October 28, 2018 – Gillette Castle State Park – Connecticut

Today we Adventured to Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam, Connecticut. This was our second trip to the Gillette Castle. Gillette Castle was once the estate of William Gillette, a famous Actor in the early 1900’s. It was later bought by the state of Connecticut. The Park includes a visitor center, museum, hiking trails, and picnic area. There are even live theater events and walking tours available to visitors.

We had an intriguing Adventure to Gillette Castle State Park. Our first visit was in August 2018, on a warm day, while today was a overcast, almost chilly Fall day. Gillette Castle State Park is a magical experience, transforming visitors back into medieval time, or sensing an escape on a journey abroad. We greatly enjoyed our visit to the Castle, circling the grand structure many times so as not to miss an inch. Shadow enjoyed some rolls in the grass, while Wilma jumped up high to climb along the rock-like fence, posing for photos. Not only is the Castle itself just breathtaking, it is located on the beautiful Connecticut River vast with Fall foliage. Just gorgeous from every direction! Today the Castle was mobbed with visitors, dulling the experience a bit, but really that cannot take away from the brilliant beauty of the Castle.

After visiting the Castle we wandered the trails on the side of the Park, and headed down to the water. Shadow and I were a bit tired from our earlier Adventure so we decided not to engage in any strenuous or lengthy hiking. The trails were not labeled, so we just sauntered around for a bit. We were thrilled to locate three adorable walking bridges along the way, adding some charm to the trails. From the trails we walked around some spots along the main road, finding a gorgeous stone bridge, a leaf filled pond, and several other small features along the way. We of course had to have one last visit to the Castle before finishing up our day. Although I wish we could have had this spot all to ourselves (haha), we still cannot say enough about the spectacular Gillette Castle State Park. I expect we will be back again in the future (Rating: 5).

October 2018