Built in 1919 by actor William Hooker Gillette, who made his fortune playing Sherlock Holmes, this gaudy, medieval-style 'castle' is an eccentric turreted mansion made of fieldstone. Looming on one of the Seven Sisters hills above East Haddam, the folly is modeled on the medieval castles of Germany’s Rhineland and the views from its terraces are spectacular. The surrounding 125 acres are a designated state park, and the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry arrives at the bottom of the property. In addition to the summer season, the castle is open for tours on select weekends during the November–December holiday season.
Gillette Castle
Connecticut
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
26.69 MILES
In 2015 the nation's oldest public art museum completed a five-year, $33-million renovation, renewing 32 galleries and 15 public spaces. The Wadsworth…
27.31 MILES
Reopened in 2016 after extensive restoration, this fabulous gallery was architect Louis Kahn’s last commission and is the setting for the largest…
27.32 MILES
This outstanding museum was architect Louis Kahn's first commission and houses the oldest university art collection in the country; it includes Vincent…
24.42 MILES
More than a museum, Mystic Seaport is a re-creation of an entire New England whaling village spread over 17 acres of the former George Greenman & Co…
27.58 MILES
For 17 years, encompassing the most productive period of his life, Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835–1910) and his family lived in this striking orange-and…
27.03 MILES
Each year, thousands of high-school students make pilgrimages to Yale, nursing dreams of attending the country's third-oldest university, which boasts…
New Britain Museum of American Art
25.11 MILES
Moved to its present, modern premises in 2003 in honor of its centenary, the impressive yet little-known New Britain Museum of American Art houses a stand…
26.65 MILES
Designed by Argentinian architect Cesar Pelli, the Connecticut Science Center is both an exciting architectural space and an absorbing museum for adults…
Nearby Connecticut attractions
2.77 MILES
Nathan Hale (1755–76) is famous for his (alleged) patriotic statement, 'I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country,' as he was about to…
5.18 MILES
Enjoy fishing, hiking and swimming in Connecticut's second-largest state forest.
5.21 MILES
The association hosts at least four different public shows during the high season and rents the space for other art showings the rest of the year. Located…
5.33 MILES
This beautiful shoreline park is centered on a gazebo and features an illustration explaining the 25 tree species lining the perimeter. You can launch…
5.51 MILES
Adjacent to Essex's Steamboat Dock, this museum's meticulously presented exhibits recount regional history and include a reproduction of the world's first…
5.78 MILES
Legend has it that the round holes in the park's beautiful, 60ft Chapman Falls were made by the Devil itself, but you can thank the state of Connecticut…
5.85 MILES
Inaugurated in 1944 with a gift of 154 acres from the Hazen Foundation, this park features a pretty meadow dotted with picnic tables, and offers seasonal…
8.4 MILES
Florence Griswold's house, which her artist friends decorated with murals (often in lieu of paying rent), is now the Florence Griswold Museum. The 'home…