Nightlife
Gettysburg certainly is not known for its nightlife, and most of the entertainment you’ll find around town is pretty low key. Many visitors and residents spend their evenings on the battlefield, which is open to 10:00 p.m. April through October and to 7:00 p.m. November through March. Watching the sun set while on the soil where so many gave their lives for their cause is akin to a religious experience for many. Ghost walks also fill up many visitors’ evenings, and you’ll see troupes of ghost hunters wandering through town on candlelight tours. (See the Attractions chapter for a complete review of all the ghost tours available.)
For those who are looking to relax with some music and/or a few drinks, there are places in town that fit the bill, and dancing happens at Mamma Ventura’s, the Pike, and the Flying Bull Saloon. If you want to keep your Gettysburg trip as Civil War–oriented as possible, try the Farnsworth’s Killer Angel Tavern, which has waitstaff dressed in period clothing and Civil War–era music performed live on Friday and Saturday nights. Or stop by O’Rorke’s, where you’ll probably run into some reenactors. And although it’s not technically a nightspot, many night owls spend time at the Lincoln Diner, on Carlisle Street beside the Flying Bull. The diner is open 24 hours daily, and many residents, college students, and visitors congregate here to enjoy good yet inexpensive fare in an environment that invites you to linger. If you decide to hit the Lincoln, bring cash—that’s all that’s accepted as payment.
1. Arrow Horse
City: Gettysburg, PA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (717) 337-2899
Address: 49 Chambersburg Street
Description: The Arrow Horse is a shop that sells banjos and bluegrass music, and bluegrass jam sessions are held here from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. every Friday night. There’s no formal schedule of performers; whoever shows up jams together. This laissez-faire attitude keeps each session fresh, and every Friday-night experience at Arrow Horse is a new adventure to look forward to.
2. Blue Parrot Bistro
City: Gettysburg, PA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (717) 337-3739
Address: 35 Chambersburg Street
Description: Outside tables along the side of the Blue Parrot allow patrons to have a quiet drink or dinner while watching the people strolling by on Chambersburg Street, contributing to the “bistro” feel of the place. The lounge inside has a few small, intimate tables as well as seats at the large bar. Although the Blue Parrot doesn’t offer regularly scheduled entertainment, many patrons play pool on the table that separates the lounge and dining areas. Dinner is served until 9:30 p.m., and last call is usually around 1:00 a.m. (See the Restaurants chapter for more on the delicious offerings at Blue Parrot.)
3. Eastside Lounge And Restaurant
City: Gettysburg, PA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (717) 337-0118
Address: 1063 York Road
Description: You won’t find musical entertainment at the Eastside, but there are three pool tables and a game room in addition to the long bar that’s the main seating area. The lounge has a separate entrance, or you can enter through the restaurant area. Be sure to check out the Eastside’s large and varied menu while you’re enjoying a libation. (See the Restaurants chapter for a full rundown of their offerings.) The Eastside is open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., and there’s also a carryout six-pack store in front of the restaurant.
City: Gettysburg, PA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 28 Carlisle Street
City: Gettysburg, PA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 126 Chambersburg Street
City: Gettysburg, PA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 401 Baltimore Street
7. The Livery
City: Gettysburg, PA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (717) 334-4332, (800) 362-9849
Address: 900 Chambersburg Road
Description: A casual atmosphere rules at the Livery, which sits in its own building across the parking lot from Herr Tavern & Publick House, an elegant bed-and-breakfast steeped in Civil War history. (See the Bed-and-Breakfasts and Guesthouses chapter for more on the bed-and-breakfast.) The Livery runs different food and beer specials each night, and it has a large outside deck on one side of the building. Entertainment available inside consists of black-light pool, darts, foosball, and touch-screen video games. You’ll also find big-screen TVs, and light fare is available if hunger hits. The Livery is open Monday through Thursday 3:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., Friday and Saturday noon to 2:00 a.m., and Sunday noon to midnight.
City: Gettysburg, PA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 13 Chambersburg Street
9. Olivia’S Mediterranean Grille
City: Gettysburg, PA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (717) 359-9357
Address: 3015 Baltimore Street
Description: Although known more as a restaurant than a nightspot, Olivia’s does have Kenny Gibson playing love ballads on the keyboards on Friday and Saturday nights, so this is the perfect place for a quiet drink with your significant other. If you’re in the mood for something a bit more lively, there are always specials being featured on the deck, which is called Paradise Island. There’s the weekly Jimmy Buffet night, martini specials, and more, and on Fridays in July a DJ plays the latest hits.
10. O’Rorke’S Family Eatery And Spirits
City: Gettysburg, PA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (717) 334-2333
Address: 44 Steinwehr Avenue
Description: Reenactors tend to congregate at O’Rorke’s, which is named for Patrick O’Rorke, an Irish-born American soldier who was killed on Little Round Top during the Battle of Gettysburg. O’Rorke’s has a large deck that overlooks the activity along Steinwehr Avenue, which makes it perfect for people watching. Inside you’ll find good food and a nice selection of beer, wine, and specialty drinks. Six beers are on tap, including Guinness and Harp, and wine is available by the glass. Live entertainment takes place on Friday and Saturday from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m., with all types of music represented throughout the season. O’Rorke’s opens daily at 11:00 a.m., and food is available until 10:00 p.m. Drinks are served until midnight except on Sunday, when the place closes an hour earlier.
11. The Pike Restaurant & Lounge
City: Gettysburg, PA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (717) 334-9227
Address: 985 Baltimore Pike
Description: Something always seems to be going on at the lounge at the Pike on weekends. DJs and live bands provide dance music on Friday and Saturday nights, and on Sunday you can find karaoke going on. A mechanical bull is also a big draw. The Pike boasts that it has Gettysburg’s largest dance floor, and although it’s not really very big, you usually will find it jam-packed on weekend nights. This nightspot sits at the edge of town, and plenty of parking is available in front of and across the street from the place. Besides the lounge the Pike also has a large deck out front and a separate bar off the deck, and live bands also play on the deck.
12. The Pub & Restaurant
City: Gettysburg, PA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (717) 334-7100
Description: The Pub doesn’t have any entertainment, unless you count the people watching that goes on here. This fun place offers its patrons a bird’s-eye view of all the activity that flows through Lincoln Square. There are even tables outside for those who like to be a part of the goings-on. Separate entrances for the pub and the restaurant are available, but you can reach both through either door. The pub side’s rich wood lends an old-world ambience to the place, which is outfitted with a nice-size bar and a few tables. You can choose from a wide range of cocktails, wines, and beers here. In fact, there are 12 drafts on tap, one of which is always Guinness. The Pub serves until 1:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and until 11:00 p.m. on Sunday.
13. Ragged Edge Coffeehouse
City: Gettysburg, PA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (717) 334-4464
Address: 110 Chambersburg Street
Description: Ragged Edge has plenty of room for you to spread out as you sip a relaxing beverage. You’ll find people hanging out on the front porch, in the rooms downstairs, out on the patio in back, and in the rooms upstairs. Sandwiches, salads, and baked goods are available, as well as juices, smoothies, supplement drinks, and hot and cold specialty (nonalcoholic) drinks. The second floor is where you’ll find live entertainment provided by local musicians on Saturday nights, and you can enjoy the unpredictability of open-mike nights during the week. Ragged Edge opens daily at 6:00 a.m. and is usually open until around 10:00 p.m.
14. Reliance Mine Saloon
City: Gettysburg, PA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (717) 334-9870
Address: 380 Steinwehr Avenue
Description: This unique cocktail lounge is part of the Quality Inn Gettysburg Motor Lodge, and it’s within an underground coal mine. The lodge is completely nonsmoking and so is the saloon, which serves only drinks and snacks and seats about 50. Unfortunately, nonsmokers have to make it through the long hallway that leads to the lounge, where all the smokers congregate, to reach a smoke-free environment. Once you’re inside the saloon, there’s a small bar and plenty tables available, and the saloon’s lack of windows makes you feel isolated from the outside world. The saloon is open daily from 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.