Gettysburg Day Trip from Washington DC

Washington D.C., United States of America

Journey into the picturesque countryside of Maryland and Pennsylvania on a day trip from Washington DC devoted to the historic battlefield of Gettysburg. You'll gain rich insights into an important part of America's heritage, and learn the story of the largest battle ever fought on US soil.

As you travel to Pennsylvania, relax and listen to as your guide identifies local points of interest.

When you arrive at Gettysburg you'll have time to explore the sights on your own. You'll see the Gettysburg Diorama, one of the largest miniature military dioramas in the country, for a narrated history of the Battle of Gettysburg, accompanied by sound and light effects.

While you tour the site, expert guides can provide essential background to the history of the famous battle.

Other highlights include:

• The restored home of George Washington Shriver
• The site where Confederate sharpshooters were killed
• The site where Civil War bullets and medical equipment were discovered 133 years later

This tour is seasonal and operates from March to November

USD $92.00

Review by: Rosie G	March 2012
viator did great with the bookings the trolley rides the moonlite tour and the wonderful day to gettysburg.

Review by: Mark M	October 2011
Informative ... yet, too much time on the bus. It would have been nice to actually walk the battlefield and reflect on what actually occured there 150 years ago. We spent no more than 15 minutes on the "hallowed ground". The information presented was highly technical (identification of specific regiments ... blah, blah, blah). I would have prefered raw numbers like .... 3,000 soldiers clashed right beyond that treeline and only 1,200 were able to live for another day to fight. Since there are few alternatives ... I'll recommend the trip.

Review by: Belle E	October 2011
This was an excellant tour. The bus was very comfortable for the long drive to and from Gettysburg. We stopped to view a large diarama of the area which helped to put the large acreage into perspective. The guide was easy to understand and very knowlegeable. Our bus driver showed the movie, "Gettysburg" while we drove to the site. We saw 1/2 of the movie going and the other 1/2 coming back to D.C. This also helped with the history lesson. At lunch time we were able to buy a fantastic home cooking buffett in the town for a very nominal fee and then went on to tour a family home that still stands after the conflict.

Review by: DAVID P	September 2011
An excellent day trip to an historic part of the country. Helpful staff, comfortable bus and a superb tour guide. Great food at General Pickett's Buffett (not to be missed at the price and all you can eat too). Gettysburg is a charming town, crammed with history. If I was planning a return I would book through Viator.

Review by: Nick S	August 2011
We stayed in DC for a week and this was definitely one of my favorite trips. Great info, great bus trip. Can't really complain. The tour guide on the bus and the ranger in Gettysburg provided great information and were well spoken. I would have liked to have had more time in Gettysburg so we may need to go back there as a separate trip altogether.

Review by: Kathryn N	August 2011
Really informative tour for everyone whether they have a detailed knowledge of the American Civil War or not! Great overview using the diarama in Getysburg itself before embarking on a 2 hour tour with a great local guide through the batlefields which are now beautiful countryside. An insight into the women and children left in Gettysburg and their every day lives is also really interesting in one of the downtown museums afterwards with some time for souvenir shopping before heading back to DC. Highly recommended!

Review by: Spiro J	August 2011
Not one for american history but well worth the effort. Excellent tour guide. Suggest shuttle service pick ups from hotels.

Review by: J D P	July 2011
It was great from beginning to end. The driver was very good and the on-board tour guide at Gettysburg was outstanding. We'd do it again.

Review by: P DENYER	June 2011
Excellent day out

Review by: michael d	June 2011
Excellent

Review by: Alan J	June 2011
Good value

Review by: Eddie F	June 2011
Trip to Gettysburg was good. Driver was knowledgeable and competent. Day at Gettysburg was good. Guide was amusing and informative. The battlefield itself is inspiring, especially for someone like me who has studied the battle but had not visited the site.

Review by: John B	June 2011
Blessed with good weather, I found this an excellent trip, with a very competent and knowledgeable guide (not least with regard to the delightful buffet lunch which most on the trip shared). Despite comments that I had read, it was quite easy to find the bus station above the Union Station at Washington and the Gray Line office.

Review by: Stephen B	June 2011
Great tour but an aweful lot to take in!

Review by: Lori B	June 2011
Great day from start to finish (almost......the bus air conditioning broke down on the way back to DC - 98 degrees outside!) The bus driver was knowledgeable, humorous, and sincerely apologetic about the lack of air conditioning. The tour of the battle field was very interesting and informative. I enjoyed touring the Shriver house in town also. I'd recommend this tour!

Review by: Charlie	June 2011
The trip was great. Both the driver and the tour guide was outstanding. I will certainly schedule future trips with Viator.

Review by: William S	May 2011
Bus trip and tour were 5 stars. The Gettysburg Diorama was cheezy and should be eliminated. The tour should just go to the Gettysburg Visitor Center and see the Cyclorama. A much better and moving experience (I have been there before). Also, a brief stop on the way out for snacks would have appreciated. It was after 2 pm when we ate. Otherwise, great tour!! Thanks!!! Bill

Review by: Sally R	May 2011
This is quite a long day trip as you leave Union Station at 8.00 am and do not get back in until at least 6.00 pm. (Worthwhile checking out the departure point before the trip as access to the bus station is not well signposted and hidden away on the upper floor.) The trip to Gettysburg is pleasant enough through some nice countryside. You get to watch one of many films made about the battle on the way there and on the way back. The visit to the Diorama is very informative. Trip around the battlefield is concise. Our guide Dale certainly knew his stuff and made our trip worthwhile. Be aware that you only get the chance to get off the coach on two occasions, the rest of the tour is very much "drive by". Do take advantage of the lunch stop at General Pickett's buffet ($8.50 all in). The tour around the Shriver House is very interesting and gives you a perspective on the battle from a town residents points of view. All in all a good value for money trip.

Review by: Peter W	May 2011
Excellent tour and commentary by the driver, would reccomend.

Review by: Julie M	May 2011
Thoroughly enjoyed this tour. Would highly recommend this tour. The tour guide that joined the bus at Gettysburg was amazing. The tour was what I expected and more.

Review by: Julie A	May 2011
Wonderful day trip, well worth the money I spent. My favorite part was the visit through the Shriver house. They really did a wonderful job of recreating the Shriver's story and I enjoyed every minute!

Review by: Andrea K P	April 2011
Too much information on war details. Would have liked to spend more time at the cemetary where Lincoln gave his Gettysburg Address, but they just dropped us off for 1/2 hour to the cemetary. Other then that, it was very interesting and beautiful countryside.

Review by: Matthew H	January 2011
Brilliant,informative, helpful. Great sights and descriptions, would highly reccommend

Review by: Marci G	November 2010
The trip to Gettysburg from Washington DC was flawless. The two hour bus ride felt more like 30 minutes. The scenery was beautiful, and they played a Gettysburg movie to give you some background. The diarama was very interesting, and our tour guide was a walking encyclopedia. I thought I knew what the battle of Gettysburg was all about before the trip. Boy was I wrong! All of the information is presented in such a way that even if you aren't a history buff, you will understand and retain a lot of what you hear. While we spent the majority of the tour on the bus, we stopped at all of the important sites and got to take quite a few photos. Lunch at General Pickett's was delicious! Homecooking the way mama would make it. And the Schriver House Museum was a great final touch. Overall very pleased with the tour. If you're going to be in the DC area, and you have an extra day to spare, I definitely recommend this tour!

Review by: Lisa H	November 2010
Excellent trip - have never encountered such informative guides - really new their stuff. The included trip to the restored home of George Washington Shriver is well worth seeing and really intersting. Lunch was fantastic value and a wide choice. Really excellent driver and guides. The diorama - although looking a little tired, gave an excellent perspective on the civil war.

Review by: John C	October 2010
The coach was comfortable, the trip ran on time and Jay (our driver) was a gem. The battlefield tour guide was knowledgeable and patient and humourous. The part of the tour where we experienced the diorama made sense of the battle and the visit to the house to gain some understanding of how the battle impinged upon the lives of the civilian population was a highlight, thanks in part to the warmth and Southern Hospitality of our guide. The problems came from the confused nature of the DVD shown on the journey to Gettysburg. There was little if any sense of place or direction. Too much time was given to filming the recreation rathre than giving the audience a deeper insight into the "structure" of the battle. My second criticism is very personal and aimed at the Pickett Buffet. Regrettably, General Pickett had his revenge on this gent from the North (of England) and my digestive system was "upset" for a good 48 hours.

Review by: John Y	October 2010
Tour bus driver provided only transport. Local (knowledgable) guides provided commentary & history details of three days of Civil War fighting at Gettysburg plus visit to home of local resident family at time of war. Detail was extensive. Perhaps not quite enough time to walk atound sites, to photograph and absorb the 'emotion/aura' of it all. Overall an excellent day program.

Review by: Ann M	October 2010
This was a fantastic tour - a wonderful DVD on the coach and a great commentary b y the driver and guide. I learned so much about the Battle at Gettysburg. the Diorama was really good too. Cannot rate it highly enough.

Review by: Terrence C	October 2010
My husband and I read The Killer Angels and watched the movie Gettysburg the week before our trip to D.C., so it was thrilling to see the battlefield and picture what went on there. It was a rainy day, but that didn't bother us too much. The guide was excellent. Home cooking at Pickett's Buffet was deliciious. Then we went into the town of Gettysburg and toured one of the homes. It was so interesting to hear what went on in the town during this time. You usually just think the turmoil was confined to the battlefield, but you could see the actual bullet holes in the brick and a ball imbedded in the front of one house. We were very satisfied with this tour and highly recommend it.

Review by: June L	October 2010
A highlight of our trip to DC. . Excellent driver and tour guide. Enjoyed our lunch at Colonel Pickets. Find out in advance where the bus departs from as it is an early start and Union Station is huge.Bus deck is up 2 escalators. turn by the shoe shine.

Review by: David G	September 2010
We all had a great time the bus driver was the best, she new her way around and did everything you could ask of anyone. Company has a great worker in her,

Review by: Gary S	September 2010
Thought the trip was first rate. Friendly knowledgeable people. Only complaint is that it was too short!! :-)

Review by: Lyn F	September 2010
Excellent trip, our driver was very friendly and informative. Would love to return and do some more Civil War history.

Review by: Vivian M	August 2010
The trip was run professionally and the guide was very knowledgeable. You also had plenty of time to take photos and to get mementoes of the trip.

Review by: Maximo F	August 2010
The battlefield experience could have been better if there where more stops that included walking the field. The bus made only 2 stops on the battlefield! In the details of the products, they promise a visit to Cemetery Ridge, where Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address; the bus never stopped in this place. If you do not like to walk, this would be for you. If you want to walk and stare and imagine what happened that day, this is not for you. This was a disappointment for me, coming from far away Chile. The Schriver House was very good. The tour guide was knowledgeable and personable. It was okay, but could have been better.

Review by: Roderick E	August 2010
An understanding of a civil war thet affected so many. An absolute slaughter over values beliefs and artefacts.

Review by: Stephen G	August 2010
Enjoyable day and many thanks to Al our excellent and very friendy bus driver.

Review by: Hazel K	July 2010
It was the 147th anniversary on the day we went to Gettysburg. We would have liked to see the re- enactments that were taking place throughout day rather than visiting the diorama, which was slightly boring, as we had already toured the battle sites in the morning.

Review by: Anonymous, United Kingdom	June 2010
A brilliant tour. It made my trip to DC even more memorable.

Review by: Brenda L, Ireland	June 2010
Most enjoyable day, my dad is a Civil War buff and even he had to admit that the tour guide Dave had an 'encyclopaedic' knowledge, and declared this trip the highlight of our 2-week visit from Ireland. Good idea to find out the departure location at Union Station before you go, it's a floor or two above ground level. We had a small spot of bother at check-in, because my voucher didn't print off the actual number of tickets booked 4 so I had to pay for 3 extra, but I contacted Viator on my return home and they have refunded my credit card, so 'well done' to them.

Review by: Anonymous, United States of America	May 2010
TOUR GUIDES WERE EXCELLENT

Review by: Michael M, Ireland	April 2010
Great day out Our bus driver was a gentleman and our guide on the battle field was very informative and had huge passion for his subject. The battle diorama was excellent

Review by: Timothy M, Ireland	March 2010
Thoroughly enjoyed the day, very interesting and informative. The Guide was excellent. The price was reasonable. Have no problem with highly recommending this trip. Very good choice of places to eat along the way and not rushed or hurried.

Review by: Philip M, United States of America	September 2009
The tour was an excellent presentation of the Gettysburg battlefield! I have one constructive criticism Please make the instructions on your website more clear as to where one picks up the bus at Union Station. They turned out not to be clear to out of towners like us! We booked online from California, and the instructions were to meet the bus outside at the bus stop area. We waited outside the building the Capitol side, buses came and went, but not ours. We called and were told to go inside and upstairs to the parking building! Had we not had a cell phone, we would have missed the bus! But the tour itself was fantastic!

Review by: Kevin S, United States of America	August 2009
This is the only way to see the battlefield! They do the driving and you get to look rather than drive. The guide was very informative and very interesting.

Review by: Stephen P, United States of America	August 2009
First-rate and memorable experience, from beginning to last. The bus was comfortable, the tour guide knowledgeable, and the battlefield site itself fascinating. It is, however, definitely worthwhile to read up beforehand and take some time to watch the fabulous movie Gettysburg, since having some background really added quality to the experience.

Review by: John P, United States of America	May 2009
Bus trip was relaxed. Guides were very informative--Gettysburg very interesting. All in all, a great way to spend the day learning and seeing history.

Review by: Glenn G, United States of America	April 2009
The pick up place was not clear at all, which almost caused us to miss the bus. Other than that the tour was wonderful! A must see for anyone visiting Washington. My only other complaint was the bus was not in good shape, and while the bus driver was on his phone describing to the dispatcher, the dispatcher seemed unconcerned. We felt the problems in the way the bus was riding. The bus driver was not exaggerating. It was not a sound bus for that trip.

Review by: Mary Kay B, United States of America	April 2009
Our bus driver was excellent, our Gettysburg tour guide was fantastic. The food was great. This is must do trip!!

Review by: Anonymous, United States of America	October 2008
WOW! What a fantastic trip! Viator hosted a very organized and professional trip. We met the Bus at the "sightseeing center" at Union station. The bus driver gave us an informed tour as we traveled through the lovely country side until we got to the small historic town. That's where we stopped for a bathroom/snack-food break. At this local location we also were asked to step into a small room in the back of the building, where they had a massive 3-d model of the battle. They gave us a short over view of the destructive battle that took place over a three day period. After the show, we met-up with our field tour-guide. A very nice local man that gave a detailed tour as we drove around the massive site. We stopped four times at battlefield spots - at each spot he gave a brief synopsis of what took place at these spots before we were aloud the walk freely around before continuing the tour. We stopped for lunch at a buffet restaurant. The food was home-made - yummy! We finally got back on the buss and made a final stop at the gigantic visitors center, where my wife bought every gift in sight. The bus took us back to D.C.