5 Memorable Things to do in Gettysburg with Kids

Gettysburg is home to the bloodiest battle in US History. The Battle of Gettysburg was a three-day battle in the American Civil War between July 1 and July 3, 1863, where an estimated 50,000 people lost their lives. The battle is considered the turning point of the Civil War- where the odds turned from being in favor of the Confederacy to favoring the Union forces.

Knowing this, it’s obvious that visiting Gettysburg with kids is way too scary for them. Right? Well, we disagree. We believe in teaching our kids an accurate account of what happened in history. We rarely sugarcoat things for them, but we make it palatable and easy for them to understand.

We visited Gettysburg on our Mason-Dixon Road Trip. The trip was a Christmas gift to our kiddos and featured fun things like sledding the longest sled run on the East Coast, Hersheypark, and Great Wolf Lodge with a bit of history sprinkled in. On our trip, we learned more about slavery at Gettysburg and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Over the years, we’ve been tracking the life of Abraham Lincoln. We visited the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park in Kentucky, the White House where he lived, the Ford Theatre where he was shot, and the Pederson House where he ultimately passed away. We visited the Lincoln Memorial to pay him tribute and saw his funeral train. It only made sense that we visited the site of one of his most famous speeches.

Table of Contents

What Makes This Place Qualify as a National Park Site?

Things to Know Before Visiting Gettysburg National Military Park

The Best Time to Visit Gettysburg National Military Park

Entrance Fees

Cell Service

5 Things to DO With Kids While Visiting Gettysburg

Start at the Visitor Center

When visiting any National Park site, you should start at the Visitor Center. The center will always offer a wealth of information and interesting exhibits that educate you on the site. The Gettysburg National Military Park has both free and paid exhibits. On our most recent visit, we chose to just hit up the free stuff- but it was still plenty to give the kids a background on what they’ll be seeing.

The free portion of the Visitor Center was very small, but it allowed us to look at some relics of the war. I took this time to teach our kids about children’s roles during the war. They were all surprised to learn that as many as 20% (250,000-420,000) of the Civil War soldiers were younger than 18!

Edward Black, age 8, was the youngest soldier to enlist during the Civil War. He was a drummer boy for the 21st Indiana Volunteers.

Kids who did not enlist during the war still had huge responsibilities. They were left to help manage farms, care for younger siblings, work in family businesses, and raise money for the troops.

Grab a Junior Ranger Badge

While you’re at the Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center, stop by the information desk and ask for the Junior Ranger Booklet. Complete at least 3 of the 7 activities in the booklet and you’ll be rewarded with a wooden Junior Ranger badge! Activities include answering questions about the exhibits, puzzles, and more. This hands-on activity is a great way for kids to learn about what happened at Gettysburg.

Pose with Abe

Just outside of the Visitor Center, you’ll find a statue of Honest Abe. The statue stands in honor of the Gettysburg Address, a famous speech that Lincoln delivered here during the Civil War.

See Where Lincoln Gave the Gettysburg Address

The Gettysburg Address is a famous speech that President Abraham Lincoln gave during the American Civil War. The speech was made at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery (Gettysburg Cemetery) on November 19, 1863. Lincoln gave the speech 4 and a half months after the Union defeated the Confederacy in the Battle of Gettysburg.

The speech is known as one of the most influential speeches in American History. In it, Lincoln described the sacrifices of those who died at Gettysburg in honor of the freedoms outlined in the Declaration of Independence. He ensured that “those dead shall not have died in vain- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom- and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Visit the Battlefield

Of course, no visit to Gettysburg would be complete without a trip to the battlefield. Our boys used their spending money to purchase muskets in the gift shop that they toted all over town (and all over Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey).

If your kiddos are up to it, you can stop by several monuments/memorials surrounding the area.

Bonus: The Driving Tour

If your family is really into history, you can do the self-guided auto tour. Stop by the Visitors Center to grab a map and simply follow the route markers around town. The driving tour is 20+ miles and takes between 2 and 4 hours. Although I’ve done the tour in the past, we skipped it when we took the kids since we had already been in the car for so long.

Where is Gettysburg National Military Park located?

The physical address is:

1195 Baltimore Pike
Gettysburg, PA 17325

The park is open from sunrise to sunset.

Check Park Hours Here

Other Cool Information

Fun Fact:

Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife Mamie purchased a farm a mile from the Gettysburg battlefield. Today, it is known as the Eisenhower National Historic Site.

Distance From Major Cities

Baltimore, MD- 57 mi
Washington, DC- 75 mi
Philadelphia, PA- 142 mi
Pittsburgh, PA- 185 mi
New York City, NY- 211 mi
Akron, OH- 288 mi
Cleveland, OH- 311 mi
Buffalo, NY- 337 mi
Charlotte, NC- 441 mi

Distance from Nearby National Parks

Shenandoah National Park- 105 mi
New River Gorge National Park- 319 mi
Cuyahoga Valley National Park- 322 mi
Congaree National Park– 549 mi

FAQ About Gettysburg National Military Park

Is Gettysburg National Military Park worth visiting?

Gettysburg is most definitely worth visiting. I’ve been learning about the events that took place here since I was a young girl. No matter how many times I visit, I still find it fascinating.

How much time do you need at Gettysburg National Military Park?

Plan on spending at least 2 hours at Gettysburg National Military Park. This time frame will allow you enough time to hit up the Visitor Center, visit the battlefield, see the cemetery, and hit up some of the monuments/memorials.

What is the best time of year to visit?

The best time to visit Gettysburg is during the fall months since the weather is a bit cooler. Winter tends to be a bit cold in this part of the country. Summer (June-August) is peak season so anticipate larger crowds if you visit during this time.

How much does it cost to get in to Gettysburg National Military Park?

It is free to visit the battlefield, cemetery, monuments, and memorials of Gettysburg. There are some ticketed exhibits located at the Visitor Center.

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure

For future reference, save our post: “5 Things to Do in Gettysburg with Kids”. While you’re at it, browse the Ulitmate National Park Bucket List. Plan your trip around Free National Park Days and learn about The National Park’s Awesome Junior Ranger Program.

While on our Mason-Dixon Road Trip, we also visited the nearby Eisenhower National Historic Site and Hersheypark.

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5 Memorable Things to do in Gettysburg with Kids

What Makes This Place Qualify as a National Park Site?

Things to Know Before Visiting Gettysburg National Military Park