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Gillette Castle State Park, East Haddam, CT

Photo: Philip McQuade, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingHistory BuffOutdoor AdventureFree

Gillette Castle State Park

67 River Rd · East Haddam, CT

Why you should go…

Actor William Gillette designed this 24-room stone castle on a bluff above the Connecticut River, and it took twenty men from 1914 to 1919 to build. On a tour you see hand-hewn southern white oak woodwork, carved wooden light switches and 47 distinctly designed doors. The grounds are free to walk, with trails that follow the route of Gillette's three-mile narrow-gauge railroad past stone-arch bridges and wooded trestles. His old train station is now a picnic pavilion.

  • #castle
  • #state park
  • #historic home
  • #hiking trails
  • #connecticut river views

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Gillette Castle State Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Theatre & Events
    History Buff

    Goodspeed Opera House

    $50+

    See a musical in an 1876 Victorian-style opera house on the bank of the Connecticut River in East Haddam.

    2.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Theatre & Events

  • Tours
    Family Favorite

    Essex Steam Train & Riverboat

    $25–$50

    Ride a vintage steam train through the lower Connecticut River Valley, then board a riverboat for a cruise.

    5.1 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Connecticut River Museum

    Under $25

    A maritime history museum on the Essex, CT waterfront with a working replica of the first combat submarine.

    5.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
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    Mystic Country

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    The eastern Connecticut shoreline region built around the seafaring village of Mystic.

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  • Sightseeing
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    A postcard New England seaport village known for its drawbridge, waterfront shops, and maritime history.

    25 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Outdoor Adventure

    Block Island

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    A low-key Rhode Island island getaway known for bluffs, beaches, and a lighthouse-dotted coast.

    47 mi awayMore like this