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Published: 12/4/2023
A Visit to Gettysburg, PA in Winter
While the battle of Gettysburg raged for three days in early July 1863, you don’t have to wait until summer to visit this historic town in southern Pennsylvania.
In late February 2018, we stopped in Gettysburg, PA for an overnight on our way to Washington DC. During our brief winter visit, we toured the battlefield, checked out the restaurant scene, and generally enjoyed Gettysburg’s smalltown charms.
If winter’s the only time you can visit, I can assure you that Gettysburg makes an excellent cold-weather destination. In this post, I’ll cover what weather to expect when you visit Gettysburg in winter, the best way to tour the battlefield in colder (and sometimes rainy or snowy) weather, and other fun, non-Civil War things to do around town. Since Gettysburg days are markedly shorter in winter, I’ll also cover what to do in Gettysburg after dark.
Even if you’re not Civil War buff (I’m not – although I do highly recommend a stop to Fort McAllister if you ever find yourself in the Savannah area), Gettysburg makes a great weekend getaway. It’s also the perfect distance for Washington DC for a day trip.
Read on to start exploring Gettysburg in winter!
How To Get to Gettysburg, PA
If you’ve taken any American history courses, you definitely know that Gettysburg is Pennsylvania. This town of approximately 7500 residents is best known for being the site of the most northerly battle in the American Civil War.
However, you’ll definitely be forgiven if you can’t point out the small town’s exact location on a map of Pennsylvania. It wasn’t until I visited that I realized just how close Gettysburg is to other East Coast destinations like Washington DC and Baltimore.
With its rural location in south-central Pennsylvania, it’s most common to drive to Gettysburg. In fact, since both the nearest airport and train station are located in Harrisburg about 35 miles way, you’ll definitely end up renting a car for at least the final part of your journey to Gettysburg.
Even once you’ve arrived in Gettysburg, a car comes in very handy. The town and its sites are pretty spread out. That’s not to say that Gettysburg isn’t walkable, but especially in during the winter, you may before the comfort of your car over trudging through the cold.
We stopped over in Gettysburg on our way from Ann Arbor, MI to Washington D.C. As a Midwesterner who thinks nothing of driving 5 hours to an airport, I was shocked that it’s just an 8-hour drive from Ann Arbor to the famous battlefield!
Moral of the story: if you’re in Ohio or Michigan‘s lower peninsula, don’t write off Gettysburg as a long weekend winter destination!
Drivetimes to Gettysburg, PA
Harrisburg, PA to Gettysburg: 45 minutes
Baltimore, MD to Gettysburg: 1.5 hours
Washington DC to Gettysburg: 2 hours
Philadelphia, PA to Gettysburg: 2.5 hours
Pittsburgh, PA to Gettysburg: 3.5 hours
Winter Weather in Gettysburg, PA
Make sure you take a look at the weather forecast before you head to Gettysburg.
As romantic as a snow-dusted Gettysburg sounds, that’s often not the winter reality here. While snow’s common during Gettysburg winters, the average winter high of 39F means snow cover comes and goes. Don’t be surprised if you find a stark, drizzly landscape.
I don’t think we saw the sun once during our late February visit. Temperatures hovered in the high 30s and low 40s. We spent parts of two days on the battlefield and a light drizzle fell the entire time. Regardless of when you visit Gettysburg in winter, don’t forget to bring waterproof shoes, plenty of layers, a warm waterproof jacket, hat, and mittens.
The Best Things To Do in Gettysburg during a winter visit
1. Explore the Gettysburg National Battlefield: No matter what time of year you visit Gettysburg, this is the number one thing to do in town. It’s certainly why we stopped. While winter can be cold and windy, it also means decidedly fewer visitors.
2. Visit a museum: If you want a little more context for what you’re seeing on the battlefield, hit up one of Gettysburg’s museums. We visited the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center which is located right inside the National Military Park. The museum offers extensive exhibits as well as a film. Other museums to visit include the Jennie Wade House, Shriver House Museum, and the Gettysburg Heritage Center.
3. Take a Historic Walking Tour of Downtown Gettysburg: Although we didn’t have a chance during our short visit, I think a walking tour through the historic Gettysburg downtown would be the best way to learn more about the town, the role it played in the Civil War, and some backstories of notable town residents.
4. Check out Gettysburg’s food and drink scene: We had a fun night out at the Garryowen Irish Pub and enjoyed their authentic pub fare and Irish beers and whiskeys. You have plenty of other options including breweries like Fourscore Beer Co., Ploughman Cider Tap Room, Dobbin House Tavern, and The Gettysburger Company. I round up some favorite Gettysburg restaurants a little later in this post.
5. Grab a warm drink from Bantam Coffee Roasters: To warm up after our chilly time exploring the battlefield, we hit up Eighty-Two Café. Now Bantam Coffee Roasters, it’s a great spot to grab a latte or muffin whether you’re hitting the road like we did or wandering through Gettysburg’s historic downtown.
Tips for Visiting Gettysburg National Battlefield in the winter
Hit up the visitor center first thing
It doesn’t matter if the winter weather turns sour when you’re inside the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center. I definitely recommend stopping here first before touring the battlefield.
We toured the Visitor Center after our time on the battlefield and those of us less familiar with the minutia of the three-day battle definitely would have benefited from taking in the visitor center’s extensive collection of Civil War artifacts, interactive exhibits, and multimedia presentations before touring the battlefield.
Do the car tour
Another great way to see the Gettysburg National Battlefield in winter is the self-guided driving tour. Just sync this narrated guide to Gettysburg with your car’s audio system and voila, you’re set to enjoy the sites and stories of Gettysburg from the warmth and comfort of your car.
While you can certainly just drive the well-marked tour and read the posted placards at the battlefield’s major historical stops like McPherson Ridge, the Railroad Cut, Eternal Light Peace Memorial, and Little Round Top, we found the audio tour really enhanced our experience. I highly recommend it if you’re not a Civil War/Gettysburg enthusiast. The narration really helped me understand what I was looking.
Just keep in mind that the entire self-guided tour usually takes about two to three hours, depending on if you get out of the car and explore each stop on foot. If that’s more time than you were planning to devote to driving the battlefield, I give you full permission to just listen to the narration about the stops you’re most interested in.
Personally, we skipped several of the stops and still had an educational and rewarding time on the battlefield.
Hike up Little Round Top
While Little Round Top is currently closed for renovations (it will reopen in 2024) our quick hike up Little Round Top was a highlight of our winter visit. In the stark winter landscape, you get a great panoramic view of the battlefield. The view of Devil’s Den is particularly striking. You can also spy the Wheatfield and Peach Orchard. It’s must-see Gettysburg stop to gain a better sense of the battle’s overall layout.
Drive or walk through all the monuments on Hancock Avenue
If you’re short on time or just aren’t that interested in Civil War history, I think the one thing everyone should do at Gettysburg National Battlefield is take in the monuments along Hancock Avenue. This was our first stop at the battlefield when we arrived in Gettysburg. It was particularly poignant walking among the stately stone monuments as darkness fell.
The most dramatic monument along Hancock Avenue is, not surprisingly, the Pennsylvania State Monument. Also the largest monument on the battlefield, this stone shrine commemorates the 34,530 Pennsylvania soldiers who fought at Gettysburg.
Individual monuments stand for each of the Union states whose soldiers fought in the battle. If you read the informational plaque, I think you’ll realize that the Minnesota regiment basically saved the union. You’re welcome!
Along the avenue, you’ll also find the High Water Mark monument, which marks the climax of the Confederate’s final, desperate attack: Pickett’s Charge. Nearby is the Copse of Trees where the Union line held firm against Pickett’s Charge.
Pay your respects to the fallen in the Gettysburg National Cemetery
Gettysburg National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 3,500 soldiers who gave their lives during the Battle of Gettysburg. It feels a little disingenuous to visit a place of such high loss of life and not acknowledge the sacrifice made by so many here. The cemetery’s most famous feature is the Soldiers’ National Monument, located where Abraham Lincoln delivered his iconic Gettysburg Address.
What to do after dark in Gettysburg in the winter
You don’t have to call it a day just because the sun sets early during Gettysburg winters. Here are some fun “after dark” winter activities in Gettysburg to check out:
Try local ciders, beers, wines, and spirits
Enjoy a happy hour at Ploughman Cider Taproom right in downtown Gettysburg and sample some of their small plates. There are several other breweries and distilleries to check out as well, so if you like a good flight, you can keep yourself busy for hours in Gettysburg!
Enjoy a Ghost Tour with Ghosts of Gettysburg
It seems like any town with a Civil War connection loves a good ghost tour and Gettysburg is no exception. If you’re looking for a “haunting” experience, check out the Civil War Ghosts Walking Tour.
Catch a Show at the Majestic Theater
Be sure to preview the event calendar at Gettysburg College’s Majestic Theatre before your visit. One of their concerts, plays, musicals, or films is the perfect way to close out your winter evening in Gettysburg.
Where To Stay in Gettysburg
We stayed in the Comfort Suites near Gettysburg Battlefield Visitor Center and had a nice, no frills stay. The free breakfast was much appreciated!
While I booked the hotel because of its proximity to the battlefield, in reality, we had to drive back into Gettysburg’s downtown to access the battlefield’s interior highlights like Hancock Avenue. While the hotel abuts the National Cemetery, it wasn’t as easy to explore the battlefield straight from our hotel as I’d hoped. Still, I think it’s a nice budget place to stay in Gettysburg.
Next time, since you end up driving around the vast battlefield anyway, I’d probably opt for a less generic Gettysburg lodging option.
You have plenty of historic inns and hotels to choose from including The Gettysburg Hotel in downtown Gettysburg which dates back to 1797. For a luxury bed and breakfast experience, consider the Inn at White Oak, which is located on a large estate north of Gettysburg.
Gettysburg’s Best Restaurants
Gettysburg has plenty of restaurants to choose from to deliciously close out your day. We really enjoyed our experience at Garryowen Irish Pub.
Located right on Gettysburg’s main drag, the dark pub area is the perfect spot for a pint or whiskey before enjoying some classic Irish dishes like fish and chips (using PA’s finest Yuengling beer for the batter), shepherd’s pie, or Irish stew in their elegant dining area. I recommend grabbing a Smithwicks Red Ale, which they have on tap. I developed a taste for this beer during my time in Ireland and it really is best as a draft.
For another fun pub experience, check out Dobbin House Tavern. This restaurant serves up American fare in the oldest house in Gettysburg. Built in 1776, this stone building near the battlefield is as old as America! The Dobbin House Tavern offers both casual and fine dining options. For fine dining, make reservations about a week in advance.
Other restaurants to check out in Gettysburg include Montezuma, Sign of the Buck, and Food 101.
Wrap-up: A Winter Guide to Gettysburg
A winter visit to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is an experience that merges history, culture, and small-town charm.
No matter the weather, you can make the most of your time at the National Battlefield by touring the visitor center and using the driving tour. If the weather’s cooperating, consider adding a hike up Little Round Top to get a spectacular view of Devil’s Den that’s especially sweeping in winter.
Away from the battlefield, there are plenty of fun restaurants, taprooms, and tours to explore downtown Gettysburg as daylight wanes.
If you’re an American history buff, Gettysburg’s truly a must-see destination. I think you’ll find visiting historic town and battlefield in winter a quiet, rewarding experience.
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