Valley Forge Revolutionary War Self-Guided Driving Tour
Description
Welcome to Valley Forge National Military Park, a historic American Revolution site! In the icy December of 1777, General George Washington camped the Continental Army here to wait out the long winter. The following six months tested the mettle and resilience of his ragtag fighting force and served as a critical turning point in the Revolutionary War. Explore the rich backstory of this historic Revolutionary America site with this self-guided tour. After booking, check your email/text for a special password and setup instructions. Download the Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and once it's complete, you can enjoy it offline. Just open the app, hit the road, and follow the audio instructions! New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Welcome to Valley Forge, where George Washington and his Continental Army faced one of their greatest ever challenges. When he arrived here in December of 1777 and hunkered down for a long, cold winter, Washington knew his army may not survive to see the spring. It stands today as a testament to the strength and resilience of the rebel forces. Note: The tour is over 10 miles long, with more than 30+ audio stories, and takes about 1-2 hours to complete.. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
Next, you'll arrive at the site of the Muhlenberg Brigade, where you'll hear about "Devil Pete" Muhlenberg, a former reverend who set aside the good book to pick up a rifle during the revolution.
After that is the Maine Memorial, honoring the soldiers from Maine and emphasizing how tenuous the connections were between men from the different colonies during this time.
Then you'll arrive at the National Memorial Arch, perhaps Valley Forge's most notable monument. This impressive arch honors the entire continental army who wintered here, both those who survived and those who didn't.
The next monument, a statue of General Wayne, is dedicated to another of Washington's fiercest fighters. Wayne didn't earn the nickname "Mad Anthony" for nothing!
Next, you'll visit Henry Knox's quarters, where the self-taught artilleryman turned general served as an important voice of reason during the long winter months.
Continuing on, you'll come to the Delaware Memorial and learn about how the situation at Valley Forge began to unravel.
Next up, at the huts of George Washington's personal guards, you'll get a glimpse into a secret plot to take down the Commander in Chief.
Well, here he is - the man, the myth, the legend, George Washington himself. A veteran of the French and Indian War, Washington was appointed to the head of the Continental Army by the Continental Congress in 1775, due to his extensive military experience and the belief that having a Virginian in charge would unify the colonies more than a New Englander like John Hancock. As a commander, Washington is known more for his organizational skill and leadership qualities than his tactical abilities, which are considered decidedly average. He is known as a thoughtful and analytical leader, making him the perfect choice for a war against a powerful enemy like the British.
Your route takes you next to the New Jersey Brigade Memorial, which honors some of the most well-trained, dependable troops in the entire ragtag army.
As the months drag on, one thing has become very clear to General Washington. His army, tough as they are, are not even close to ready to fight this war. They’ve barely survived their first few months in Valley Forge, and everything is on the verge of falling apart. Something has to be done. Somehow, this ragtag group of surly volunteers has to be turned into a real army, or surviving this winter will mean nothing.
Next, you'll see the stone house used during that fateful winter by General James Mitchell Varnum, one of Washington's closest advisors. Varnum is best known for bringing the first Black soldiers into the Continental Army.
After that is a monument which honors those very soldiers: the Patriots of African Descent Monument. This memorial provides a fascinating window into an often overlooked slice of history.
An optional stop takes you to the Philander Chase Knox Estate, where the Attorney General who served under Presidents McKinley and Roosevelt once lived.
Another detour takes you to the Valley Forge Train Station, which has all sorts of info not only on old-timey trains, but also on General Washington.
Fans of revolutionary history will want to detour to the Washington Memorial Chapel, which boasts a replica of Philadelphia's Liberty Bell!
Behind the Memorial Chapel you'll find the Washington Memorial Cemetery, where several important figures like Philander Knox have been laid to rest.
You can also visit the Mauricce Stevens House, built atop the site of another general's quarters used during the winter of 1777.
Those intrigued by abandoned places will find lots to like at the Port Kennedy Railroad Station, a defunct station that's been shuttered since the 1980s.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
- How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
- Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
- Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
- Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
- New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
- Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
- The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.
Reviews(50)
Just do it. The entire thing. So cool! At the very least make it to Washington’s Headquarters. If the exhibit inside the train station is open, it’s even cooler.
Morgan, I’m so glad you enjoyed my Valley Forge GPS Driving Audio Tour. It’s wonderful to know the experience left such a strong impression and that you recommend taking the full tour. Washington’s Headquarters is certainly a highlight, and I’m glad you mentioned the train station exhibit. If you're interested in exploring more of Pennsylvania, I also offer tours including the Gettysburg Battlefield, the Philadelphia Walking Tour, and Seminary Ridge & Devil’s Den. Happy exploring!
We spent several hours doing this tour. Not just an auto tour. There are points you can get out and listen to facts as you walk short trails. Most definitely greatly enhanced our enjoyment of this site. A+++++
Scott, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed my Valley Forge Revolutionary War GPS Driving Tour. It’s wonderful to know the mix of driving stops and short walking trails helped bring the history to life and enhanced your visit to such an important historic site. If you're interested in exploring more of Pennsylvania, I also offer tours like the Gettysburg Battlefield, the Philadelphia Walking Tour, and Seminary Ridge & Devil’s Den. Happy exploring!
It was very intuitive and amazing how the digital age made this event very pleasing and wonderful to experience.
Arthur, I’m glad to hear my Valley Forge Revolutionary War GPS Audio Driving Tour was intuitive and made your visit such a pleasing experience. It’s great that the tour helped bring the history to life in a modern and easy-to-use way. If you're interested in exploring more of Pennsylvania, I also offer tours like the Gettysburg Battlefield, the Philadelphia Walking Tour, and Seminary Ridge & Devil’s Den. Happy exploring!
We used these self guided tours in the past and were very pleased. We could not get this tour to start up and the map was almost useless. Maybe we were using it wrong, but it was difficult to start and did not provide much value. What recordings we could hear provided great information but we missed hearing most of them.
Cheryl, I’m truly sorry to hear about your experience with the Valley Forge Revolutionary War Self-Guided Driving Tour. I understand how frustrating it must have been not to be able to start the tour and to have trouble with the map. I’d like to learn more about what went wrong—were there any specific issues with starting the tour or using the map that we can fix? Knowing more about what happened will help me make the experience better for future users. Please feel free to reach out—I’m available every day from 9 to 6 EST, and I’d be happy to help you further.
The verbal information was good but directions were hard for us. It be nice if it used maps to navigate. We have trouble hearing and got lost a few times. Kind of disappointing.
Kathleen, I’m glad you enjoyed the verbal information on my Valley Forge audio tour. I’d love to hear more about the locations where you felt the directions were unclear—any specific spots would help me pass this feedback to my team for review. In the meantime, I’d be happy to offer a replacement tour or process a refund. Please feel free to reach out—I’m available daily from 9 to 6 EST and happy to assist!
Pointless boring most of the things were closed so you just had to take pictures, we took the driving tour and we had to keep getting out of the car and walking and that's not what we wanted
Carrie, I’m sorry to hear about your experience with my Valley Forge audio tour. Yes, some closures can disrupt the drive, which I understand can be frustrating. The good news is that the tour remains valid for a full year, so you can revisit once the closures are lifted, or I can offer a different self-guided audio tour as a replacement. If you need any assistance, I’m available daily from 9 to 6 EST, and I can also help process a refund if needed.
Sorry to say the app was a disappointment. When it worked it was great. It was difficult to use. So I would say not user friendly. When you’re trying to drive and dealing with an app, not a good combination
I’m sorry to hear my Valley Forge tour was frustrating. I’d really like to know more about your experience so I can improve it. Once the app is set up beforehand, all you need to do is launch it at the starting point, and it will guide you along the route with audio stories that tell you when and where to stop. The tour works offline and is valid for a whole year, so there’s plenty of time to try it again—or I can exchange it for one of my other self-guided tours. I’m available daily from 9 to 6 if you need any assistance.
The Valley Forge audio download was super interesting and easy to listen to. It gave me a great feel for what happened there without being too heavy or boring. A fun way to learn about an important piece of history, especially if you’re in the area or just curious.
June, I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed my Valley Forge audio tour. It’s wonderful to know that it helped bring history to life without feeling overwhelming. I’m excited that you found it both informative and enjoyable. If you're interested in exploring more of Pennsylvania, I also offer tours like the Gettysburg Battlefield, the Philadelphia Walking Tour, and Seminary Ridge & Devil’s Den. Happy exploring!
The map numbers for each stop do not correspond with the audio tour numbers. It would be more helpful if the numbers for each stop were the same on the map and the audio tour. The audio tour was helpful for a first time visitor.
Patti, I’m glad you found my Valley Forge audio tour helpful, and I hope it enhanced your visit to Valley Forge. I appreciate your feedback and will share it with the team. If you have any further suggestions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out—I’m available daily from 9 AM to 6 PM. If you're interested in exploring more of Pennsylvania, I also offer tours such as the Gettysburg Battlefield, the Philadelphia Walking Tour, and Seminary Ridge & Devil’s Den. Happy exploring!
Was disappointed that it would stop every time I wanted to take a picture. It may take 2 hours just driving and not getting out of the car for anything but otherwise will take longer. It was a great experience! Will use again elsewhere.
Laurie, I’m glad to hear you had a great experience at Valley Forge and plan to use my app again. You’re absolutely right—when you take snaps, the audio pauses to make sure you don’t miss any details, especially when you're taking photos or enjoying the view. If you're ready for more adventures, my collection of over 100 self-guided driving and walking tours offers the same convenience with engaging storytelling. Happy exploring!
