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The Best Way to Tour the Gettysburg National Military Park

The Gettysburg National Military Park encompasses nearly 6,000 acres with over 26 miles of roads connecting major battlefield landmarks including Cemetery Hill and the “High Water Mark”. There are over 1,300 monuments, markers and memorials, 400 cannons and numerous historic houses.

Over 1,300 Monuments, Markers and Memorials

If you have one day for this trip, spend it exploring the iconic Gettysburg National Military Park, site of one of the most important battles of the Civil War and one of the greatest speeches of all time. Gettysburg offers a great opportunity to explore the Civil War from the micro to the macro level.

Total Stops: 1

Total Time: 4-6 Hours (7-8 if you love to hike)

Total Distance: 2-mile radius

Before You Go:

• Print or Download this Tour Map
• Watch the Gettysburg Animated Map
• View the Gettysburg 360° Virtual Tour
• Download the Gettysburg Battle App

Stop #1: Gettysburg National Military Park

Time: 4-6 Hours

Details: https://www.nps.gov/gett/index.htm

What To Do:

• Find out what Ranger Programs are scheduled for that day.
• View the film, A New Birth of Freedom , and see the Cyclorama. A ticket for the film includes the Cyclorama, after the film, you will go immediately into the Cyclorama.
• Tour the museum, which will give you a history of the war as a whole, not just the Battle of Gettysburg.
• Stop by the gift shop and bookstore.
• Follow the NPS Auto Tour Route and get out and explore each stop.
• Purchase a touring CD from the bookstore.
• Use the Civil War Trust’s free Gettysburg Battle App on your smartphone or iPad.
• Hire a Licensed Battlefield Guide to accompany you.

Don’t Miss:

• Little Round Top – Location of the Union left flank, famously held by the 20 th Maine and Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.
• Devil’s Den – Site of vicious fighting just below Little Round Top.
• The High Water Mark – The point of the Cemetery Ridge where the Confederacy reached the Union center after Pickett’s Charge, on the third and final day of the battle.
• Soldier’s National Cemetery – The resting place for more than 3,500 Union Troops killed in the battle.

If you have time:

• Visit the David Wills House, where Lincoln stayed the night before he gave the Gettysburg Address. The house has been recently renovated into a wonderful museum.
• Take a battlefield hike on one of Gettysburg’s trails. See your NPS touring map for locations Hike the Fish Hook (the right flank defensive position of the Union army for a rigorous walk.
• Do what strikes your fancy. Gettysburg is a battlefield on which you could spend hundreds of hours and never do the same thing twice. Explore what interests you!

Make Some History This Weekend in Gettysburg

Tour Gettysburg Battlefield Sites in Three Days

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Visitors board the bus for a tour of Gettysburg National Military Park

Guided tours, walks, and talks are provided daily at Gettysburg National Military Park by the National Park Service, the Gettysburg Foundation, and the Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides. The programs conducted by the National Park Service meet at various locations around the battlefield and tend to focus on that particular location, whereas the Gettysburg Foundation and the Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides provide tours of the entire battlefield.

National Park Service Ranger conducts a tour of McPherson Ridge at Gettysburg

For a list of daily Ranger programs, visit the National Park Service’s Ranger Programs at Gettysburg web page. A schedule is also posted at the National Park Service information desk inside the Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center . The National Park Service also sponsors special events throughout the year. See the Special Events and Programs and Calendar web pages for a schedule. Most programs are provided free of charge.

National Park Service information desk in the Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center

Since 1915, guides at Gettysburg have had to pass a written examination to lead tours of the battlefield. Shortly thereafter, the Battlefield Guide Association was established to manage the process (the name was changed to the Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides in the 1980s). Today, visitors to Gettysburg National Military Park can hire a guide to give them a personal tour of the battlefield in their own vehicle. Guides can be booked at the Visitor Center or directly through the Association. See the Licensed Battlefield Guides website for pricing and how to make a reservation. It is always best to make a reservation at least one week in advance. There is no guarantee of guide availability if you try to book one on the day of your visit, especially during the tourist season. There is a charge for guide services.

The Gettysburg Foundation, the organization that owns and operates the Visitor Center, works with the Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides to provide tours of the battlefield by bus. Visit the Foundation’s Tour the Battlefield web page for more information and pricing.

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A Few Ways To Tour The Gettysburg Battlefield

Rightfully so, touring Gettysburg National Military Park is high on the to-do list of most people traveling to Gettysburg, Pa. The 6,000-acre Civil War military park is steeped in history and holds the stories and legacies of the thousands of soldiers who fought here during the Battle of Gettysburg. Because there is so much history to discover, and so many ways in which to discover it, we’ve broken down the options of touring the battlefield for you.

Whether you’ve never toured the Gettysburg battlefield and need a place to start, or if you’ve toured it many times and are just looking for a new perspective, check out our list of ways to tour the battlefield in Gettysburg!

On Horseback

Experience the Gettysburg battlefield from a higher perspective while riding a horse. Gettysburg has many horse tour companies to choose from, all offering memorable experiences, and most offering Licensed Battlefield Guide tours. You don’t have to be experienced to take a horse tour in Gettysburg – your guides will be sure to acquaint you with your horse and make sure you are comfortable before you depart. If you have a horse of your own, the Gettysburg battlefield is a great place to visit for a day of riding. Just grab a map of the horse trails on the battlefield before you begin.

With a Licensed Battlefield Guide

If you’re looking for an in-depth and personalized tour of the battlefield, hire a Licensed Battlefield Guide to show you the way. A Licensed Battlefield Guide will find what interests your group the most and provide a tour of the battlefield designed specifically for you. You can sit back and take it all in, as they drive your car for you, telling stories of the battle and answering any and all questions that you may have.

Gettysburg Battlefield Bus Tours offers several options for those looking to tour the battlefield on a bus. Take a dramatized audio bus tour, where the sound of a Hollywood cast of actors and technicians recreate the Battle of Gettysburg throughout the tour. Or, hear the stories and insights of the battle on a tour with a Licensed Battlefield Guide. If you want to feel the wind blowing through your hair, be sure to book a spot on the double decker bus!

In a Horse-Drawn Carriage

If relaxing in a horse-drawn carriage sounds more appealing to you, you can do that in Gettysburg, too. Take a step back in time and take in the sights of the battlefield at a leisurely pace with a horse-drawn carriage tour of the battlefield. Horse Tours of Gettysburg offers a variety of horse-drawn Licensed Battlefield Guide tours – some offering an overview of the Battle of Gettysburg as well as more in-depth special topic tours. Once you’ve done the battlefield, be sure to check out their horse-drawn carriage town tours as well!

Lace up your walking shoes and explore Gettysburg National Military Park on foot! Choose a section of the battlefield and walk in the footsteps of soldiers. Try one of these eight great battlefield walks and hikes . Or make your way through these seven secrets of the Gettysburg battlefield . For more of a guided walking experience, Gettysburg National Military Park offers free Park Ranger-led battlefield walks throughout the year that help to tell the many stories of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Self-Guided Tour

Sometimes, getting a little help navigating the battlegrounds at Gettysburg can go a long way. Many of our visitors love the luxury of touring Gettysburg National Military Park at their own pace with the help of a guided program – a CD for their car or a downloadable app. You can take your time, or fast-forward for a quicker tour, all with the help of Gettysburg Battlefield Self-Guided Tour by Action Tour Guide and Battlefield Driving Tours .

On Your Own

There are several options for self-guided tours of the Gettysburg battlefield which enable you to tour in your own time and in your own way. Stop by the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center or Destination Gettysburg to pick up an auto-tour map. These maps highlight key locations on the battlefield with brief descriptions of each stop. Or download an app that takes you through an auto tour of the park.

With 6,000 acres of park and many ways to explore it , touring the battlefield is something that you can do again and again while continuing to experience something new. What ways will you tour the battlefield?

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Last updated: December 5, 2023

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ALERT: Little Round Top is currently closed to all visitation for rehabilitation. The National Park Service estimates Little Round Top to reopen to the public in late Spring or early Summer 2024.  Learn more .

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Gettysburg National Military Park Announced the the Licensed Battlefield Guide Licensing Process

Mar 22, 2024

Gettysburg National Military Park is pleased to announce it will be hosting a Licensed Battlefield Guide exam in 2024. Licensed Battlefield Guides are the only individuals licensed by Gettysburg National Military Park to provide historical tours of the battlefield to the public for a fee, a service which has operated since 1915. Today the Licensed Battlefield Guide program consists of approximately 130 individuals who provide this unique experience for park visitors.

The Licensed Battlefield Guide licensing process consists of four tiers: the written exam, the panel interview, the field practicum and the oral exam. Candidates must meet the requirements of each tier in succession to become a Licensed Battlefield Guide. Once licensed, those individuals must also attend a mandatory information and orientation session.   The written exam, the first part of this intense multi-tiered process, will be given on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at the Harrisburg Area Community College-Gettysburg Campus from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. More detailed information about the overall licensing process, and a letter detailing the written exam application is available on the park’s website at www.nps.gov/gett .

Gettysburg National Military Park is a unit of the National Park Service that preserves and protects the resources associated with the Battle of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg National Cemetery and provides an understanding of the events that occurred there within the context of American History. Information is available at www.nps.gov/gett .

Read the National Park Service press release.

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ALERT: Little Round Top is currently closed to all visitation for rehabilitation. The National Park Service estimates Little Round Top to reopen to the public in late Spring or early Summer 2024.  Learn more .

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Battlefield Bus Tour

Step onto the hallowed ground and experience Little Round Top, Devil's Den and the Angle beyond the history books and movies. You'll tour the battlefield with a Licensed Battlefield Guide by motor coach.

Tour time : 2 hours Tours start/end : Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center

A Gettysburg Self-Guided Driving Tour How To: Easy + Free!

• Post author: Rachel Means
• Post last modified: 2023-12-12

The Battle of Gettysburg was a pivotal turning point in the American Civil War. Known as the High Water Mark of the Rebellion, the bloody battle lasted for three intense days and forever put the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on history’s map.

Take a self-guided, free Gettysburg driving tour today and see the battlefield where brother fought brother for the future of America.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and associate of other programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means if you click a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Table of Contents

Experience Gettysburg in One Day with a Self-guided Driving Tour

The town of Gettysburg has not ignored its place in American history; the town’s civil war battlefield history industry is thriving .

Honestly, it can be a bit overwhelming when planning your first visit to Gettysburg.

Not only is the battlefield a National Military Park encompassing 6000 acres, but the town itself also has museums and historical homes and tour companies around every corner.

If you only have one day in Gettysburg, opt for a self-guided auto tour of the battlefield. It’s FREE and can be tailored to your individual time needs!

How to Day Trip to Gettysburg Battlefield

Gettysburg, PA is an easy day trip from several states as well as from the US’s capital city of Washington, DC. Any of the following are good starting points for a day trip to Gettysburg, or it makes a great one day stop on an eastern US road trip .

• 45min south of Harrisburg, PA
• 1hr northeast of Harpers Ferry, WV
• 1.25hrs northwest of Baltimore, MD
• 1.5hrs north of Washington, DC
• 2hrs west of Wilmington, DE
• 2.5hrs west of Philadelphia, PA
• 3 hrs east of Morgantown, WV
• 3hrs north of Richmond, VA or Charlottesville, VA
• 3.5hrs east of Pittsburgh, PA

Personally, I’m willing to drive 2-3 hours each way for a day trip or even up to 4 hours if it’s a place I really want to go and/or I’m not likely to be in the area again for a while.

Some of you shudder at the thought of being in the car for 3 hours total, let alone one way. That’s fine.

Turn a day trip into an overnight trip. Drive up the night before or stay the night after to give yourself enough time to appreciate all the Gettysburg National Military Park has to offer.

Or, perhaps you need a weekend trip to make the most of your time at Gettysburg! Everyone gets 24 hours in a day. It’s up to you how you divide that time between sleeping, driving, and exploring. 😉

How Long Does It Take to Drive the Gettysburg Battlefield?

The most important thing to know about visiting Gettysburg is that it’s HUGE . The second most important thing to know is it’s POPULAR , especially in the summer.

During non-peak season, a Gettysburg auto tour takes about 2 hours with only a couple quick stops to get out of the car.

If you prefer to get out and take a lot of pictures and read all the exhibit plaques, it’ll take 3-4 hours, or longer, with stops at all 16 waypoints and at Barlow Knoll, Culp’s Hill, and the National Cemetery.

Our first trip to Gettysburg was November 2020, so crowds were low, as we had hoped.

I’m a huge history buff, so we read the map and exhibit plaques, watched the virtual tour video for each auto tour stop, and got out to take ALL the pictures.

All told, it took us about 5 hours to complete the entire battlefield auto tour loop.

It was a very thorough first visit to Gettysburg, and did I mention it was completely FREE! 😎

All bets are off during peak season , generally May to October but especially in early July around the anniversary of the battle.

Gettysburg National Military Park hosts over a million visitors to the battlefield each year, and the majority visit during the summer months.

Best advice : leave buffer in your time table for your day trip to Gettysburg.

Pro Tip: The anniversary of the battle is July 1-3 so the Independence Day holiday is always a particularly busy time.

Where to Start the Gettysburg Auto Tour

A self-guided auto tour covers all areas of the battlefield in more or less chronological order, from beginning to end of the battle.

Start at the national park visitor center and pick up a free map with the driving tour directions clearly marked.

The visitor center also has a museum, cyclorama painting, and historic film offered by The Gettysburg Foundation for a fee, if you’re interested in learning all the history ahead of your driving tour.

The map is invaluable throughout the day as it also has the restrooms marked! 😆

Car tour CDs and books abound, or you could purchase a guided bus tour or personalized guided driving tour at the visitor center, but the national park service website for Gettysburg National Military Park has a free virtual tour that corresponds to each stop of the battlefield car tour.

These national park ranger-narrated videos are typically 2-3 minutes , with a few longer ones, and walk through the Battle of Gettysburg as you progress from stop to stop. These videos are like having your own personal park ranger in the car with you, and it doesn’t cost a dime!

This is also a great way to visit Gettysburg virtually when you can’t travel!

Is the Gettysburg Self-Guided Driving Tour Easy to Follow?

Yes. The free maps have directional arrows and the roads are marked with signs throughout. Each driving tour stop has its own numbered marker.

Roads for the Gettysburg driving tour route are mostly one-way.

Once you start down West Confederate Avenue and into McMillan Woods on Seminary Ridge to Stop #4, there are very few options to get out of the one-way traffic loop until you get to Stop #12 in the middle of Cemetery Ridge.

Remember, there are restrooms available along the route but how fast you can get there is at the mercy of the cars in front of you. Don’t wait until it’s an emergency! 😅

Map of Gettysburg Driving Tour Waypoints

Use the official map from the Gettysburg Visitor Center when you’re driving around the battlefield. The map below is only for reference while you’re reading this article.

Driving Tour Waypoints at Gettysburg: A Journey in Pictures!

The Gettysburg car tour includes 16 stops that walk you through the geography and timeline of the battle.

1. McPherson Ridge

The battle begins on July 1 st , 1863.

2. Eternal Light & Peace Memorial on Oak Hill

Dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on July 3, 1938, the 75 th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, this memorial symbolizes the unity of a once divided nation.

The base is Maine granite and the column is Alabama limestone, topped by an eternal flame. A quarter million people attended the dedication, including many of the last Civil War veterans, both Union and Confederate.

3. Oak Ridge

Climb the observation tower for a panoramic view of this portion of the battlefield.

Barlow Knoll

This area doesn’t have a numbered waypoint marker, but it is part of the official driving tour.

4. North Carolina Memorial

One in four of every Confederate soldier killed at the Battle of Gettysburg was a North Carolinian.

5. Virginia Memorial

Confederate General Robert E. Lee sits atop his favorite horse on the top of this memorial, but this memorial is also meant to remember the everyday Virginian sons that fought and died here at Gettysburg. The picture below is the portion of the monument dedicated to them.

6. Pitzer Woods

Confederate Lt. Gen. Longstreet was General Lee’s “Old War Horse ” and reliably followed Lee’s command.

However, at Gettysburg, Longstreet disagreed with Lee’s strategy and reluctantly carried out orders, asking for a reassignment after the battle.

7. Warfield Ridge

The Confederates spent most of the second day of the battle trying to outflank the Union troops dug in on the high ground at Cemetery Ridge. Warfield Ridge was the launching point for the fight over Little Round Top.

8. Little Round Top

Chief Engineer of the Army of the Potomac Warren came to Little Round Top to find it unoccupied and a gaping hole in the Union’s flank .

His quick action in diverting troops to this location just in time to repel a Confederate flanking movement likely saved the outcome of the battle for the Union.

9. The Wheatfield

Remember, this area was largely farm fields at the time of this battle. Soldiers were fighting in and around fields and orchards and peoples’ homes and barns.

10. The Peach Orchard

11. Plum Run

12. Pennsylvania Memorial

Confederate memorials are typically one per state. Union memorials are typically per regiment, so there are more of them throughout the park.

All together there are over 1300 monuments and memorials preserved at Gettysburg, making it one of the largest collections of outdoor sculpture in the world .

The Pennsylvania Memorial lists every Pennsylvania solider, from private to general, who fought at Gettysburg. It is the largest monument in the park.

13. Spangler’s Spring

Confederates repeatedly tried to flank the Union forces on Cemetery Ridge. This spring was controlled by both armies at different points throughout the battle.

Culps Hill & Observation Tower

Another observation tower for amazing view s of this side of the battlefield. Unfortunately, during our visit all observation towers were closed. 😕

14. East Cemetery Hill

15. high water mark.

Pickett’s Charge on July 3 rd , 1863 saw 12,000 Confederate soldiers charge across an open field and uphill to try to dislodge the Union forces on Cemetery Ridge.

Decimated by Union artillery, the Confederates managed to briefly breach the low stone wall at The Angle but were unable to hold the position and eventually fell back to cover at Seminary Ridge before withdrawing completely.

This area is known as the High Water Mark of the Confederacy because it’s the furthest north the Confederate army ever reached.

After the Battle at Gettysburg, General Lee withdrew his forces and his northern campaign for the Army of Northern Virginia ended.

16. National Cemetery

The Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the American Civil War , over 51,000 casualties in three days. ( Common confusion: the Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest single-day battle with almost 23,000 casualties.)

The aftermath of the battle was horrendous. Where do you bury that many people at one time? The summer heat and fears of disease meant most were hastily buried in shallow graves across the farm fields where they fell.

The governor of Pennsylvania quickly heeded the call from Gettysburg residents to establish a central cemetery.

Land was purchased by the state of Pennsylvania and thousands of Union soldiers were exhumed from their hasty graves and reburied with proper grave markers at the newly created National Cemetery on the ridge they had died to protect.

The Confederate graves were mostly relocated to southern states’ cemeteries in the decade after the end of the war. However, a few still remain in Gettysburg.

The national cemetery also has a monument to President Abraham Lincoln and features a bust in the center and the words of his Gettysburg Address inscribed in the stone behind him.

Lincoln did not give the speech at this site, but the brick stage across from his monument has been used by many Presidents since to give speeches.

Other Things to Do at Gettysburg National Military Park

There is so much to do at Gettysburg, but with one day to spare a self-guided driving tour is a great option!

Have more time to spend in Gettysburg? You could:

• View the Museum, film, and Cyclorama painting at the Visitor Center
• See the David Wills’ House and the Gettysburg Train Station in town
• Take a guided bus tour or personalized licensed battlefield guide around the battlefield
• Visit the Eisenhower National Historic Site , right next to the Gettysburg Battlefield

Looking for other things to do near Gettysburg?

• Explore Antietam National Battlefield
• 15 Fun Things to Do in Harpers Ferry, WV
• First-Timer’s Guide to Cuyahoga Valley National Park
• Take a Self-Guided Tour of Washington, DC’s Monuments at Night

Happy Travels!

About the Author : Rachel Means

With six-figure student loan debt and only 10 PTO days per year, Rachel started traveling the world. A decade later, she’s paid off her loans, changed careers, and been to 36 US states and 14 countries. She’s an expert at planning and budgeting for travel and loves to help others do it, too! Read her full story here.

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This post has 2 comments.

I love history and would definitely like to do this tour.

That was a very descriptive blog on Gettysburg and it’s historical significance! Loved reading it.

Comments are closed.

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Gettysburg national military park announces the licensed battlefield guide licensing process and written exam date.

Contact: Angie Atkinson , 717-338-4435

GETTYSBURG, PA – Gettysburg National Military Park is pleased to announce it will be hosting a Licensed Battlefield Guide exam in 2024. Licensed Battlefield Guides are the only individuals licensed by Gettysburg National Military Park to provide historical tours of the battlefield to the public for a fee, a service which has operated since 1915. Today the Licensed Battlefield Guide program consists of approximately 130 individuals who provide this unique experience for park visitors. The Licensed Battlefield Guide licensing process consists of four tiers: the written exam, the panel interview, the field practicum, and the oral exam. Candidates must meet the requirements of each tier in succession to become a Licensed Battlefield Guide. Once licensed, those individuals must also attend a mandatory information and orientation session. The written exam, the first part of this intense multi-tiered process, will be given on Saturday, December 7, 2024, at the Harrisburg Area Community College-Gettysburg Campus from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. More detailed information about the overall licensing process, and a letter detailing the written exam application is available on the park’s website at www.nps.gov/gett . Gettysburg National Military Park is a unit of the National Park Service that preserves and protects the resources associated with the Battle of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg National Cemetery and provides an understanding of the events that occurred there within the context of American History. Information is available at www.nps.gov/gett .

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Last updated: March 21, 2024

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Best Driving Vacations 2024: Take a Battlefield Tour of Pennsylvania and Maryland

Today we continue on our journey highlighting four of the best driving destinations from central Ohio.

With a focus on the creme de la creme — vital, accessible and unforgettable voyages that every central Ohio resident should put on his or her bucket list — we offer suggestions that will appeal to most everyone.

From a circle tour of “our Great Lake” to the architectural wonders of a modernist sister city three hours away, these four extraordinary adventures are wonderful ways to widen your horizons in 2024.

More: Best Driving Vacations 2024: Explore the Northern Shore of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Today's installment is Part 2 of 4 destination packages from Columbus Monthly's annual travel guide. We hope you enjoy.

Traveling to Gettysburg and Antietam

Not every traveler is a history buff. But a visit to Gettysburg, site of one of the most iconic and bloody battles of the Civil War, should probably be on every American’s bucket list. 

From Columbus, the drive takes a bit more than six hours. And a two- or three-day visit to the Pennsylvania landmark can easily include several other noteworthy sites along the way, including another important Civil War battlefield, the fort where George Washington suffered his most humiliating defeat and the memorial where the first Americans to fight back during 9/11 are commemorated. 

In addition to being a major historic site, Gettysburg is also a lovely small town adept at catering to the nearly 1 million visitors who arrive each year. Even visitors who never set foot in the Gettysburg National Military Park would find plenty to do. Town streets are packed with shopping, dining, breweries and wineries, hotels and inns, galleries and museums. But the battlefield should definitely be on the to-do list. 

More than 165,000 Union and Confederate soldiers clashed from July 1-3, 1863. The largest battle ever fought on this continent resulted in more than 51,000 casualties — and turned the tide of the war in favor of the Union. The battlefield Museum and Visitors Center includes 12 separate galleries, many interactive exhibits and thousands of artifacts on display. Visitors can also experience the Gettysburg Cyclorama, a painting in-the-round created in the 1880s that tells the story of the battle and is, itself, a magnificent piece of history. 

Plenty can also be discovered on a self-guided auto tour. The 6,000-acre battlefield is crossed by several small roads with plenty of places to pull off and explore the many monuments and markers that were erected in the decades after the battle. 

Bus tours are available from the visitor center. But the best way to tour the battlefield may be with a licensed guide in your own vehicle. Guides are happy to customize tours based on visitors’ interests and knowledge. 

Although the three-day Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, Antietam, near the village of Sharpsburg, Maryland, was the site of the war’s bloodiest single day — and the bloodiest day in American history, with some 23,000 casualties. Antietam National Battlefield is just an hour’s drive from Gettysburg, making it a logical stop for history-lovers passing through, or an easy daytrip for travelers extending their stay in the Pennsylvania town. 

Like Gettysburg, Antietam is dotted with monuments honoring the military units and men who served there. One of the most curious is a Brobdingnagian marker commemorating the service of a young commissary sergeant who went on to become President William McKinley. The monument celebrates McKinley’s efforts at bringing coffee and hot food to Union troops on the front lines. 

No, really. 

But if I were on the front, tired and hungry, I would certainly have welcomed and appreciated Sgt. Billy’s offerings. (Come to think of it, this might actually be the most noble act a future president has ever performed.) 

Fort Necessity National Battlefield

Southwestern Pennsylvania also hosts two other important historic sites along the route from central Ohio. Fort Necessity National Battlefield near Farmington, Pennsylvania, is a small historic site featuring a museum and the recreated fort where George Washington, as a very young lieutenant colonel, led a unit of British colonial troops to a humiliating defeat at the hands of the French in 1754. Though discouraged, Washington, of course, persevered, having much better luck decades later in the American Revolution. 

Few Americans who remember Sept. 11, 2001, can visit the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and not get a bit emotional. The memorial tells the story of the terrorist attacks on the United States that day and of the passengers on United Flight 93 who gave their lives fighting back against their hijackers, preventing their plane from being used as a weapon against another prominent target, possibly the U.S. Capitol. 

The memorial marks the site where the plane hit the ground, killing all aboard. In addition to a museum, the site features several trails, including the Trail of Remembrance along the final flight path. Also at the memorial is the Tower of Voices, a 93-foot-tall structure containing 40 large wind chimes, each tuned to a separate and distinct tone of its own — a haunting and fitting way to remember the 40 passengers and crew of Flight 93 and a bit of history many of us lived through ourselves. 

Where to Stay When Visiting Gettysburg

Gettysburg offers a wide variety of lodging options. The Gettysburg Hotel (est. 1797) is a historic property at the heart of downtown with rates from $118 per night. For a cozier stay, consider the Brafferton Inn , with rooms beginning around $110 per night, or Battlefield Bed and Breakfast in a restored 1810 farmhouse, with rooms beginning around $210 per night. hotelgettysburg.com , brafferton.com , gettysburgbattlefield.com   

This story is from the Best Driving Vacations package in the February 2024 issue of Columbus Monthly. 

This article originally appeared on Columbus Monthly: Best Driving Vacations 2024: Take a Battlefield Tour of Pennsylvania and Maryland

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At Sequoia National Park, staff can support autistic travelers by helping customize an itinerary to meet their needs.

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The sense of peace is palpable along the Big Trees Trail in California’s Sequoia National Park. All around my family, 2,000-year-old giant sequoia trees—some of the world’s oldest and largest—stand in quiet solitude in a mountain landscape suited specifically to their needs. My teenage son Bennett, who has autism, feels grounded here, too. Though he struggles to verbalize his feelings, I can tell by his calm behavior: Instead of fidgeting, he is perfectly happy to sit on a bench in the grove and look up at the trees.

Large crowds or long waits can be a challenge when we travel. We’ve come prepared with a sensory kit provided by our hotel in Visalia, a gateway town to Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks. It’s also an autism-certified city , a designation from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards for places that train staff in all sectors—including hospitality—to serve those on the spectrum. But it’s shoulder season and my husband, son, and I have the Giant Forest to ourselves—we don’t need the fidget toys that can help relieve anxiety for kids on the spectrum. Instead, nature is helping in that department.

Nature therapy

From a young age, we noticed that being active outdoors had a calming effect on our son. For individuals on the autism spectrum, immersion in the natural world has been shown to help with focus and self-regulation. In Canada, where we live, doctors can even prescribe forest visits for everyone to improve health—spending time in nature is proven to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, alleviate anxiety, and boost mood.

Given these health benefits, we include outside time on every trip. We’ve watched sea lions and blue-footed boobies in Loreto Bay National Marine Park in Mexico, kayaked in a cypress swamp near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and snorkeled off of Jamaica’s Seven Mile Beach from Beaches Negril, an autism-certified resort. Last year, while hiking at Haleakalā National Park on Maui, we learned that having a permanent disability like autism makes Bennett eligible for a free lifetime Access Pass from the U.S. National Park Service—a huge incentive for us to explore America’s protected wild places. (Although this pass is just for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, my son is a dual U.S. and Canadian citizen, like myself. At parks that charge fees per vehicle, it admits the pass owner and all passengers in the car. At sites where per-person fees are charged, it admits the pass owner plus three adults.)

But it’s not just Mother Nature working her magic in these parks: The National Park Service is starting to meet us halfway. Accessibility is top of mind at U.S. national parks, where inclusion is beginning to expand beyond physical accommodations like wheelchair access and ASL interpretation to include support for neurodiverse travelers in the form of social stories, sensory guides, and staff who can respond to families’ needs by suggesting calming spots or less-crowded trails.

“We’re starting to see a lot more families, and organizations that support people who are neurodiverse, coming to the parks and asking for [supports],” says Jeremy Buzzell, manager of the Park Accessibility for Visitors and Employees (PAVE) program with the National Park Service.

Parks are looking at how they communicate with visitors, and what support they can offer, through an autism or neurodivergent lens, says Buzzell, adding that hundreds of National Park Service staff have undergone online autism sensitivity training where they learned to recognize and respond to individuals on the spectrum, by asking families how they could help (rather than make assumptions) or offering suggestions and directions to quiet spaces.

The author’s son, Bennett, feeling grounded in Sequoia (left) and kayaking among seabirds in Channel Islands National Park (right)

Photos by Blake Ford and Lisa Kadane

How California parks are helping neurodiverse visitors

Before visiting Sequoia, we watched the park’s new accessibility film series to give Bennett an idea of what to expect in the park. To avoid crowds, which can be a trigger for autistic people, we arrive early to see popular attractions like Tunnel Log, then head for spots that are less busy. This is how we end up on the Big Trees Trail rather than visiting the General Sherman Tree, which park staff warn us can be crowded with a long line for a photo op.

“Our biggest tip [for travelers with autism] would be to stop by a visitor center and let them know what your needs are,” says Sintia Kawasaki-Lee, communications officer for Sequoia and Kings Canyon. “Our park staff would be more than happy to help you customize an itinerary to meet those needs.”

Families can also sign up for a private tour with Sequoia Parks Conservancy , a park partner with experience leading programs for families with a member on the spectrum. These tailored tours, which cost $125 per hour for a group of up to 12, highlight the park’s quieter areas or zero in on a specific interest, like looking for insects along the Tokopah Falls Trail, says program coordinator Rebecca Jones.

Channel Islands, one of the state’s least-visited national parks, which we visited prior to Sequoia, highlights tactile exhibits in its visitor center, and the park’s online accessibility guide suggests quiet spots where travelers can go to decompress. The park also warns of loud noises from seabirds and sea lions; rather than startle Bennett, the screeching and barking gave him a case of the giggles.

At Death Valley, a digital sensory guide rates how the park’s often harsh landscapes impact various senses. There’s also a series of online “social stories,” which are digital booklets that prepare neurodiverse visitors by describing aspects of the park so they know what to expect.

Death Valley also loans out sensory kits with tools like polarized sunglasses, noise-canceling headphones, and a cooling towel and squirt bottle, to help sensitive individuals cope with the park’s extreme sun, wind, and heat. On a previous trip, we came prepared with a hat, shades, and water, and Bennett didn’t seem to mind the gales at Badwater Basin or getting sand in his shoes at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.

Cognitive inclusion at other National Park Service sites

Cognitive accessibility awareness isn’t limited to national parks in California. National historic sites and preserves are supporting neurodiversity across the country.

Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania held its first “sensory friendly day” in 2023, where park staff turn off the battle sounds, hand out fidget toys, and offer a quiet room for guests who need a bit more help regulating.

“We’ve been blown away by the response,” says Christopher Gwinn, chief of interpretation and education at Gettysburg. Nearly 200 visitors participated in the two 2024 events that have already taken place. There are plans to make the program more regular.

At Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Illinois, tips for visitors with cognitive or learning disabilities are posted online , and sensory kits are available at the visitor center front desk. In Kentucky, Mammoth Cave National Park prepares neurodiverse travelers for the dark, crowded, and potentially claustrophobic cave tours by letting them know exactly what to expect while underground via detailed descriptions available online. (Those with cognitive disabilities are encouraged to let rangers know if there might be concerns.)

And guests who use visual schedules are in luck at Big Thicket National Preserve in Texas, where the visitor center lends out Velcro task boards so families can plot their day exploring the park’s forests, bogs, and bayous (sensory kits are available, too). Similarly, this summer Yellowstone National Park is launching picture-based communication boards that will help families with a neurodiverse member plan their time in the park.

“We are seeing more parks that are interested in these [kinds of tools],” says Buzzell. “We’re headed in the right direction.”