Reviews of Gillette Castle State Park (Tourist Attraction)

Bill Sanford

Beautiful and Unique! The grounds are a picturesque State Park overlooking the Connecticut River with trails, picnic tables plus an area of maintained lawn. Bring a lunch or grab something from the cafe. Parking and admission to the grounds are free. Gillette Castle itself is a bargain at $6.00 and if you live in Connecticut your library will usually loan you a free pass. The detailed carvings inside are a must see. The unique 'fire suppression', light switches, window latches show a mind that never stopped working. This park warrants a return visit.

William Stratton

I haven't been inside. From the outside, the castle is one of the most unique places in Connecticut and the park boasts panoramic views and great picnic spots. If you're a serious cyclist, there is really great, challenging riding around here.

S S

I've lived in CT for 27 years and always though Gillette Castle was ugly. I'm so glad I finally visited. It is so beautiful in person, both outside and in, and the grounds are gorgeous! Both the deep woods and the riverfront. Entering the grounds is free but the house tour has a fee, paid at the visitors center in the parking lot. This general area of CT is a food desert so pack a lunch or plan to eat in a more urban area closer to the highways.

Roland Allen

A great stop in ct. a must stop for Sherlock Holmes fans. Beautiful views. Simply an amazing part of history nestled away. Definitely take the ferry over. Great all year round.

GEORGE WEST

A piece of history right here in Connecticut Very interesting rooms with every door a different design, also a hidden Lock for the bar, and don't miss the spying mirror

Michael Ferry

Make sure to notice the individually handcrafted doors. Each one is different. Also, check out the mirror from the top floor that gives a nice view of the bar. This allowed Mr. Gillette to watch folks try getting into the bar. It had some trick levers to get in. Fun place to explore. Not wheelchair friendly.

pat willis

Haven't been here in 40 yrs. Still breathtaking.

Steve Hanson

Fascinating look at the home of a slightly eccentric actor and the kind of lifehe led.

Chuck Salomon

Interesting. Had a good time. I recommend following the signs to get there. The GPS system took us to a ferry that cost $6.00. Could have driven there and saved the ferry money. Drove out and did not take the ferry.

Lisa DellaGrotta

Had a great time at Gillette Castle. So much history and detail.

Kathryn Lavalley

We went for the holiday season to see it all decorated. It is beautiful! They have Picture Perfect Storybook Quality Mr. and Mrs Clause there visit them and let them know what you want for Christmas!

Susan Berryhill

Very interesting castle with incredible views. First visit, castle was closed. Very glad I came back to be able to do the tour inside. Most amazing!

Atul Nautiyal

Nice castle with lot of trails around. Good place to spend few hours and have fun with family.

John Skorupski

Great place to visit and learn about a forgotten theater actor.

Tennis Lover

Beautiful, well-kept grounds surround the Gillette Castle State Park. Take the tour and the guide will tell you all about the late stage actor William Gillette who played Sherlock Holmes on stage.

Aleksandra Miglowiec

One my favorite places to visit - especially in the fall. Beautiful views in addition to the cool history of the castle and its grounds.

David Gauwitz

Enjoyed our visit to the Gillette Castle. Many fascinating things in this extremely paranoid actor's home. Only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is some of the guides were not very knowledgeable. Not all the guides. Some knew the place very well. Beautiful view of the lake from there. Enjoy your visit but remember you must arrive there before 4pm.

Susan Middlebrook

Beautiful views of the Connecticut River. Unique and wonderful stone home with a really fun history!

Jerry Brown

A good place to visit whether to see the castle or the view of the Connecticut River. The tour of the Castle is nice, and the walks around the grounds offer several nice views. There is a small museum and snack area on the grounds, open during the summer only. If you get the chance, at least take the tour of the Castle once. There is usually ample parking, but on busy days it can fill up.

paul warwick

Very nice park, not at it's best in October.

Musavvir Haque

Didn’t have the opportunity to go inside the castle but definitely a cool place to check out

David Cassenti

Love the historic castle and the hiking trails!

Janet Watrous

Awesome! Don't miss it. Beautiful!

Alice E. Ridgway

If you love cool woodwork it would be higher.

Jonathan Tillman

Glad my buddy recommended this place. Totally worth the drive and castle tour fee. Just a wonderful jewel Connecticut has in this castle.

Lydia DePalma

Really cool place to visit, very interesting and cheap. Only $6 for adults and children free. You also can have a picnic in the woods.

JKum G

The castle looks amazing, better than the pictures available on internet. The view of Connecticut river from the castle is also very beautiful. Worth of visiting.

John Bannister

Incredible estate with amazing workmanship and Mr. Gillette actually constructed a small scale railroad around his estate.

veselina123

Beautiful state park with the castle and the river views, I hiked the narrow gauge trail and was so happy when I found the tunnel!! Also, drive down the road to the ferry and take it to cross the river, only 5 bucks!!

Butch Parkes

Beautiful park great snacks in the store the view was amazing great place for a hike and family picnic

Lillie Spencer

This is a great park and really enjoyed touring the castle. Minus one star because both the gift shop and the restaurant closed at least 15 minutes before the listed time.

Ted .

Very nice place. The castle is really cool, the craftsmanship is amazing. A good portion of it however is off limits, not sure why. Would have liked to go up to the roof level or at least into the tower.

Maryam Faghri

We love this place. We have checked out this place so many times. We also got our engagement photo there. Great view of the river. I love checking inside the building and learning more about who he was and how he lived his life. It is great place for kids and adults to get educated and have fun!

Stephanie Birch

Very cool building with great views. Hiking trails are limited and usually poorly maintained. But the hikes are easy if your looking for a more casual walk around.

K Ortiz

Beautiful building and grounds, staff is very knowledgeable and have extensive information and interesting facts. My 4yr old has still not forgiven me for not buying the castle for her when we visited. She is, however, finally speaking to me again.

Jo Griffin

Scenic and beautiful placement of this historic home overlooking the Connecticut river makes this a favorite place for many. Great hiking trails and picnic areas. Photographers Favorite.

Darlene Troge

Nice walk, fascinatingting stone built house tour and we met Sherlock Holmes

Misty Macdonald

Great place to visit with the family. Staff was very friendly and willing to answer any questions. Beautiful views and the grounds were stunning. Loved the stone and wood working through out.

Ian Garthwaite

A unique representation of one man's fantasy. Really worth a visit. It's a pity the old railway is gone but house itself makes up for that.

Sarah Dorina Smith-Dufton

We didn't go inside yet the outside on a foggy day is pretty cool to look at. I also suggest taking the trails down to the ferry launch and packing a picnic lunch to enjoy on the property.

Nicole Shields

It was the last hour of the day, I couldn't explore to much. The views I did see were amazing!! Can't wait to go back!!!

Ali M.

Beautiful view from the castle of the river. Other than that, the walk through of the castle is boring. Still think its worth visiting, and makes for a nice day trip... But I would plan stopping for ice cream of coffee along the way to give the trip more spark.

Jennifer Lowrey

Castle is cool. Lots of picnic space and you can walk down to Ct River

TAC AUGUST

Highly recommend to visit this place. Mr Gilette and his male Japanese "partner" lived their life here in deep "friendship". The castle and the park is free but to enter the mansion inside cost money.

Richard Cashman

Really interesting and does not cost much. Lots of hiking after the castle if you like. There is a lot of information if you take the time to look. Rally worth the trip if you like history and architecture.

Jeff Searles

Very interesting. Very neat place to visit.

karishma kamal

Couldn’t get inside the castle as the last ticket is sold at 4 pm but was in there to catch a perfect glimpse of the sunset. Beautiful scenic view from top of the hill.

Mike Garabedian

Very cool tour of the house (castle). Definitely worth the $6 admission price.

Naushin Sarfraz

One of the nicest spots for a short quick hike and wonderful views of ct river.

Mary Parker

Beautiful and $6.00 admission will go back again great picnic area and views

Rafael Ortiz

Love this place I love historical places like this. The family loved the castle like look and feel of this place. The fact that it was made of stone showed me this guy Gillette knew what he was doing in terms of fortification of his home. Beautiful location also. What me and my family liked also was that the tickets were affordable and we all got in for 14 bucks. Will definitely come back and also recommend it to anyone.

Steve Reis

Just love walking the grounds the scenery is just beautiful. It is a must place to visit.

Allison Clark

The castle is a fascinating place with exquisite details originally built for Mr Gillette. I enjoyed hearing the narratives from extremely knowledgeable guides. The designs especially appealed to my artist's eye. A major drawback is that there are no provisions at all for the disabled. My companion isn't able to climb steps, and no one mentioned the non-accessibility when they sold us his ticket. He had to sit in the damp, drafty entryway until I returned after the tour.

Donna Davis

An odd looking castle This castle is a great place to visit. There are guides inside who give you very pertinent history and answer questions. The builder had quite a sense of humor in the way he had parts of the castle built. We were glad we visited this place and recommend it.

Tammy Liu

Nice state park along the Connecticut river, beautiful views. The Castle added a mysterious feel to the park. Not a large castle, but has many interesting and creative design points. Not sure if there are many trails around. Good to come if you are in the area!

Shraddha Shete

Nice place to visit at least once... beautiful view of the River..

Ron Schenone

This is a great place to see. Full of history and great tales. Loved it.

Tyler Holloway

Amazing castle. Cheap prices

Leif Noble

Architectural features and an interesting backstory about a singularly unique fellow make for a memorable and enjoyable tour. It greatly helped on a very hot day that the castle is also air conditioned. My companion and I thought the letters in the library upstairs were the most interesting bit of all, as you could get a true sense of Mr. Gillette's interests, humor, and candor. Guides stationed at various points of interest along the way were knowledgeable and helpful.

troy england

One the great places to go, lots of frames people have been there.

Imisa Rivera

It's beautiful here, pay close attention to the details.

rocko magistri

I love the tour, I've been there several times.

Kenneth Bassett

It was fun nice place to hike.

Sarah F.

Beautiful place. Wish there were more information on the trails and what not.

karen lynn parks

Gorgeous park! Staff was friendly. Castle opens May 25th for the season and I plan to go back to check out the interior. The one trail I saw was very narrow, @12" wide, and very close to the edge of hill. Brush was invading the trail and since I saw a common gartersnake earlier, I opted not to risk hiking on this day not knowing what else might be out there. Clean bathrooms are located in Visitor Center. Concession stand not open for season yet but they offer a great variety of food. This place is a Connecticut gem!

Charles Crawford

It's a great place I must see if you're in the area. If the museum and how stayed open a little later it would be a 5 *

Tim Knight

Such an amazing park, incredible castle. Breathtaking stone work outside and just as incredible wood work inside. Such a state treasure.

james barbarino

Craftsman at it's finest amazing detail he was way ahead of his time. We would Definitely recommend it and we will be back

Stephen Greer

A great destination! Beautiful views and history.

andre bosshardt

Beautiful park. Well managed and clean. Had an awesome time in the castle seeing all the unique items. Trails were fun to walk on. We had brought our own food and had lunch on the grounds. They had provided a wonderful play outside called "The Professor" written by Gillette. I would recommend this State Park to everyone.

j hwang

A very unexpected surprise in a good way. As a non history buff, I yawn at the sound of history. However, I was shocked and actually enjoyed learning about the castle's history. While reading about the Gillette castle state park, I saw the numerous positive reviews but wasn't expecting it to be as good as it sounded. The park itself was amazing. There are lots of pathways to walk and beautiful bridges and ponds. There are also picnic tables to allow you to eat and enjoy the scenery. The visitor center has videos and lots of fun information about the original owner and creator of the castle.

arpit trivedi

Nice place to hang out on weekend. It got some good trails to enjoy with the family. The castle made by Gillette is a masterpiece of that time contains all modern amenities. Worth visiting once .

Susan Malone

It's a beautiful place that takes you back to a different era

Bruce Clark

Absolutely beautifully! The wood work and mechanisms are amazing. Just be warned... Take in what you can as you go! They tell you at the beginning that the tour is one way, and you can not go back. They will stop you. It's quirky, but I guess they are just trying to limit the traffic.

Dené Ackerman

Really nice. Great family place to visit. Gorgeous landscape.

Julia Kolesnyk

Love is in the air. This amazing castle will take your breath away. Not only will you get to enjoy the museum (Opens Memorial Day), but also a beautiful park. There is place to grill, relax, walk, hike and have family fun. Many people.come here to take graduation and prom photos. This is also a very popular engagement spot - one couple.engaged right when we were visiting. Amazing!

Matt Y

Maybe I liked it so much because I had low expectations. Regardless, the castle was very interesting, the grounds were beautiful and learned a lot about Gillette (very impressive). Ask questions, you learn a lot more

Theresa Sidorick

Intense surroundings. Love the artistic atmosphere.

josh bartholomew

Super great place to go for a day trip. Great cheap admission and the castle is a self guided tour. Make sure to check out everything though as youre only permitted into the castle once. Some spots arent allowed for guests to go but the place is great. Great scenery off the back lookout and some great trails surrounding.

Frank Armento

Very cool castle and park around it. We had a nice time here even in the winter. Will be coming back in the summer or spring

Joe King

Seemed like it was closed for winter but i can't find any details about when it will open. Good place to visit anyway. Good views

akshay talegaonkar

It looks like a broken castle but it is not!! It is in great shape with very interesting architecture. The vistas from the top are stunning especially in fall. The drive to the castle is also quite scenic. With a quick hike one can go to the river bank. If lucky, you can also spot bald eagles flying by in winter. Very good place for a day or an afternoon hike!!

Mari Ansaldo

Yup, a real life castle right in the middle of Connecticut. The name sounds familiar because it was built by the same founder of Gillette shaving products. This makes for an awesome day trip, even if the castle itself is closed, which it is part of the year, it's still worth the visit. Expansive gardens and walking areas and even a ferry you can take to get across the river coming from the western side. The architecture is striking. You can't get enough of this huge stone structure. There is a visitors area with brochures, vending machines and thankfully indoor bathrooms open year round. The whole area is Connecticut surrounding the castle is beautiful and in and of itself worth a day trip. Lots of cute little towns and villages to see. Plenty of parking. Bring walking or comfortable shoes there is a lot of ground to cover.

Frank Padilla

Beautiful place with a breathtaking view of the Connecticut river.

Michael Castle

A neat mansion of creative Notre by an early 20th century actor and playwright.

tom williams

Great hiking trails and great view of the river

Laura Briggs

Gorgeous grounds and castle. So many amazing details inside and what a life story of William Gillette. We would highly recommend a visit.

Brian Tom O'Connor

Thrillingly individualistic interior design makes this eccentric mansion a must-visit. Cold and stony on the outside, warm and inviting on the inside, the creative attention to detail rivals that of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Brooke Best

I thought this place was awesome. A home built be an eccentric man, that looks like an ancient castle. The place is beautiful and full of fun tidbits designed by the owner, the staff were kind and gave us plenty of info, and we enjoyed an ice cream while strolling the beautiful grounds. We did not do the hike, but we thought the park was a wonderful place to visit.

Matty Winalski

Matty Language pbs sibwoebkd.l ls la kd jwpw wb

Gina Lavoie

Lovely place to walk around for an afternoon. Cool history too.

Vitaliy Kuzmych

Very interesting place to visit need at least 4 hours for castle itself. So many small and interesting details. Wd recommend to start from Essex steam train, than take boat to castle. Will go next time to explore castle grounds and trails

Dave Cassenti

Love the historic castle and the hiking trails!

Joe Townsend

I absolutely loved this place and its history! We will be back in the fall!

Grandpa and Grandma Bryan Wandering Footprints

Great place to visit. The grounds are nice but the castle is filled with beautiful woodwork. Very inexpensive. Pack a lunch and spend the day. We were pleasantly impressed.

Dane Muckler

Amazing 20th century castle with stone superstructure, tweed sound canceling panels all along the interior of the rooms, wooden light switches, mirrors for checking out guests, a gravity-powered, rain-cistern-supplied fire suppresion system, 47 uniquely designed wooden doors with spring-loaded locking mechanisms, etc. You'll feel like you're in the sci-fi novel that Neal Stephenson didn't have time to write! I dub this style of architecture "timberpunk." It's a real real blast - check out the books in his library, the hiking trails outside the castle and the abandoned railroad track that terrified the Einstein family!

Mike DeNinno

This mansion doesn't look like much from the outside but the inside is incredible. As a woodworker I really appreciated the finely detailed carving and latching mechanisms in all of the doors. Virtually the entire inside is made of wood. Mr. Gillette was an eccentric character and it shows in the design of this Castle. The grounds around the castle are also very beautiful with fantastic views of the Connecticut River. Well worth the visit.

Bob Rich

It's all free unless you want to go for a tour of the castle. The price is minimal. The grounds are beautiful with walking trails and all facilities are new.

Trisha Hunt

Beautifully maintained property, a must see when you are in the area.

Thomas Chmielewski

Great place to visit. Interesting facts

Tonya H

Just a beautiful place for many reasons. It's cool to bring your children for a piece of history. Love learning. We have also gotten pictures done here and if you walk the grounds it is beautiful. Not very handicapp friendly esp if you are in a wheelchair,but a great afternoon if you can walk.

Rachel Mackson

Took the train over (from 1930s!) and then the ferry was a short walk from there. The castle was phenomenal and fantastic views. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the scenery. Lovely time.

Kristina Somerville

Absolutely beautiful! This was a spur of the minute side trip and we ended up spending a good part of the day exploring the trails and the grounds.

Canary Ly

Beautiful castle with some great stories! Would have loved to have the guides be informative to everyone rather than just people they knew/be in the corner texting but the castle itself was beautiful! I would OK d HAVR also appreciated seeing the tower view but hopefully they can update it so it meets fire code

Nick

There is an access road. YOU DONT HAVE TO TAKE THE FERRY! yet the ferry seems to be the most fun. It runs just about every 15 min and a round trip should cost about 12 bucks. 4 dollars for a biker or pedestrian.

Yovany Cruz

We've been going to Gillette Castle since I was a child. I'm impressed with how the castle and park is maintained. It is an absolutely beautiful place to picnic. It is well worth paying the small fee to tour the castle. It is also worth walking the trail where the small train used to be. The view of the Connecticut River is spectacular! It is one of the few gems in Connecticut that never gets old.

Mario Christianto

The castle itself is not quite impressive but interesting in a.... Quaint sort of way (which is ok considering the cheap $6 admission fee). However, the property has some trails than you can use to have mini hikes and that's free, so if you're the in area then sure, come here. But I wouldn't come here just for the sake of this castle alone.

Tim Oshatyuk

Quick little tour, beautiful hand crafted castle, staff was kind, admission is cheap, views are wonderful. Would highly recommend if you're in the area (or driving by like I was) to stop in and check out the castle. I loved reading about the castle and learning about the more unobvious details from the guides.

George Perkins

I was at the picnic area down by the river and the ferry was very nice

Egle Seduikyte

Very impressive castle. Interesting place to visit in Connecticut. We had an enjoyable tour, the story about its owner itself is quite something.

Joshua Zinewicz

Take the tour of the castle. It's worth it but spend the time to see everything there is to see and enjoy the living history all around you. A true treasure and one that should be cherished.

thesweetlove112

Super nice place for any occasion. The castle is only open certain times so make sure to check ahead online. But otherwise the grounds are huge and u can walk all the way down to the river and it's just beautiful all year round. There is a gift shop and bathrooms.

Luis Peña

It is a journey back in the time... So many antiques.. Old fashion style

Chelsea Roy

Gorgeous views and incredible picnic areas!

Kevin Sweeney

This was a amazing place to stop at. It was unfortunately closed when we got there. But it was still worth walking around. They have public bathrooms open. And you can still walk around the property.

Lost TommyBoy

Just beautiful. It's amazing what money and dreams can build. Pay attention to the hours they are a little odd and strict.

Zacharias Mundackal

Good place for any one . My boys enjoyed the walking trail.

Daniel Lowell

Excellent views along with wonderful, easy to walk trails. Oh, and there's no admission fee! Come in the fall for especially breathtaking views of the Connecticut River, and spot Bald Eagles in the winter and spring!

gaurav kumar

Nice castle & interesting facts provided by guides

michelle caccomo

It’s awesome to say that we have castles in CT but Gillette Castle is just a must see!!! Beautiful inside and out! Great trails for hiking and a gorgeous view of the CT River too!

BobKat B

A must see castle in Connecticut. The actor Gillette who made Sir Sherlock Holmes the character we know today, had this built overlooking the Connecticut River. Try taking the historic ferry ride to get to this castle!

Timothy Hennessy

Great place to go for families as well as adults. The castle is a must to tour. This is a great place for pictures. They have a great place to get a good variety of food.

Ryan Girard

Nice views in and out,Inexpensive, good place for picnic

Sabrina Burner

Great family hiking trails. We will be returning to see the inside of the castle, but for a quick day trip this was fun for the whole family. Saw lots of people having picnics and walking :)

Khaled Rahman

Very good place. But can't tell more as we went there in off season. Wish to visit there during the season.

pat vickers

I live in this area, and this is a must see if you haven't been try taking the ferry to get here its gorgeous

Bradley Conn

Absolutely beautiful. Great place to visit if your looking for a place to site see.

Cyber Techie

This place is amazing both inside and out. Everyone in our family enjoyed the tour and hearing about the castle. If you are in the area you got to check this place out. You will not be disappointwd

Christina Sheldon

Beautiful park and castle. Stone work and architecture was beautiful.

Joanne Hutchison

Loved it. Awesome place to visit. Beautiful castle with great history.

Mike Richardson

The castle itself is really cool. And it's only $6 bucks. Really recommend this place.

eileen lemontagne

This is a great place for history. Type the house or have a picnic on the grounds. Plenty of wildlife.

Maja Sljivic

Perfect for a stroll truly loved this place. We didn’t go while it was open but we still had a nice walk!

ORGAVIN Bouma

Amazing park well kept and FREE! A great place to picnic!

William Wallberg

Must-see attraction. This unique pseudo-medieval structure was once the home of Connecticut-born actor and writer William Gillette, known for his stage portrayals of the great detective Sherlock Holmes. The structure is literally a castle, designed by Gillette and constructed with local fieldstone. The home is filled with a number of cleverly designed fixtures, many also designed by Gillette. The scenic grounds offer stunning views of the Connecticut River as well as walking trails – comfy shoes recommended. There is a gift shop, a small cafeteria, and a nearby picnic area to enjoy an outdoor lunch. Plan to spend about hour in the residence, and then wander the grounds to admire the scenery and get some exercise.

Brian Lapalme

I have been coming to Gillette Castle since 2003. I love bringing family and friends here when I'm in Connecticut. I feel so connected to this place, it's like stepping back in time. A truly one of a kind attraction, not to be missed!

Sally

Gorgeous park with amazing views.wish there had been more time to hike. The castle was interesting and the staff were knowledgeable and engaging. There was a live play when I went as part of the admission. A lovely place to picnic or hike for day trippers ...would like to go camping and explore the area more.

Stephanie Cox

This place was AWESOME! I loved it so much! I'm from Texas so this was a real treat. The museum was supposed to be open and said it was open but is wasn't. I wish we could have gone in. Idk if we'll ever get to go there again so that part was sad. However, the outside was magnificent.