Things to do in Gettysburg

Gettysburg sits in Pennsylvania, not Virginia, despite its constant pairing with the Confederate battlefields to the south. It's the site of the best-known and bloodiest battle of the Civil War, with roughly 51,000 casualties over three days in July 1863, and the driving time from Washington runs about an hour to an hour and a half depending on traffic.

Gettysburg National Military Park itself is free to drive and walk, 24 hours a day, covering a battlefield large enough that a serious visit takes a full day, not a quick stop between other plans.

The museum and film at the visitor center, plus licensed battlefield guides through the Gettysburg Foundation, are separately ticketed add-ons, often mistaken for park admission itself, which stays free.