Free & Cheap Things to Do in Gettysburg

History & Military Sites

The 6,000-acre battlefield where Union and Confederate forces fought July 1-3, 1863. Free auto tour with 16 stops, free walking trails to Little Round Top, Big Round Top, Devils Den, and the High Water Mark. Ranger-led programs run May-October. The $20.75 Film/Cyclorama/Museum combo at the Visitor Center is the optional indoor add-on.

Address: 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, PA 17325

Tip: Pick up the free auto tour CD or download the NPS app for self-guided narration. Active military and kids 5-under FREE on the indoor combo; SNAP/EBT cardholders also free via Museums for All. Sunrise and sunset on Little Round Top are the iconic photographer's hours.

Historic Sites

The free, NPS-managed cemetery where President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863. Over 3,500 Union soldiers killed at Gettysburg are buried here in semicircles by state. The original Civil War section remains known as the Soldiers' National Cemetery, now part of the broader Gettysburg National Cemetery; the 1912 Lincoln Speech Memorial marks the country's only monument dedicated to a speech.

Address: Taneytown Rd & Baltimore St, Gettysburg, PA 17325

Tip: Free; walk in from the Visitor Center (about a quarter mile). Guided National Cemetery tours run daily at 11am and 3pm, meeting inside the Taneytown Gate. The approximate Address location is marked near the Soldiers' National Monument.

Museums & Culture

A free private museum on Lincoln Square with 4,000+ artifacts spanning the Civil War, WWI, WWII, and modern presidents. Collections include the Pfeffer collection of Pickett's Charge relics, the Robert L. White JFK collection, the Captain Good Battle of Gettysburg artifacts, and the Major Dick Winters (Band of Brothers) collection.

Address: 17 Lincoln Square, Gettysburg, PA 17325

Tip: Free admission; donations appreciated. Located in the historic Antiques at 17 on the Square building. Allow 60-90 minutes — the collection is denser than its size suggests. Pair with Lincoln Square walking tour (markers and Lincoln statue).

Historic Sites

Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower's 690-acre Gettysburg farm — Ike's only permanent home, where he hosted world leaders during his presidency and retired in 1961. The NPS now offers FREE self-guided tours of the home and grounds (tickets no longer required for individuals or families).

Address: 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, PA 17325

Tip: Drive directly to the Eisenhower farm or take the shuttle from the NMP Visitor Center (shuttle $9.75 adult, only required for groups 20+). The home is preserved exactly as the Eisenhowers left it. Park free at the farm visitor area.

Historic Sites

An 1854 Town truss covered bridge over Marsh Creek south of Gettysburg, designated Pennsylvania's "most historic bridge" in 1938 and listed on the National Register. Both Union and Confederate armies crossed it during the Battle of Gettysburg — the Union I Corps used it on July 1, 1863. Pedestrian-only since 1968.

Address: Sachs Rd & Waterworks Rd, Gettysburg, PA 17325

Tip: Free roadside parking. Sunrise/sunset photography is the marquee draw — the bridge sits low over the creek surrounded by cornfields. About a 10-minute drive south of Gettysburg downtown. Pet-friendly.

Parks & Nature

A 609-acre nonprofit nature preserve in Fairfield (10 miles southwest of Gettysburg) with 10+ miles of free, dog-friendly trails through the Blue Ridge foothills — rock formations, scenic vistas, glades, and the Swamp/Middle Creek swimming holes. Free drop-in monthly guided hikes.

Address: 61 Sanders Rd, Fairfield, PA 17320

Tip: Trails open dawn to dusk daily. Restrooms (composting), picnic tables, and a pavilion onsite. The streamside trails are family-friendly; the longer ridge trails are moderately steep. Call (717) 642-5840 for the program calendar.

Parks & Nature

A free 1,125-acre PA state park 15 miles west of Gettysburg along US-30. The Appalachian Trail crosses through, joining 10 miles of well-maintained day-use trails. The park sits on the site of Thaddeus Stevens's 1837 Caledonia iron furnace, burned by Confederate forces in 1863. No entrance fee, no vehicle fee.

Address: 101 Pine Grove Rd, Fayetteville, PA 17222

Tip: Open sunrise to sunset year-round. Free day-use; pool admission $7 in season. Thaddeus Stevens Historical Trail is the marquee interpretive walk. Combine with a section of the Appalachian Trail for a longer day.

Historic Sites

Established 1867 by the Sons of Goodwill (Adams County's African American community) to bury Black Civil War veterans denied burial in the whites-only Soldiers' National Cemetery. Over 450 African Americans rest here including ~30 U.S. Colored Troops (USCT) Civil War veterans. A walkable distance from the National Cemetery.

Address: Long Lane, Gettysburg, PA 17325

Tip: Open daily. The Lincoln Cemetery Project Association is identifying 136 unmarked graves and erecting headstones — donations support the work. Pair with Soldiers' National Cemetery for the fuller story of who was honored and who wasn't.

Museums & Culture

A meticulously restored 1860 home on Baltimore Street that tells the civilian side of the Battle of Gettysburg — George, Hettie, Sadie (7), and Mollie (5) Shriver's experience as Confederate sharpshooters occupied their attic. Guided tours in period attire bring the antebellum and Civil War years to life.

Address: 309 Baltimore St, Gettysburg, PA 17325

Tip: Open daily April-October; weekends only February-March and November-December; closed January. Tours run roughly hourly. The attic Confederate sharpshooter evidence is the marquee surprise. Walking distance to Lincoln Square downtown.

Shopping & Strolling

Downtown Gettysburg's compact historic core radiates from Lincoln Square — the Diamond traffic circle where Lincoln addressed the town the night before the Gettysburg Address. Free walking past Civil War–era buildings, James Gettys statue, Lincoln statue, plus shops, restaurants, and the Wills House (currently closed for renovation).

Address: Lincoln Square, Gettysburg, PA 17325

Tip: Free street parking around the Square (1-2 hour limits in some spots). The free Gettysburg Museum of History is on the Square; the Shriver House is a 5-minute walk south. The David Wills House (free) is closed indefinitely for water-damage repairs — check NPS for reopening.