More Parking Lots Than Paranormal Activity…read more
If you're looking for a spooky, atmospheric Gettysburg ghost tour, I'd strongly recommend looking elsewhere.
The Battlecry Gettysburg Ghost Tour promises "spooks galore," haunted hotels, bloody battlefields, and an exploration of "the dark and the doomed." Unfortunately, what we experienced was a rather uninspired Civil War history lecture conducted primarily in brightly lit parking lots.
Our guide was clearly knowledgeable about the Civil War, and I genuinely appreciated his command of the history. Unfortunately, his delivery was monotone, and the tour lacked the storytelling, atmosphere, and suspense you'd expect from a ghost tour.
We started with approximately 20-30 minutes outside the George House, which was reasonably interesting. From there, things went downhill.
Our next stop involved walking through a parking lot between two motels, only to stand beneath bright floodlights across from the National Cemetery. Our guide discussed the cemetery while cars whizzed past and motel guests milled about nearby. Not exactly an environment conducive to ghostly encounters.
Next, we wandered over to the Colton Motel, where we once again stood under glaring parking lot lights listening to accounts of the battle and speculation about bodies potentially buried beneath the pavement.
Finally, we headed behind Steinwehr Avenue, and I thought, "Here we go! Maybe we're finally getting to the spooky part!" Nope. Another parking lot, this time at the Dobbin House, where we stood under more lights listening to the history of the Dobbin family and stories about how haunted the house supposedly is.
Here's my fundamental issue: Gettysburg is one of the most historically significant and potentially atmospheric places in America. How do you manage to conduct a ghost tour there and make it feel like a walking tour of motel parking lots?
There was little suspense, no attempt to create an eerie atmosphere, and very little engaging ghost storytelling. The historical information was interesting at times, but even as a history tour, the presentation and choice of locations left much to be desired.
I don't expect actual ghosts to appear on command. I do, however, expect a ghost tour to make some effort to deliver the experience it advertises.
Bottom line: If you're looking for Civil War facts delivered under the comforting glow of commercial parking lot lighting, this might be your tour. If you're looking for a memorable, spooky Gettysburg experience, I'd suggest exploring other options.