Both tourists and locals have to park in Gettysburg. It’s definitely worth visiting and shopping downtown, so don’t let parking deter you. Downtown is the best part of Gettysburg and it’s easy to park.
I’ve lived here for 30 years and I rarely have trouble parking. But realize you might need to walk a block or two.
Unless you are a Gettysburg resident, and unless you park in the garage, your parking will technically be limited to three hours. If you’re at a meter and you need more time, come back and re-feed your meter.
There is no grace period for borough meters. If your time is expired you will likely get a ticket.
If you’re in a non-metered space you are limited to two hours unless you have a permit.
Meters are easy to use. There are over 300 of them in the business district around the square. If you drive a bit around the blocks near the square you’ll almost certainly find an open metered space.
You can use the parking app to pay at the meters, and you can also use dimes and quarters. You’ll need 12 quarters to park for two hours near the square, however. Many locals keep a stash of quarters in their car.
Parking Tips:
There is a parking garage, located at 74 East Racehorse Alley, just behind the Gettysburg Hotel between Carlisle Street and North Stratton Street where you can park all day and not worry about the three-hour limit.
And the parking garage rates are cheaper — only $1.50 per hour.
The meters on the square and within one block of it are the most expensive. Meters more than one block from the Square are $1.50 per hour just like those in the parking garage, and you need only walk one block.
BE AWARE – METERS ARE ENFORCED. IF YOUR METER EXPIRES YOU’LL LIKELY GET A TICKET.
How to pay your ticket:
If you do get a ticket, it’s really not that expensive. Tickets are $25 if they are paid within one week; $40 after that.
Payment can be made online using this link
Or you can send a check or money order, payable to “Borough of Gettysburg,” to the Gettysburg Borough Office: 59 E. High St. Gettysburg, 17325
There is also a dropbox at the borough office where you can leave your check.
It’s easy to park in Gettysburg – enjoy your visit.
Charles (Chuck) Stangor is Gettysburg Connection's Owner, Publisher, and Editor in Chief. I would like to hear from you. Please contact me at cstangor@gettysburgconnection.org.
It should be clarified that meters NOT on the Square or within the first block from it are cheaper. Meters more than one block from the Square are $1 per hour just like the Parking Garage. 8 quarters for 2 hours instead of 12 and you need only walk one block. Parking in Gettysburg is actually cheaper than many places. My husband and I paid $7/hr for metered street parking in Palm Beach, FL. (With a little more research we could have found cheaper parking. That’s why I appreciate these parking tips for Gettysburg; thanks, Chuck!)
As a resident close to the square for 13 years, parking is the bane of my existence! Have fallen 13 times in winter walking so far away to or from parking. It’s maddening!
My gratitude to Gettysburg Connection for this parking posting! In the past several months, I have tried but failed to pay at a meter on the Square, and I’ve received complaints about the Racehorse garage from theater attendees. One couple actually requested that I inform the mayor of their discouraging experience, and I complied. Mayor Frealing is well aware of the difficulties. Seeking a workable resolution, I searched online and found the borough’s parking website: https://www.gettysburgpa.gov/parking-department/pages/pay-phone. There’s a ton of information there! Let’s assume it’s current with this posting, April 2023. Note that “PayByPhone” is currently the only option for NOT using coins in meters,… Read more »
Now if you could just give lessons on parallel parking. I learned from the master- Mr Earnst at Biglerville High School Driver’s Education. .
The elimination of the 15 minute grace period is rude, thoughtless and a very bad practice, especially for the tourist crowd that provides so much benefit to the Gettysburg scene.
Parking in the garage is not a good option for anyone with walking issues. There is no elevator! This is the only multi-story garage I’ve ever seen without an elevator.
if the person with walking issues is a passenger, drop them off outside?
nothing odd about these directions – and we have meters all over not just Downtown.
I prefer to pack at my house and walk the three block. LOL
I’m a new resident to Gettysburg. An out of town friend visited and we went downtown to eat and shop. We put money in the meters three times as we enjoyed the full day and relocated our car to a different space. At the end of the day, bags in hand, we grabbed a last treat of ice cream and returned to the car to find a ticket, just after the meter had expired. So, that was a let down and somewhat of a future deterrent. Thanks for letting me know about the garage.
It was nice when the library handed out parking tokens. Maybe there is a way for local residents of the Gettysburg area to obtain special parking tokens. It seems to me the tourist trade and out of towners pay most of the parking meter fees. Just a thought.
I’m not sure the meters take tokens any more. Some businesses will give you a couple of quarters if you need them I think, but it’s not something they advertise. Something to keep in mind and thanks for your comments.
Don’t go to downtown Gettysburg. Avoid at all cost. They have meter maids running around waiting to give you a parking ticket for being 4 minutes over. I was walking up to my car when the meter maid was walking away. It cost me $25 for being 4 minutes over. DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT CHANCE? Do not go to Gettysburg. Many other better options available…
Sorry that happened to you, but that’s the way it works in Gettysburg (and in most places I would say). If your meter expires you might get a ticket! If Gettysburg didn’t enforce its meters, no one would pay! Did you know you can park in the parking garage which is cheaper I think and allows you to pay for more than three hours?
I agree, Gettysburg is a horrible place to visit if you need to park, I went there twice and I got a ticket each time. It wasn’t cheap. I cannot believe how they treat tourists. I will never go back
Sally, I could not agree more. On July 20 my daughter and I received a parking ticket on the square for being 3-4 minutes over. Ironically, the only reason we parked at this specific location was because my daughter wanted to purchase some gifts from a local merchant around the corner. The cost to park, the amount and threatening tone of the violation itself are atrocious! Literally, just moments before reading the Violation I was thinking Gettysburg would be a great place for my military group to gather later this year for a reunion. Not only is that not going… Read more »
We had a military reunion in Gettysburg just a couple of years ago and we had a great time. My recommendation would be for your people to hire a bus as did my group. Don’t let one bad incident deprive others of a great experience.
They do the same in Cooperstown!