a rundown of all the most essential factors to consider when deciding the best season for your Gettysburg visit.

Screens and books simply can’t do it justice. The Gettysburg Battlefield is, after all, deeply hallowed ground. You wouldn’t look at an internet image of the Statue of Liberty and expect to get the full experience, right? The same is 100% true for this historic battleground.

Now, folks generally associate the Gettysburg Battlefield with the hot, humid days of summer, especially since the battle itself took place on the first three days of July 1863. Ironically, that’s exactly what makes winter such a good time to visit Gettysburg.

Absolutely you can! In fact, I’d say a Gettysburg driving tour is the absolute best way to experience this historic battlefield. Sure, you could pay to hop on a tour bus, but then you’re on someone else’s schedule and won’t have the chance to really explore the key sites across the field.

Luckily for traveling history buffs, the weather in Gettysburg is fairly predictable, even during the peak days of summer. The average temperature maxes out at around 85 degrees fahrenheit. That said, if you’re used to dry heat, the humidity on the Gettysburg Battlefield is something to keep in mind.

How It Works

Additional Information

What do we do?

Simply put, Action Tour Guide is an audio guide, map, and tour book – all in one app! We are a GPS-enabled app-based tour that narrates information based on your location right on your phone. You can experience our driving and walking tours at your own pace and literally at any time of the day!

Lifetime Validity

Changing travel date? No worries! All individual tours come with lifetime validity.

No Network Needed

The tour works offline which means you do not need your phone network to enjoy the tour. However, we do suggest you download the tour at your home, hotel, visitor center, etc before you head out for a completely immersive experience.

Not an Entry Ticket

This is not an entry ticket.

Gettysburg Battlefield Self-Guided Driving Tour

Tour Details

Welcome to the Gettysburg Battlefield Self-Guided Driving Tour

Follow the Battle

What You'll See

Gettysburg Visitor Center

McPherson Ridge (Auto Tour 1)

The Railway Cut

Eternal Light Peace Memorial (Auto Tour 2)

Oak Ridge Observation Tower (Auto Tour 3)

Battlefield Sallie Memorial

Seminary Ridge Museum

North Carolina Memorial (Auto Tour 4)

Virginia Monument (Auto Tour 5)

Pitzer Woods (Auto Tour 6) & Longstreet Observation Tower

Eisenhower National Historic Site

Warfield Ridge (Auto Tour 7)

Little Round Top (Auto Tour 8)

Devil's Den

The Wheat Field (Auto Tour 9)

The Peach Orchard (Auto Tour 10)

The Abraham Trostle Farm

Plum Run (Auto Tour 11)

The George Weikert Farm

Pennsylvania Memorial (Auto Tour 12)

Spangler's Spring (Auto Tour 13)

East Cemetery Hill (Auto Tour 14)

The High Water Mark (Auto Tour 15)

National Cemetery (Auto Tour 16)

Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

Preview The Tour

Stop A : Welcome

Stop C : The Civil War & Battle of Gettysburg

Stop 2 : Eternal Light Peace Memorial

Stop 8 : Little Round Top

Stop 12 : Pennsylvania Memorial

Tour FAQs

Can you tour Gettysburg without a guide?

What is the best time of year to visit Gettysburg?

Is Gettysburg worth visiting?

Is Gettysburg open in the winter?

Can you tour Gettysburg by car?

What’s the weather like in Gettysburg?

How It Works

Additional Information

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