Gettysburg Tours: Find the Perfect History Tour

Visiting Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is almost like stepping back in time, very specifically to July 1863. That’s when the pivotal battle of the American Civil War took place. So, if you’re planning a trip to this very historic town, it’s quite helpful to find a really great tour that truly brings the past to life. Picking the right tour can actually make all the difference in getting a deep, pretty thorough, almost immersive feel for the stories and the landscape of Gettysburg. I’ve taken a look at some of the popular choices, so too you can see what each tour offers, their strengths, just a little bit about who they might appeal to, plus hopefully provide you with some assistance in deciding which one is the right fit for you. Anyway, let’s jump into some of the highly rated tours that Gettysburg is offering.

1. Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides: The Gold Standard

When people who actually know Gettysburg mention quality, they often bring up the Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides (LBG). So, that’s probably the initial tour I need to chat about. These guides actually go through a very rigorous testing and certification, is that right, by the Gettysburg National Military Park. What’s so very unique is that these aren’t just people repeating facts; they very have, in a way, really dedicated themselves to the deep history, sometimes a story, of Gettysburg. They often, it seems, have backgrounds in military history or maybe Civil War studies, basically bringing a good amount of understanding to their tours.

What Makes Them Shine: These guides can actually take you right in your car for a tour. You get their undivided attention, which is unlike some of the bus tours. What’s actually super neat is their storytelling; these folks often know the small anecdotes and the bigger battle strategy, basically providing a full look at the battle from almost all angles.

Why You Might Like This: If you like in-depth explorations and really being able to ask questions, or want to kind of customize the tour based on what grabs your attention, this may, in some respects, really be your best choice.

Things To Consider: Because they are guides offering customized tours, they will often, it appears, be pricier than the other options. You need to actually book early too, so that you can make certain you can get one, alright? Also, I guess be very certain that the car you’re touring in has space. Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides Full Review and Details

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2. Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center: Starting Point Central

If you like planning a lot of vacation information to be in one spot, the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center seems like a fairly good first spot. Very, very first. Basically, apart from just being a fantastic museum–with a ton of artifacts, interactive exhibits and then the Gettysburg Cyclorama (a really massive circular painting that is supposed to kind of show the battle action), the Visitor Center just might offer several options for touring the battlefield, so that you don’t have to do it on your own.

What Makes Them Shine: First off, they generally have a very high quantity of choice. They’ve got bus tours led by park rangers, just a little self-guided audio tours, plus guided walking tours of maybe a section of the battlefield. I actually really think that’s a lot.

Why You Might Like This: This is just might be a great introduction if this is really your first time. Especially, pretty specifically, with the museum giving an almost comprehensive grounding and introduction into the war and Gettysburg in particular. Plus, just the range of options makes something more than likely to be good. In some respects, you could find it all there!

Things To Consider: The bus tours, in a way, will cover more ground, alright, but don’t allow a ton of time at specific stops, that is correct. It’s also worth thinking about is that during the peak season, these tours can often, seemingly, be kind of crowded. Read our full review: Gettysburg National Military Park Museum Full Review and Details See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Gettysburg National Military Park Museum)

3. Ghost Tours of Gettysburg: For A Different Feel

Gettysburg isn’t just a historic battlefield; the history also gave the city a name for itself for apparent ghostly hauntings. You might take one of those types of walking ghost tours for a slightly scary and different experience.

What Makes Them Shine: Well, it often blends history and spooky stories, plus these tours often operate at night, so you might almost walk around under the moonlight! These actually are not standard dry history. They mix stories about people, is that correct, and actually give some space for some local “color.” These ghost tours tend to draw in all the ages and people that might actually not be that into the regular historical tour, you know?

Why You Might Like This: A ghost tour actually would add an interesting twist to how you learn about Gettysburg. Basically, mixing history, storytelling, some personal things, then all these spooky, eerie events and setting and things often provides a more pretty intense connection than just your run-of-the-mill history tour, actually.

Things To Consider: Understand these types of ghost tours are often for entertainment and not historical accuracy. You shouldn’t pick it to become a professional Gettysburg Historian; that isn’t actually what you are getting at all. They could just be a little spooky so that you can keep that in mind if the family will scare easily. Read our full review: Ghost Tours of Gettysburg Full Review and Details See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Ghost Tours of Gettysburg)

4. Self-Guided Audio Tours: Do It Your Way

Self-guided audio tours really make things able to go at your own rate. You can stop and begin again as it actually works best for you, and I think some people really like that. You have various choices, just from the National Park Service’s audio tour that you could get, to those ones you get via apps like ” মোবlie Ranger.” These pretty often involve experts narrating stories, some of it local and fun.

What Makes Them Shine: Freedom, basically. Want to spend half an hour on one specific spot? You do you. If, say, there is actually one part of the field that doesn’t keep your attention, move ahead faster! You get to choose, apparently. And it seems that this tour option is often cheaper, is that so?

Why You Might Like This: If you basically appreciate flexibility, but want really thorough historical knowledge, then this is probably pretty awesome. This works, I think, just quite right if you love exploring yourself, anyway, yet don’t want to completely lose a structure. You can move at the speed you think you have to.

Things To Consider: Basically, you may have to have a data plan for any of the apps you actually choose, okay? I imagine you do. Plus, in some respects, you won’t be getting the fun insights that some live tour guide brings out, obviously. But hey, this is pretty worth doing if you hate feeling “herded” in any tour group. Read our full review: Self-Guided Audio Tours Full Review and Details See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Self-Guided Audio Tours)

5. Group Bus Tours: Relax and Listen

So that you don’t have to drive, especially when you are unsure exactly where everything really is and stuff, this one may, arguably, be right. Group bus tours could let a person actually sit back. Very, very literally. Lots of these Gettysburg bus tours often give narrations of battles, stories of individuals who actually fought, a bit about important locations that one actually sees. Sometimes these can provide things others really do not.

What Makes Them Shine: Really seeing everything may well be simpler, without actually dealing with all that “driving” and “directions” stuff. Tours often, more or less, have a narrator onboard that kind of knows everything, basically, and does this every tour.

Why You Might Like This: Not liking the idea of organizing is one pretty sound cause for doing so. Let someone else run the show; you are there really to observe and hear!

Things To Consider: How much flexibility you want in where exactly to stop may well vary from each company, clearly, but you’re often “stuck” with the set program. Double check just a bit about that particular bus tour company is giving people the historical interpretation that interests that person as a person as the experience really gets chosen, I think. Read our full review: Group Bus Tours Full Review and Details See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Group Bus Tours)

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