Do you know that you might live close to a castle here in the United States? And if you’re looking for a unique and exciting date idea, wedding location, or romantic getaway then here are some of the best US castles that you can tour or stay overnight at.
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Iolani Palace | Honolulu, HI
Address
364 S King St, Honolulu, HI 96813
Coordinates of Iolani Palace
21.3068° N, 157.8588° W
Description
- museum
- 10 rooms
- Four stories
- Archetectural Style: Italian Renaissance
Why the Iolani Palace Was Built
The Iolani Palace served as the official residence of the last Hawaiian monarchs from 1882-1893, where they held official functions, hosted and entertained dignitaries and luminaries from around the world.
It also served as the Hawaii capitol for almost 80 years until it was vacated and restored in the 1970s.
Tours
The first two floors have been meticulously restored and are available for tours.
The first floor consists of the public reception areas – the Grand Hall, State Dining Room, Blue Room, and the Throne Room
The second floor consists of the private suites – the King’s and Queen’s suites, Music Room, and the Imprisonment Room, where Queen Liliuokalani was detained under house arrest for about eight months after her government was overthrown.
==>[CLICK HERE] to get DEALS on Tours of Iolani Palace and surrounding areas.
Boldt | Alexandria Bay, NY
Address
1 Heart Island, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607
Coordinates of Boldt Castle
+44° 20′ 40.29″ N, -75° 55′ 21.27″ W
Description
- Port of Entry Canada-US, wedding reception hall, point of interest for tours
- 120 Rooms
- 6 Floors
- Architectural Style: Châteauesque
- Located on Heart Island near Alexandria Bay, NY
- Operates Spring to Fall
Why Boldt Castle Was Built
George C. Boldt, the millionaire proprietor of the world-famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, started to build a full-size Rhineland-style castle of 120 rooms to display his love for his wife Louise. After she passed in 1904 he halted all construction and it sat vacant and unfinished until 1977. (Learn more of the history of Boldt Castle on the official Boldt Castle website).
Tours
Arrival at Heart Island is only possible by boat.
*Boldt Castle Is NOT Open to the Public All Year
It’s open from May to October check for specific dates and hours of operation
Click here for a list of boat operators that take you to Heart Island.
Take virtual tours from the Boldt Castle official website here.
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Hammond | Gloucester, MA
Address
80 Hesperus Ave, Gloucester, MA 01930
Hammond Castle Coordinates
42.5852° N, 70.6924° W
Description
- museum open to the public
- 5,996 Square feet
- Architectural Style: Medieval
- Operates Spring to Winter
Why Hammond Castle Was Built
Hammond Castle was constructed in 1926 by inventor John Hays Hammond, Jr. to be his residence and place of storage for his private collection of artifacts from ancient Rome through the Renaissance.
Tours
The Hammond Castle Museum offers both self-guided tours and guided tours, and outdoor grounds visits.
Click here for self-guided tour info.
Hearst | San Simeon, CA
Address
750 Hearst Castle Rd, San Simeon, CA 93452
Hearst Castle Coordinates
35.6852° N, 121.1682° W
Description
- museum
- 115 Rooms (including 38 bedrooms, 40+ bathrooms)
- 60,645 square feet
- Theatre
- Beauty salon
Why Hearst Castle Was Built
William Hearst Sr, businessman, newspaper publisher, and politician built Hearst Castle to fulfill his childhood dream of constructing a castle residence to resemble the ones he had seen while touring Europe as a boy. It was not completely finished while he was alive, but he did live in it until 1947.
Tours
Explore William Hearst’s personal collection of rare and ancient works of art and get a glimpse into how it felt to live in a lavish private castle.
==>[CLICK HERE for DEALS] on Hearst Castle Tours and surrounding areas.
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Thornewood | Lakewood, WA
Address
8601 N Thorne Ln SW, Lakewood, WA 98498
Coordinates of Thornewood Castle
47.1303° N, 122.5514° W
Description of Thornewood Castle
- Private residence, bed-and-breakfast, wedding reception and corporate event hall
- 54 rooms (including 22 bedrooms, 22 bathrooms)
- Architectural Style: Tudor Gothic
- 27,000+ square feet
Who Built Thornewood Castle
Financier and one of the founders of Port of Tacoma Mr. Chester Thorne with his wife Anna. It was constructed between 1908-1911. Part of the materials from a 400-year-old manor located in England were shipped and used in the main house.
What Movies or TV Series Does Thornewood Castle Appear In
- Stephen King’s Red Rose mini-television series (2002)
- Ridley Pearson’s “The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer” (2003)
- “There Will Be Blood” (Oscar Winner in 2007)
- “The Eyes of the Totem” (1927)
Tours
(None)
Thornewood Castle is run as a bed-and-breakfast hotel, wedding event, and corporate event site.
Book a Room or Suite at Thornewood Castle
Get info on suites, rooms for your honeymoon, or your next romantic getaway.
Discounts may apply when booking directly through the official website.
Biltmore | Asheville, NC
Address
1 Lodge St, Asheville, NC 28803
Coordinates of Biltmore
35.5406° N, 82.5523° W
Description of Biltmore Estate
- Hotel, tours, winery
- 250 rooms (including 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces)
- 175,000 square feet
- Architectural Style: Châteauesque
Why Biltmore Was Built
Famous art collector George Vanderbilt built Biltmore as a country retreat to pursue his passion for art, literature, and archecture.
Book a Getaway at Biltmore
Check out the three different levels of stays available for you to book for romantic getaways for couples at the Biltmore Estate.
[Click Here] to get resort stay information
Tours
Various tours offer different experiences from the grounds and winery to exploring the main building.
==>[CLICK HERE for Deals] on Ashville, NC tours
Castello di Amorosa | Calistoga, CA
Address
4045 St Helena Hwy, Calistoga, CA 94515
Coordinates of Castello di Amorosa
38.5586° N, 122.5428° W
Description
- winery, vineyard in Napa Valley
- Architectural Style: Medieval (including a moat, drawbridge, five towers, high defensive ramparts)
- 107 rooms
- 121,000 square feet
Why the Castello di Amorosa Was Built
Fourth-generation winemaker Dario Sattui built this 13th-century Tuscan castle winery to honor and celebrate his Italian heritage and passion for medieval architecture.
Tours
Castello di Amorosa is open to the public to book wine tasting and private events
(Read My Post below==>)
Ultimate Bucket List for Couples
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Grey Towers | Glenside, PA
Address
450 S. Easton Road; Glenside, PA 19038
Coordinates of Grey Towers Castle
40°5′27″N 75°9′53″W
Description
- National Historic Landmark, Arcadia University campus building
- 40 rooms
- Architectural Style: Gothic Revival
- 53,564 square feet
- Opened 1893
Why Grey Towers Castle Was Built
Grey Towers was originally built as the estate of William Welsh Harrison, co-owner of the Franklin Sugar Refinery.
Tours
Check out Grey Towers grounds and mansion tours.
Lyndhurst Mansion | Tarrytown, NY
Address
635 S Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591
Coordinates of Lyndhurst Castle
41.0540° N, 73.8673° W
Description
- tourist destination, wedding events, film, television and photography location
- 16 rooms
- 39,000 square feet
- Architectural Style: Gothic Revival country house
Tours
Mansion and grounds tours are available to the general public, plus virtual tours.
[Click here] for virtual tours of Lyndhurst Mansion
Fonthill | Doylestown, PA
Address
525 E Court St, Doylestown, PA 18901
Coordinates of Fonthill Castle
40.3211° N, 75.1230° W
Description
- museum, private events and catering, photography location
- 44 rooms (including 18 fireplaces, 32 stairwells, 21 chimneys, 200+ windows)
- 19,000 square feet
- Architectural Style: mix of Medieval, Gothic, and Byzantine
Why Fonthill Castle Was Built
Fonthill Castle was the home of archaeologist, anthropologist, ceramist, scholar and antiquarian Henry Chapman Mercer (1856-1930). Mercer also used it as a showplace for his collection of tiles and prints.
Tours
Visit Fonthill Castle for tours and the Mercer Museum.
Belvedere | New York, New York
Address
Central Park, New York, New York
Coordinates of Belevedere Castle
40.7794° N, 73.9691° W
Description
- tourist destination in Central Park New York, folly (not castle)
- 1,820 square feet
- Architectural Style: hybrid of Gothic and Romanesque
- contains exhibit rooms and observation deck
Why Was Belvedere Castle Built
Completed in 1872, Belvedere Castle was designed as a place to enjoy views of the surrounding landscape.
What is Unique about Belvedere Castle?
Belvedere Castle is one of the most iconic spots in Central Park and is located atop the huge rock outcrop called Vista Rock which is the second-highest natural point in Central Park
Tours
Belvedere Castle offers a variety of tours, events, and activities
==>[CLICK HERE] for DEALS on NYC Central Park tours
Castle Farms | Charlevoix, MI
Address
5052 M-66, Charlevoix, MI 49720
Coordinates of Castle Farms
45.2783° N, 85.2283° W
Description
- Special events facility, tourist location, wine shop
- 22,000 square feet (barn)
Why Castle Farms Was Built
Albert Loeb, Vice President of Sears, Roebuck and Company, built Castle Farms as a model farm to showcase livestock and new farm equipment that was sold by his company.
Tours
Take self-guided and guided tours.
Castle in the Clouds | Moultonborough, NH
Address
455 Old Mountain Road; Moultonborough, NH 03254
Coordinates of Castle in the Clouds
43.7284° N, 71.3220° W
Description
- tourist destination, wedding pavilion, restaurant
- 16 rooms (many with views of the surrounding lakes and mountains)
- 10,000 square feet
- Architectural Style: Arts and Crafts. Castle in the Clouds was built with cutting edge materials like steel beams, poured concrete, and terra cotta architectural blocks
Why Castle in the Clouds Was Built
Shoe industry magnate Tom Plant built his estate as a primary residence to take advantage of the mountain and lake views.
Tours
Castle in the Clouds offers mansion tours, hiking and walking trails, a restaurant, exhibit gallery, and fishing pond.
What is a Folly?
Some of the best US castles you can visit are not even castles- they might be a folly.
What is a folly?
A folly is an ornate building designed for decoration without a practical purpose but whose appearance suggests it’s something else. A great example of that would be Cinderella’s Castle in Disney’s Magic Kingdom Theme Park in Orlando, Florida.
A castle was designed to fortify itself against attack with high thick walls and towers and was used as a residence and typically built in Medieval times.
Castle Vs Palace?
Palaces were not built to protect themselves against an attack, while castles were, and a palace’s primary purpose is as a place of residence.
Oldest Castle in the US
Bacon’s Castle | Surry County, Virginia
Can You Buy a Castle?
Looking for your dream home for you and your partner?
Check out this site that lists US castles for sale
US Castles Hotels You Can Stay In
Looking for a romantic getaway? Find the nearest US castle where you can reserve a night’s stay.
Check out the official website of these US castles that serve as hotels or bed-and-breakfasts.
Some of the castles listed below are also part of the main list in this blog post.
Biltmore Estate | Ashville, NC
Castle Hotel & Spa | Tarrytown, New York
Castle Marne Bed and Breakfast | Denver, Colorado
Thornewood Castle | Lakewood, Washington
Highlands Castle | Bolton, New York
The Kentucky Castle | Versailles, Kentucky
Oheka Castle | Huntington, New York
Castle Hill Resort and Spa | Ludlow, Vermont
Williamswood Castle | Knoxville, Tennessee (Facebook)
Covington Castle | Covington, Louisiana (Air BnB)
La Chambre Bleue | Sonora, California (Booking.com)
Texas Hill Country Castle | Burnet County, Texas (Air BnB)
Castles in the US for Weddings
Want a storybook wedding? Or maybe suggest one to a friend?
Check out these US castles where you can book a wedding or wedding reception.
(Some of these repeat from the main list above).
Biltmore Estate | Ashville, NC
Castle Hill Resort and Spa | Killington, VT
Boldt Castle | Thousand Islands, NY
Landoll’s Mohican Castle | Loudonville, OH
Henderson Castle | Kalamazoo, MI
Oheka Castle Hotel and Estate | Long Island, NY
The Chanler at Cliff Walk | Newport, RI
Fonthill Castle | Doylestown, PA
Thornewood Castle | Lakewood, WA
Lyndhurst Mansion | Tarrytown, NY
Castle Farms (Castle) | Charlevoix, MI
Castle in the Clouds | Moultonborough, NH
Glen Eyre Estate is a beautiful castle and grounds in Colorado Springs!
Thank you, Jennifer. I will add it to the list next time I update this list. Any other ones you’ve been to? Or have on your bucket list checklists?