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Gillette Castle
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,495 Google reviews · Castle wedding venue in East Haddam, Connecticut
Castle and grounds featuring hiking trails, plus a museum and a gift shop.
Plan your visit
- Lodging stay overnight on-site — couples and the castle's own info mention accommodations; ask how many rooms and whether the wedding-night suite is included
- Today see hours ·
- Phone (860) 424-3200
- Website ct.gov — most castles book tours right on their site
Hours
| Monday | 10 AM–4 PM |
| Tuesday | 10 AM–4 PM |
| Wednesday | 10 AM–4 PM |
| Thursday | 10 AM–4 PM |
| Friday | 10 AM–4 PM |
| Saturday | 10 AM–4 PM |
| Sunday | 10 AM–4 PM |
Inside the castle
What couples say again and again
“There are a series of trails here, a lovely pond with a gorgeous bridge, and historical walking tours run by volunteers during the warmer months.”
“The house is not good for handicap access; however the grounds are lovely and accessible, but a little hilly.”
From the reviews
Came here for my birthday trip, the scenry is absolutely beautiful and the castle is a piece of art. **The castle was designed and built by William Gillette (1853–1937), an American actor most famous for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes on stage. Gillette lived here from 1919 until his death in 1937.
This was a beautiful castle and we were glad that we decided to visit. We got tickets there without any issues. We walked around the outside of the castle before our tour. There is a beautiful view of the Connecticut River below and lots of walkable trails around the park. We enjoyed the tour inside the castle.
This is a wonderful place to go to whether you go in winter, fall, summer or spring. For each season it somehow feels and looks different. Very small sections of the castle were modernized. But the rest has been maintained as it was since 1917. The man who built this thing, was an actor and writter.
This castle is so cool! The sunset views are amazing! We came after the visitors center was closed but you could still access the bathrooms and water fill up station. The grounds are very nice and beautiful this time of the year (fall). Would love to come back sometime and tour the inside.
Getting married at Gillette Castle
A castle wedding is the once-in-a-lifetime, storybook kind — the grand staircase, the ballroom, the gardens and turrets your photos will live on forever. Castle weddings commonly run $10,000–$40,000+ depending on the date, guest count, and how much is included, so ask for a written quote for your season — Gillette Castle doesn’t publish a set price, and tiers move fast. Two things make the tour worth the drive. First, see it at the time of day you’d actually get married — a ballroom that glows at golden hour can feel very different at noon, and you’ll want to walk the path your guests take from the gates to the ceremony to the reception. Second, bring your real questions: what’s included with the venue fee (tables, chairs, setup, teardown), the catering and bar policy, whether you can stay overnight on-site, the rain plan for a garden ceremony, and the music curfew. Fairytale dates at castle venues book 12–18 months out, so if the tour feels right, ask what’s open in your season before you leave.
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