7 Best Things To Do In Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

things to do in gettysburg
Samantha
Samantha 
Updated
| 4 min read

Gettysburg is full of history when it comes to the Civil War. While there are certain areas and battlefields that can be missed if traveling to the area, these are a few that should not be missed when traveling through Gettysburg, PA.


1. Gettysburg National Cemetery

There were too many people, young and old, that died during the Battle of Gettysburg
Source: Pixabay

There is free entry to the resting place of over 3,500 soldiers that died during the Battle of Gettysburg and it feels necessary to pay those respects to the dead and their families. They have some really nice statues dedicated to the soldiers who lived and who died in the Battle of Gettysburg. Be sure to wear good walking shoes and pay attention to the weather that day so nothing goes wrong.

Gettysburg National Cemetery

Address: Gettysburg, PA 17325

Website: Gettysburg National Cemetery

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2. Devil's Den

The view from the top of Devil's Den is breathtaking
Source: Pixabay

A national park in Gettysburg, PA, this is a place where travelers should not be wearing flip flops. About 500 yards west of Little Round Top on the Battle Of Gettysburg battlefield, lays the area of the Devil’s Den. There isn’t a reason for the name of Devil’s Den, but it was hard fighting around when the battle was actually going on. They say some soldiers would use the huge rocks to hide themselves away but it never worked out for very long. It is an area full of large boulders and rocks that people can climb on and explore. The kids will love this particular space as they can do a lot of climbing and get out that extra energy all kids seem to have. Just be sure to watch them as some rocks aren’t as easy to climb as others, and no one wants an injured child on a vacation.

Devil's Den

Address: Sickles Ave, Gettysburg, PA 17325

Website: Devil’s Den

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3. Eisenhower Gettysburg Farm

Posted by Georgette Hundertmark on Friday, 21 April 2017

Posted by Eisenhower National Historic Site on Thursday, 25 April 2019

This is where President Eisenhower lived when he was no longer the President of the United States. Visitors can go through the house and barns and see all kinds of historical things in both places. There are a lot of bedrooms to check out and the barns are the coolest things to see since all of the machinery still resides in them. There are even tractors in the barn that Eisenhower’s workers had used to cultivate the land. There is an office that President Eisenhower had used that still has thoughts down on paper and old pens in there. This is a really interesting place to go if those in the group like seeing things about old presidents.

Eisenhower Gettysburg Farm

Address: 1195 Baltimore St, Gettysburg, PA 17325

Website: Eisenhower National Historic Site

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4. Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum

Posted by Seminary Ridge Museum - Gettysburg on Tuesday, 18 April 2017

A museum full of historical artifacts from old cannons and guns to Civil War uniforms are stored here for people to see and enjoy. A really unique aspect of this museum is the fact they really go into depth with the hospital side of the war. You can learn about how many people died and where they were buried, but this museum talks about the injuries that were sustained by soldiers and what it was like helping that many people get back on their feet. For all the historical sites in Gettysburg, this is definitely a fascinating one to visit.

Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum

Address: 111 Seminary Ridge, Gettysburg, PA 17325

Website: Gettysburg Seminary Museum

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5. Gettysburg Railroad Station Museum

Gettysburg and Harrisburg Railroad station, in Gettysburg, Pa., now a museum.

Posted by Clayton Langstaff on Saturday, 7 September 2013

With guided and unguided tours to enjoy the museum, those that visit here can really learn about the railroad lines. At this time, more and more people were using the railroad systems instead of their usual horse and carriages, as it was a much faster way to travel. They used railways for not only people, they used them to cart war supplies back and forth between towns. The railroad station is really cool for those that love trains and all of the history surrounding them.

Gettysburg Railroad Station Museum

Address: 35 Carlisle St, Gettysburg, PA 17325

Website: Gettysburg Railroad Station Museum

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6. Shriver House Museum

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<i>Journey Through Hallowed Ground Byway - The Shriver House Museum</i>
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Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Unknown author or... used under PUBLIC DOMAIN

It may seem like there are a lot of houses turned museum in Gettysburg, and there are. But each one has a different story that is fun to hear. The Shriver House Museum strives to make the visitor’s experience the very best it can be, by making sure they get the best information possible. The workers will share the information that surrounds the house in their accents and costumes, which makes those that visit here truly believe they are in the time period that they are learning about. These people are truly talented and seem to love what they do when it comes to sharing the history behind this house. Visitors of Gettysburg should definitely check out the Shriver House Museum if they have time.

Shriver House Museum

Address: 309 Baltimore St, Gettysburg, PA 17325

Website: Shriver House Museum

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7. East Cavalry Battlefield



Kind of in the middle of nowhere, this battlefield is normally quiet no matter the time of day that people go. They have different monuments and statues all around the area that people can read about and take pictures of. It is recommended though that visitors wear good shoes as it is a field that can be hard to walk in. And since this is an outdoor activity, it is advised that people be sure to check the weather before they leave their accommodation so it doesn’t make for a sour day. Be sure to check out this battlefield if you need a bit of a relaxing time away from all the people in the area.

East Cavalry Battlefield

Address: 221 Cavalry Field, Gettysburg, PA 17325

Website: East Cavalry Battlefield

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Gettysburg adventures

There is a lot to do and a lot to learn when it Gettysburg, PA. It’s safe to say that all visitors will be doing a lot of walking, so be sure to wear the proper footwear to enjoy your time. It’s not fun trudging through mucky fields with flip flops on. With that in mind, have a fun and eventful trip to Gettysburg!

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Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Samantha Kern, holding a Bachelor's Degree in English, is passionately dedicated to her writing career. Her love for travel has been ingrained since her early years, with cherished memories of...Read more

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