Connecticut’s Gillette Castle Worth a Summer Road Trip

My wife and I are rolling stones, especially on the weekend. Sitting still is generally not an option for us. We like to "day trip" in search of new and familiar places, and being that my wife is a professional photographer, we seek out the unique experience.

We recently became acquainted with Connecticut's Gillette Castle, a "modern medieval stone castle" high above the beautiful Connecticut River. The castle is the centerpiece of Gillette Castle State Park, which straddles the towns of East Haddam and Lyme.

Gillette Castle, a mansion constructed from 1914 to 1919 by actor, director and playwright William Hooker Gillette, sits atop a chain of hills known as the Seven Sisters. It was originally called the Seventh Sister by Gillette.

The state acquired the property in 1943, several years after Gillette's death, and renamed it Gillette Castle State Park. It opened to the public the following year.

Gillette adapted several of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes books to stage productions and appeared on stage as Holmes over 1,300 times.

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Gillette Castle is open for public tours for a small fee. The mansion includes many of the original furnishings and other belongings. The home also has at least one secret room that Gillette used to spy on his guests.

The Friends of Gillette Castle State Park website says, "The woodwork within the Castle is hand-hewn southern white oak. Gillette designed 47 one-of-a-kind doors within the structure, each having a unique, elaborate latch intricately carved of wood."

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Gillette was a train enthusiast. The website says, "In 1927, Gillette built a quarter-scale, narrow-gauge railroad around his 122-acre property. The railroad included two engines (one steam, one electric), several passenger cars, and three miles of track complete with bridges, turnarounds, and a tunnel."

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Several of the bridges, including a covered bridge, remain. The hiking trails follow Gillette's old railroad bed.

Admission to Gillette Castle State Park is free. The park has picnic areas, hiking trails, and gorgeous vistas. A nearby ferry can shuttle you across the river.

The park features an information station, a gift shop, restrooms and a place to grab food. It is also accessible.

Gillette Castle State Park is about an hour and 45 minutes from New Bedford and is a short distance from Mystic and Old Saybrook.

Gillette Castle State Park 📍67 River Rd, East Haddam, CT 06423