The Union Hotel – Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Our Favorite Reasons to Visit Gettysburg This Fall
Gettysburg Events for the Best Getaway in PA
A Gettysburg getaway hits differently once the summer crowds thin out and the maples along the battlefield start to turn. From early September through the last weekend of November, Adams County settles into its best season: cooler mornings, a packed calendar of harvest festivals, and some of the most striking fall color in Pennsylvania. Whether you’re chasing craft cider, walking the battlefield at golden hour, or looking for a little Halloween mischief, this is the moment to plan your trip. There are so many great things to do in Gettysburg!
When to Go and What to Expect
Fall temperatures in Gettysburg are ideal for exploring on foot. Mornings run in the 60s, afternoons warm up comfortably, and evenings call for a light jacket. Color starts appearing as early as September, with peak fall foliage typically arriving in mid to late-October. If you’re timing your trip around the leaves, check a Pennsylvania foliage tracker before locking in dates, since the shift can vary by a week or two each year.
Gettysburg Events & Festivals
The season opens with the Gettysburg Wine & Music Festival in September, a relaxed, walkable event featuring local wineries and live music. It’s a good reminder that Adams County’s agricultural roots go well beyond apples.
Speaking of apples, the National Apple Harvest Festival runs two weekends in October with apple butter kettles, craft vendors, and locally made cider drawing visitors from across the state. Nearby, PippinFest takes over historic Fairfield in September, mixing small-town charm with craft vendors and food, plus a bit of extra flair this year as part of America’s 250th anniversary programming.
Mid-October through early November is when the Gettysburg National Military Park hits peak color, and misty mornings across the battlefield add real atmosphere to an already historic setting. November brings two of the most meaningful dates on the calendar: the Remembrance Day Parade honoring the soldiers who fought here, and Dedication Day, marking Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. This year’s “Shall Not Perish” program ties both events into the town’s 250th commemoration.
For a different perspective on the battlefield, Horse Tours of Gettysburg offers two-hour rides across the same ground Union and Confederate cavalry once crossed. Their new History and Haunts tour covers the same terrain after dark, for visitors who want their history with a little more edge. As the season winds down, the Gettysburg Battlefield Illumination places thousands of luminaries across the battlefield to honor the fallen. It’s quiet, moving, and one of the best ways to close out a Gettysburg getaway.
Ghost Tours and Halloween Happenings
Gettysburg’s history makes it a natural fit for the spookier side of fall. Evening ghost walks and paranormal tours run year-round but pick up considerably in October. Gettysburg Ghost Tours offers everything from cemetery walks to spirit-focused pub crawls. The town also throws a Halloween dance party and parade on October 20, bringing a lighter, more playful energy to the historic downtown, and watching trick-or-treaters make their way up and down the street in costume is one of the small pleasures of visiting this time of year.
Choose a Historic Gettysburg Hotel
Where you stay is one of the important parts of your getaway! The Union Hotel sits right in downtown Gettysburg, steps from Lincoln Square and the battlefield, shops, and restaurants. With twelve recently remodeled suites, free parking, and Sign of the Buck, the hotel’s own farm-to-table restaurant, just downstairs, it’s the ideal spot to make your lodging. After a day of orchard-hopping or walking the battlefield, coming back to a boutique property in the middle of it all makes the whole trip easier to enjoy.
Fall is simply the best time to visit Gettysburg, whether you’re coming for the first cider pressing in September or the Illumination in late November. Pick your festivals, book your stay at one of Gettysburg’s historic hotels, and let the season do the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to visit Gettysburg?
Most visitors find fall, particularly mid-September through mid-November, to be the best time to visit Gettysburg. Temperatures are mild, the battlefield is at its most photogenic, and the town’s festival calendar is at its fullest.
What is the best time of year to see fall foliage in Gettysburg?
Color typically begins in early September and peaks in mid-October, though it can shift by a week or two depending on the year.
What events take place in Gettysburg in the fall?
Fall events include the Gettysburg Wine & Music Festival, the National Apple Harvest Festival, PippinFest, Remembrance Day, Dedication Day, the Halloween parade, and the Gettysburg Battlefield Illumination.
What are the best boutique hotels in Gettysburg?
The Union Hotel is one of downtown Gettysburg’s few remaining historic hotels, offering twelve remodeled suites, a central Chambersburg Street location near Lincoln Square, and its own restaurant, Sign of the Buck.
The Best Things to Do in Gettysburg, PA, this Year
Things to Do in Gettysburg That Bring History to Life
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, packs more of the American story into ten square miles than almost anywhere else in the country. Three days in July of 1863 decided the direction of a nation on these fields, and today those same ridges, orchards, and stone walls draw visitors who want more than a quick photo stop. Whether you have a full weekend or just an afternoon, there are enough things to do in Gettysburg to fill an itinerary with real substance.
Start at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center. The exhibits give you the context you need before you head out onto the actual battlefield, where a Licensed Battlefield Guide can turn a self-guided drive into something far richer, walking you through individual regiments, decisive turns, and the ground each side fought to hold. Make time to cross Sachs Covered Bridge, a wooden span that carried both Union and Confederate troops during the fighting and still stands today.
The history continues at Soldiers’ National Cemetery, where Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address and thousands of Union soldiers are buried. Next door, Evergreen Cemetery holds the graves of Jennie Wade, the only civilian killed during the battle, and John Burns, the 69-year-old local who picked up a musket to fight alongside Union troops. Both sites offer a quieter, less crowded counterpoint to the main battlefield tour.
For a more immersive angle, catch one of the seasonal battle reenactments, where costumed historians stage camp life and artillery demonstrations, or book a Gettysburg ghost tour that blends Civil War history with local legend. The Beyond the Battle Museum fills in what daily life looked like for residents before, during, and after the war, and the Jennie Wade House and Shriver House Museum let you walk through homes that were directly caught in the crossfire.
Gettysburg rewards a slower pace too. Ride the Gettysburg Railway through the rolling farmland of Adams County, known as Pennsylvania’s Fruit Belt for its apple orchards. Stop at Ploughman Cider Taproom on Lincoln Square for cider and live music, or work your way through Fourscore Beer Co., Michaux Brewing, Adams County Winery, and Mason Dixon Distillery for a full taste of the region. Downtown shopping rounds things out, with independent shops like Lark, Gettysburg Goods, and Gallery 30 alongside a new antique shop on Chambersburg Street.
Where to Stay: Hotels in Gettysburg Worth Booking Direct
Among hotels in Gettysburg, the Union Hotel puts you a half block from Lincoln Square, within easy walking distance of the battlefield, the cemeteries, and downtown dining. Our twelve suites, built into a property with roots dating to 1804, feel more like private apartments than hotel rooms, with cozy seating areas and kitchenettes. Free parking and a continental breakfast round out the stay, and our own restaurant, Sign of the Buck, was recently voted Gettysburg’s best by readers of Celebrate Gettysburg magazine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to tour Gettysburg battlefield?
Most visitors start at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center for context, then book a Licensed Battlefield Guide, who can ride along in your vehicle or walk the grounds with you and explain what happened at each stop.
How long does it take to tour Gettysburg battlefield?
A guided battlefield tour typically runs two to three hours, though many visitors spend a full day pairing the battlefield with the cemeteries and museums nearby.
Is Gettysburg haunted?
Gettysburg has a long-standing reputation for paranormal activity tied to its Civil War history, and several local companies run ghost tours through downtown and near the battlefield that explore this folklore alongside the historical record.
What to do in Gettysburg beyond the battlefield?
Beyond the battlefield, popular options include the Gettysburg Railway, downtown shopping, and Adams County’s cideries, breweries, and wineries, several of which are within walking distance of Lincoln Square.
Can you drive through Gettysburg battlefield?
Yes, the National Military Park includes roads that allow visitors to drive the battlefield at their own pace, though a guided tour adds context you won’t get on a self-directed drive.