8 Things to Do Near Gillette Castle State Park (+ Map)

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Wondering what to do near Gillette Castle? At first glance, it might seem like this state park is in the middle of nowhere, but there are actually lots of fun spots nearby. Here are some fun ideas for things to do nearby!

Want a full plan? Here are five Gillette Castle day trip itineraries with different routes, activities, and places to eat.

🍽️ Eat at Two Wrasslin’ Cats

A brightly painted café called Two Wrasslin' Cats features a colorful blue and green exterior with cartoon cat decorations and Halloween inflatables, including a black cat with a jack-o'-lantern. Patio seating with green and purple chairs sits outside under autumn trees.

Continue with the cat theme (Gillette really loved his 15+ cats, which you’ll see on display in numerous ways when you tour the castle) with a stop at this quirky cafe. It’s eccentric, homey, and has great food for breakfast and lunch.

🎭 See a Musical at the Goodspeed

Aerial view of the East Haddam Swing Bridge spanning the Connecticut River, with its white metal structure reflecting in the calm water at sunrise. The surrounding landscape is filled with colorful fall foliage, and the historic Goodspeed Opera House sits prominently on the riverbank.

The Goodspeed Opera House is a historic theater building next to the East Haddam Swing Bridge, overlooking the Connecticut River. It was built in 1876–77 and has been home to Goodspeed Musicals since 1963.

It has some pretty great claims to fame—including the world premiere of the musical “Annie” in 1976!

Today, it puts on hundreds of performances per year, both new and revived musicals.

I’ve passed by this many times and had no idea it was so well-renowned. Although Rich and I haven’t seen any shows here yet, we’re hoping to attend “A Chorus Line” this fall.

The exterior of a white Victorian-style building with ornate trim and a central tower marked "1876," decorated with red banners and a sign celebrating 42 seasons. People stand at the front entrance under classic lampposts, framed by autumn foliage.

View of the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut, with a white wooden upper structure and stone foundation. A large banner on the side promotes the current show, and the American flag waves above the balcony under a vivid blue sky.

Tips for visiting:

This parking lot is the opera house’s official parking and is very easy to get in and out of. You’ll need to walk across a footbridge and up a small hill. Accessible parking is right in front of Gelston House. There’s also a parking lot right across the street from the opera house, but if you miss turning into it, you’re heading across the bridge. (Please ensure you read any posted signs wherever you park.)
If you’re visiting in the fall, be sure to wander down to the scarecrow contest in the meadow across from the main parking lot on Lumber Yard Road. (Town scarecrow contests are a bit of a thing around Connecticut!)
Want photos of the bridge and opera house? There’s a little state park across the river that you can pull into.

🚗 Take the Ferry Across the River

Vehicles line up to board the historic Chester-Hadlyme Ferry in Connecticut, with fare signage, a state historic landmark plaque, a stop sign, and the Connecticut River in view.

If you want to get out on the water but don’t have time for a long tour, I highly recommend taking the historic ferry to Gillette Castle!

This is pretty quick and easy. You literally just drive onto the boat, cash in hand, and have a 5-minute ride across the Connecticut River.

In my opinion, this is a must-do when visiting Gillette Castle. Note that it is seasonal from about April–November. Check out our guide to the ferry for all the details.

😍 Visit a Cute Town

GIF of an aerial view of a quaint Connecticut riverside village during fall, with charming houses among colorful autumn trees. The shoreline curves around calm blue water dotted with sailboats, and forested hills stretch across the horizon in the background.

If you’re in the mood to wander an adorable downtown—exploring shops and seeing what you find—there are two great ones close to Gillette Castle.

The town of Chester (the area that says Chester Center on Google Maps) has lots of art galleries, along with some shops and restaurants. I went recently and had an amazing meal (complete with outdoor seating on a perfect spring day) at Otto Pizza.

Essex (the area that says Essex Village on Google Maps) is another great town on the Connecticut River. There are lots of cute shops in the downtown area, as well as well-known places to eat like The Griswold Inn, and the Connecticut River Museum.

The shop "Goods & Curiosities" is a white colonial-style building houses with green shutters, window flower boxes, and American and decorative flags flying out front. A green bench and a sign reading “OPEN” sit near the entrance beneath a bright blue sky.

The exterior of the Weekend Kitchen shop features large display windows, potted plants, and fall decor along the sidewalk. Reflections of nearby buildings and trees add to the quaint village atmosphere on a sunny day in downtown Essex, Connecticut.

You can combine either of these towns with taking the Chester–Hadlyme Ferry across, or drive up to the East Haddam Swing Bridge.

Photo Op: If you cross the river at East Haddam, you might want to stop and take photos at the Goodspeed Opera House and Gelston House. Check out that section for more!

🚂 Ride the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat

Essex train station in Connecticut featuring a yellow and red wooden building labeled "Valley Railroad Office" with a vintage train parked alongside the platform. Signs for ticketing and an American flag decorate the charming depot, with autumn trees glowing in the background.

Go all in on experiencing the Connecticut River with this family-friendly experience. The train starts in Essex and takes you through the woods and along the river until you reach the Deep River Landing to board the Becky Thatcher.

This is the only steam train-riverboat connection in the US!

Train enthusiasts will love the fact that this is an authentic coal burning steam locomotive—there are firemen shoveling coal by hand during the trip. During the train portion of the trip, you’ll pass by some pretty coves that are freshwater tidal marshes with important food sources for birds.

For me, the boat portion of the trip was the most interesting—with both beautiful views (including Gillette Castle) and some narration about the history and importance of the river.

Gillette Castle sits on a hillside covered in vibrant autumn foliage, with its stone structure peeking through the trees under a clear blue sky. The scene is viewed from below on the Connecticut River, where the water gently reflects the fall colors.

Overall, this is a great way to immerse yourself in the history and natural setting of the area. Find out more on their website here.

🥾 Hike at Devil’s Hopyard

If you’re looking for more of a hike than you can find on the trails at Gillette Castle, head to nearby Devil’s Hopyard State Park in East Haddam. The trails are moderately challenging and range from 2 to 5.5 miles long.

It’s been awhile since we hiked here, but it was a great spot with nice views. The waterfalls close to the parking lot were quite popular when we visited, so I’d recommend going in the morning if you want to avoid crowds. The trail we hiked wasn’t crowded at all, though.

I recommend checking out the state park website and AllTrails for more (we love using AllTrails to download maps before heading out on a hike!).

Pin This Post for Later

A travel graphic titled “Connecticut Gillette Castle – Day Trip Ideas” features a photo of Gillette Castle perched above a forested hill with fall foliage, overlooking the Connecticut River under a vibrant blue sky. The website DiscoveringCT.com is listed at the bottom.

A collage labeled “Things to Do Near Gillette Castle – Connecticut” shows four destinations: Gillette Castle, the Goods & Curiosities shop, the Goodspeed Opera House, and a rustic cidery with a flight of drinks. The DiscoveringCT.com website is featured below the images.

🧘🏽‍♀️ Do Yoga at Lavender Pond Farm

Who can resist the scent of lavender?

This one is a little farther away from the castle (25 minutes), but it’s a fun addition in the summer months if you enjoy flower gardens. With almost 10,000 plants in 30 beds, Lavender Pond Farm is a delightful place to walk around, sit and enjoy the smell, and check out the lavender-themed gift shop.

The blooming season is June through August, and they are open seven days a week.

Blooming row of purple lavender flowers in the foreground, with a group of people blurred in the background holding yoga mats and chatting in a grassy, sunny field.

Close-up of the author, Naomi, in sunglasses and a tank top holding a rolled-up yoga mat outdoors on a sunny day, with grassy fields and garden paths blurred in the background.

Plus, on most summer Saturday mornings they have yoga in the lavender field. It’s a little on the pricey side at $16, but it really is incredible to practice yoga while the scent of lavender floats all around you.

🍷 Enjoy a Wine or Cider Tasting

A rustic wooden building with a dark roof sits beside a grassy lawn where people relax in colorful Adirondack chairs. The setting is surrounded by lush green trees under a partly cloudy sky.

For a super chill way to enjoy the afternoon, head to Yankee Cider Company for a cider or wine tasting flight.

I stumbled upon this place the first time I went to Gillette Castle, and I fell in love.

Not only is their hard cider really good (like actually good), they offer tasting flights that can be mixed and matched with their wines. This is great for a girls day where not everyone prefers cider or wine—you can get some of both!

They have some seating inside the tasting room, but if it’s a nice day, you’re going to want to enjoy the sprawling lawn with both picnic tables and Adirondack chairs.

A flight of ciders in plastic cups is served in a metal muffin tin on a weathered picnic table, with a rustic barn in the background and people lounging in red and blue Adirondack chairs on the lawn.

This is perfection after spending the morning hiking and exploring Gillette Castle.

They don’t serve food, but they do have some pre-packaged snacks for purchase (dried meat, crackers, and cheeses). In the past they’ve had a food truck on site as well. So if you’re going around mealtime, I recommend either calling ahead to see if there is a vendor on site, or eating elsewhere before you go.

Map of Things to Do Near Gillette Castle

Have you been to any of these spots near Gillette Castle? Is there anything else you’d recommend close by?

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