A beautifully laid out & well maintained state park, the Gillette Castle - aka: "The Seven Sisters Estate" (named after it being on the most southern set of chain hills it sits on) has so much detail in the stone & wood work! At the visitor center, there are trail maps, bathrooms, vending machines & a museum type atmosphere re; the history of the park / Castle. There are also two restored 1/4 scale narrow-guage railroad engines (one electric & one steam) that William Gillette navigated 3 miles of track on his 122 acre property. Also here at the visitor center, there is a wrap around deck with outstanding views of the Connecticut river with lots of picnic tables. Its a very enjoyable day trip!

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - fabulous park! The CASTLE TOURS are seasonal so check before you go if you want to go inside. The website has information. We were there when the tours were only on weekends. But you can still enjoy the exterior out the castle, and the views, trails, restroom, picnic tables. The area is gorgeous and beautiful walks. So glad we checked it out and we met some wonderful people while we were there. You can watch the ferry cross.

it's truly a hidden gem! Located within a beautiful state park, the castle offers scenic hiking trails and stunning views. The architecture and history of the castle make it a must-see destination. Tip: Be sure to purchase and print your tickets ahead of time for your preferred time slot. We didn’t have access to a printer and ended up waiting about an hour before we could enter. Thankfully, we used that time to explore the grounds and enjoy a relaxing hike through the park.

Gillette Castle is a great place to take the family. I went on Thanksgiving. The castle itself was closed but a great walk around it and the trails were wonderful. Many were there to walk off their turkey meal.

Beautiful Visit! 🌳🏰 Had a great time visiting Gillette Castle State Park. The property is very well maintained, and the views of the Connecticut River are absolutely stunning. There’s also a nice visitor center with helpful information about the history of the castle and the area. A peaceful and scenic place — definitely worth a visit!

We only got to see the outside because everything was closed when we went. The visitor center looked open (lights on and such) but nothing. So we didnt get to tour the inside. Amazing view over the river and fun to look at. I tried peeking into some of the windows just to try to get a feel of what it looked like. Almost kinda normal. Ill have to update once we finally are able to do the tour!

Super cool history about a "Sherlock Holmes" of his time! Tours inside the castle only, but it does reveal a lot of nifty information about the castle and its owner! The surround areas are also beautiful just to walk around and take in.

We parked next to the water fall. The trail to the fall was short but steep. I was able to get to the waterfall with a walking stick. I saw quite a few people swim there. Some climbed up to the fall too. The water is not that clean though. Because there is a camp ground in the upstream... We also checked out the tidy covered bridge. Other than that not much to see. The toilet was terribly smelly 😣😣😣

Challenging hike. Orange loop and vista. There are lots of stones and roots and some challenging uphill climbs but excellent views and beautiful tree lined trails. We went earlier in the morning to avoid large crowds, and it was very serene.

Devil's Hopyard is a beautiful state park with many trails. Pick the one best suited for your level before you walk. The orange trail was definitely a vigorous hike. Begin and end with the sights and sounds of the falls... tranquility at its best.

Next stop on our Connecticut Waterfall Road Trip: Chapman Falls at Devil’s Hopyard State Park! These gorgeous falls cascade over unique rock formations with a steady, powerful flow. The hike down to the base (and back up again) is a solid 7 out of 10 for difficulty, but absolutely worth it for the views and the experience. Bonus fun? Local legend says the oddly shaped potholes in the rock were formed by the devil himself—his hoofprints scorched into stone as he fled the area. Spooky? Maybe. Beautiful? Definitely. Another gem in our one-day, seven-falls adventure!

Beautiful little park, no rangers or visitor center, no bathrooms other than 1 Porta potty. QR code you have to scan for trails and the map doesn't provide info on trail difficulty or length.

Although we didn't get to see the falls but we had a good time. It's a nice Park, lot of shade and some places with a lot of sunlight but it's a great place. I like to go again go a little earlier so we can see a little more of the park. I think it's worth the trip or wherever you going to in Connecticut or the surrounding states

Great camp site. Easy online booking. We did some ghost hunting at night and we are wimps and spooked ourselves. The park was great. They even left a bundle of firewood for us upon arrival. Site was well kept and toilets were well maintained.

Sidewalk is open! Finally. Short maybe 5 minute breezy walk across the mighty Connecticut River. Access to donut shop, grocery, dollar store. Stop for great views of river bank, forests, theater, airport, boats passing by. Nice show. The bridge is noisy, rattle of loose railing, hum of steel mesh vibrating as cars pass. Sadly, the sidewalk has zero adornments, a decidedly modern industrial look (ugly). There is a nice ornamental street light at the end. Silly, but still there are orange barrels where the railing ends, sidewalk continues, so bikers don't fly off the end. All these years, oversight?

It is totally worth taking a boat ride down the river to watch the sunset at the bridge. This was shot on my iPhone and my god it looks fake. What a beautiful photo and great memory. Bridge is tall enough for 26 footers to get under. I'd say anything bigger than that the bridge will have to swing. No complaints just a great boat ride down the river.

I’d give this bridge 5 stars but there’s no walkway. However they will start renovations in 2022 and a pedestrian walkway is planned. Then you will be able to walk from the marina on one side to the playhouse and restaurants on the other. The bridge is neat to watch open and close. There are some great places to eat in East Hadd where you can watch the bridge and airplane traffic.

slow to open, slower to close. causing nothing but headaches for locals. hate this bridge till i die

Scott Swamback of American Bridge Company is one of the most arrogant people I’ve encountered in my life. Poor representation of your company.

I drive over this bridge every day...I love this town....it's so nice to live here...very simple....

Penguin was here

The woman tending the bar/store was so nice and personable. Last time I visited, the winery wasn’t a thing, so I was pleased to be able to do a tasting. Decent pricing for veggies and fruits. Dog friendly

Kind people who make great wine and produce! What's not to like? (I highly recommend doing a wine tasting... I'll be shocked if you don't leave with a bottle of the semi-sweet apple ;). )

Absolutely wonderful! Staff was friendly and very helpful. They were sweet and kind to my family and our two children. We appreciated them still selling trees after other tree farms had shut down for the season. Especially since we’re visiting from overseas and couldn’t get a tree until late December. Once we move back to Connecticut, we’ll be making getting a tree at Staehly Farm our new Christmas tradition. Their excellent customer service and friendly attitude have definitely gained customers for life!

Awesome location, awesome staff! Worth a stop for the CT wine trail!

Fantastic Folks. Great Place. Been going here for many years now. Excellent wine, cider, cheese & honey. Eggs are giant! Fantastic plants in the spring & summer months. Firewood comes in bundles or 1/4 cord (pick up only) Or, have a whole cord delivered!

Great experience! Love this place:) It normally takes my family all day to shop for a tree...sometimes even several days. Staehly Farms has a vast selection. The folks that work here were all a pleasure to deal with. They cut our 12' tree for us and loaded onto our truck! Oh and they have a quainte little store with home made jams, wreaths etc. Highly recommend!

The fruit and vegetable wines tend to be on the sweeter side. The tasting room is small and connects to a green house with flowers and flower baskets. In the tasting room you will also find various jams and sauces from the farm. All the people were kind and helpful. Wine Review: My wife really liked the rhubarb wine. Most rhubarb wines (mine included) are pink in color. Not Staehly's. Their rhubarb was greener, sweet, with a sativa or indica aroma and taste. It was interesting, but not off-putting. There are a number of fruit wines, most of which are a little on sweet side, even if they claimed the wine was dry. Alcohol level was around 10% for these wines. As a home wine maker, I typically aim for dry wines. If I want to sweeting the wine, I add about 5 ml of a Moscato wine to give it the aromas and sweetness while keeping the wine dry.

We came here for a birthday party. The activities were good: Walking horses, petting guinea pigs, feeding goats, a wagon ride. Animals were very friendly and good with kids. The schedule seemed a little chaotic, staff kept changing the ordering that we were going to do things and ended up doing all the animal stuff before food stuff and no place to wash hands, no hand sanitizer in the outhouse either. Some of the staff was really friendly while others seemed annoyed and rushing us along through everything even though we were held up by their changing of the schedule of events.

Very cute small farm. It's perfect for kiddos. They offer pony rides Thursday-Saturday. Feeding the goats only costs $1 although you will notice donation boxes throughout so please make sure to bring cash. There are goats, horses, donkeys, chickens, a turkey, pheasant, llamas, turtles and guinea pigs. The staff is very friendly, the barns and paths clean and parking is quite easy. We will definitely be back!

This place is incredible. The work they do for these animals and all the love and care into the housing and exhibits ensuring the utmost safety and happiness of viewers and animals alike . I try to visit every week and donate whatever I can to help this mission. Keep up the awesome work.

We recently visited the farm and were delighted to see all the animals (donkeys, goats, horses, ducks, peacocks, chickens, Guinea pigs, llama, and a tortoise). The staff gave us a very informative and interesting guided tour. Even though there was light rain we were able to feed the goats outside. Our group of adults really enjoyed grooming the horses and leading them on a walk in the barn (since it was raining). The Guinea pigs were also a delight to feed close up. A lot of the animals have been rescued from bad situations so visiting is a great opportunity to support this organization.

My 3-year-old daughter and I visited the farm for their Easter Egg Hunt. It was such a well-organized and fun morning! Each activity was one right after the other and we didn't have to wait for anything. The egg hunt and the wagon ride to see the Easter Bunny were the highlights for my daughter (she still cannot believe that a chicken and a bunny were driving wagons!) but the other games and activities were fun too. There were lots of animals to see, and everyone on the staff was very friendly and helpful. We'll definitely be back next Easter and probably later this spring for a pony ride!

My husband and I and our two young kids came here to go on the Not-So-Scary Halloween Hayride and we had a great time! While you wait there are quite a few friendly animals to visit and pet, and a cute little gift shop to explore. The ride itself was a nice length and took us on a path that was set up with twinkling lights and blow up statues of different characters. There were a few sets with friendly actors that handed out candy. We especially loved the cats doing the macarena! Lol it was all very cute and the kids loved it. The staff was lovely and we had a great time. Definitely want to go again next year!

We had the best birthday party at this farm recently for our big six year old boy! Kids absolutely loved feeding the Guinea pigs and goats… the unicorn was a true hit and surprise for all! Walking horses was so peaceful and make for sweet group pictures. The parents had a wonderful time watching their children bond with each other and all of the animals. The party room was beautifully decorated and provided plenty of space! Staff is amazing- so friendly, up beat, well organized, communicative, and excellent with all of the children! We were very happy with our experience and all at a very reasonable price too!! Would highly recommend for any birthday party with young children 😊Many thanks! -Allison and Eric

Location of great historical significance. This would be nice place for a picnic in early summer or the fall. Great view of Connecticut River and the Bridge at Goodspeed opera house. Put this on your list of things to do once the lockdown is lifted.

A little gem of CT history. Volunteers open the building, some know more then others. All volunteers are welcoming people and help answer questions to the best of their ability. Many are members of local SOR or DAR chapters and are deeply interested in genealogy, American history, and this local area.

Very cool property right on the river overlooking a beautiful church and cemetery

Nice place for a short visit.

Great one room schoolhouse from the American Revolution.

Great place to stop and vist

Our horse-drawn carriage ride around the lake was an awesome experience and the visit overall exceeded our expectations! Super friendly host and staff! Walking around the farm itself was just as great - horses, and all kinds of carriages, galore - we learned alot about the history and experiences there! Overall, we highly recommend it!

Such a great experience! Very friendly and knowledgeable staff, and the ride around the lake was just so relaxing and enjoyable. John even opened up his storage buildings where he houses his HUGE collection of carriages and sleighs and we had a great time checking out all the antiques. I'd highly recommend a trip to anyone looking for a different way to spend a few hours outdoors!

John and Lori were absolutely AMAZING... not only did they work with me professionally with selection of horses and carriage, when they came to the venue for our wedding they were dressed so beautifully and had Pete with them dressed in a tux, that was certainly the icing on the cake!! My husband and I were both totally happy and impressed with their service and all of our guests enjoyed them so much, they were kind and helpful and gave perfect direction to using the carriage, was top-notch!! You are beautiful amazing people and I'll be forever grateful for all you both added to our wedding day!!

John and Lori are amazing. Beautiful farm horses are well taking care of and we have known John and Lori now for 8 yrs and became very very good friends I highly recommend Allegra Farms for carriage rides or even to just stop and say hi and see the farm.

Owners are super friendly. Carriage ride around the lake was beautiful. The driver took us on a mini personal tour of a barn FULL of different carriages and we got to meet several of the farms horses! Will be back for a sleigh ride!

John Allegra is a class act. His service was top notch. He and his wife are super friendly and professional. They were also very inviting and genuine. Will reccomend them to anyone I know.

Recentlty, we went here for a horse and carriege ride for my step daughters birthday. The tour around the farm and lake were nice. Husband, wife and dog were great.

Staff are caring, courteous and provide excellent service. The Rathbun staff go above and beyond to meet clients requests. If a book is not available then they will go out of their way to locate the book via a partnering library. We are blessed to have two librarys in town, one in East Haddam, The Rathbun Memorial Library and the other library East Haddam Free Public Library is in the Moodus section of town. Both libraries have alternating evening hours with complimentary and interesting programs offered to the public.

Beautiful historically significant building with rolling hills of trees in the background

Librarian extremely helpful with recommending books.

Wonderful friendly staff

Location of great historical significance. This would be nice place for a picnic in early summer or the fall. Great view of Connecticut River and the Bridge at Goodspeed opera house. Put this on your list of things to do once the lockdown is lifted.

A little gem of CT history. Volunteers open the building, some know more then others. All volunteers are welcoming people and help answer questions to the best of their ability. Many are members of local SOR or DAR chapters and are deeply interested in genealogy, American history, and this local area.

Very cool property right on the river overlooking a beautiful church and cemetery

Nice place for a short visit.

Great one room schoolhouse from the American Revolution.

Great place to stop and vist

Wonderful place to worship

A warm and welcoming parish community.

A friendly and welcoming congregation.

An architectural masterpiece set in a beautiful setting. The graveyard is beautifully taken care of

Very pretty function room and Betty lovely atmosphere.

Tremendous AA meetings go on here for anybody that needs them

St. Stephen's is a.warm, welcoming church where everyone will welcome.

If you enjoy driving over the East Haddam swing bridge, you'll enjoy learning the history of it even more! Stop in to see amazing photographs of the bridge under construction and learn how it ended up crossing the Connecticut River and it's current location. There are lots of displays and artifacts that tell the history of this region, far more than you can see in an hour. Like most museums, the East Haddam Historical Society Museum is a work in progress. Check out the amazing display of American sculptor Heinz Warneke, whose work is featured in the National Cathedral in Washington, DC!

Wasn't open on Sunday from 12 to 4 like was advertised. Ruined plans with my granddaughters. Should revoke 501c3 status.

Fantastic museum open on Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 4. Tuesdays at 2 pm are special programs for the community to enjoy. It is worth the visit!

Interesting small town museum. Has hidden gems like original works from Heinz Warneke who did work on the national cathedral and the Nittany lion statue.

Very nice museum about East Haddam. Many exhibits and very informative.

Great place very informative

Tuesdays at 2 program on Barred Owls. Very nice presentation...great audience...friendly staff.

Such a great place to relax & see a show! Love the old architecture when people cared! Go grab a drink before the show & sit on the porch & bring it with you into the show if you're not finished. The performances are always top notch with amazing actors/actresses! Who needs New York?!!

We had the opportunity to attend a showing of White Christmas as part of a school field trip. Before the show we attended workshops on acting and tap dancing. The whole experience was wonderful and the staff was amazing. It was a one if a kind experience. Thanks Nick!

Beautiful theatre. Fantastic production of South Pacific. Lots of stairs to the balcony. Comfy seat, but I had to sit at an angle to see the show. Tiny space to squeeze through to get to seats. Spotty cell signal, so actually download your tickets to your phone before you arrive.

Incredible night on the lawn watching their Monthly Music on the River series featuring the always wonderful Slambovian Circus of Dreams.

A fabulous small theatre with top talent in every way. Wonderful hospitality in a historic setting on the Connecticut River.

We have gone to at least one show a year. Love the venue and the diffrent performancees. Clean and well maintained. Our one time in the balcony was a bit less awesome as ther is lots of stage structure up there and our seats were folding seats. But still had a great time. I have back trouble that makes sitting for 2 hours difficult anywhere. But the seats here are better for me than most movie or play theaters.

We saw our first show there a couple weeks ago. What a beautiful, historic building. The seats were comfortable and theres not a bad seat in there. Its small so every seat has a nice view. So..of course we got tickets to 2 more shows.

A fine park with plenty of trails to get lost on! And we promptly managed to do that! Not seriously lost, just not knowing the park very well, since it was my first visit. Saw the CT River views from Split Rock, which were okay, but nothing to write home about. Overall, a very nice hiking park.

Beautiful area to hike. The weather was fantastic. Hurd State Park is a Connecticut state park located in the town of East Hampton with hiking, picnicking, and mountain biking. It is one of four state parks that offer primitive camping for boaters on the Connecticut River. The park is adjacent to George Dudley Seymour State Park.

Beautiful scenic nature with hidden gems throughout! Definitely a great place to bring the fur babies to have a swim! The park is clean and litter free Just be careful as some of the areas near the “island” are dirty and littered partially due to wash up and rising/sinking water levels. This is the only part that is concerning.

Awesome hiking spot with lots of cool views. Got to see split rock! Take the river trail For a short hike to the Connecticut river. Beautiful state park! Hidden gem

Beautiful campsite, but the walk down (and then back up) is super steep. It was brutal. No running water and just a single outhouse for restroom facilities.

Nice place to walk your dog or enjoy a large get together . They have a large pavilion with fireplaces and picnic benches inside. Also situated next to Connecticut river.

Of the many times I’ve been here, I usually only see two or three other people max. It’s a great small state park that lots of people don’t know about. The hiking trails are peaceful and well maintained and offer views of the CT River.

Major lame-o place. No place to park.... tons of pricker bushes to cross over and really not much of a hike. Just a field. I've seen better fields at Sunrise State Park, and George Dudley. Don't bother.

It's a boat launch.....not to bad of ine at that. All concrete and in good shape.

Meadows overgrown, woods overrun with Barberry. No hunting?! What a waste.

Undeveloped is a perfect description.

Nice view of the Connecticut River from here.

Not much to except a great view of the Ct River

Undeveloped, unmowed, park.

Loved the ambience and the friendliness of the owner. We had a wonderful time. Conveniently located near the Gelston House and the Goodspeed Opera House. Tricky to get out of the driveway as well as getting to the car parked in back, for older adults keep that in mind. Otherwise I would absolutely stay again.

I stayed in the Boardman room - It was like steeping back in time with all the charm and modern conveniences. I've stayed at many bed and breakfasts over the years, but none have captured my heart quite like the Boardman House. From the moment I stepped through the door, I knew I had discovered a truly magical place that would forever set the standard for my travel experiences. The owner, Phyllis, greeted me with genuine warmth and hospitality that made me feel instantly at home. Her attention to detail and commitment to creating a perfect stay for her guests was evident in every aspect of my visit. AND ON TOP OF IT ALL - I made a new friend with Phyllis. The minute you meet her, it's as if you've known her all your life. Beautiful person throughout. VERY CLEAN! - My room was an absolute dream - a perfect blend of cozy comfort and elegant luxury. The plush bed, soft linens and an array of pillows. Every amenity I could possibly need was thoughtfully provided. In conclusion, my stay at Boardman House was nothing short of magical. It wasn't just accommodation; it was an experience that nourished my body, mind, and soul. I left feeling refreshed, inspired, and already planning my return visit.

We arrived later in the evening after dark, and found our key and room instructions outside. The Inn is directory on the road, so there is noise. Directions on how to get to our room were not there, but Phyllis came out and gave us instructions. We were in the French "suite", which was a small room with a king size bed that had a mattress topper on top of the foundation. It was very uncomfortable. The sheets were also sprayed with some sort of perfume, which gave us both headaches and inability to sleep. We left the next day, two days short of our reservation. I requested a refund due to our inability to stay in the room, and am still trying to get them to respond. Would not go back.

My daughter goes to boarding school in Haddam and we’ve stayed at this beautiful gem every time we’ve been to Haddam since she began. The owner, Phyllis, couldn’t be any more warm, welcoming, helpful, or hard-working, if she tried! We love staying with her in her gorgeously restored historical inn! I can’t recommend it enough (except I want to make sure I can still book a room when we visit! lol).

Joined a friend for a quick one-night stay at the Boardman House while in the area. Both of us enjoy exploring historical lodgings, so from the photos, this looked to be a perfect fit. As some have mentioned, it's important to note that this is not a true Bed AND Breakfast. While this was reiterated at many stages of the booking process, it does feel like a bit of a misrepresentation keeping the word "breakfast" in the name. After checking in and getting settled in our room we located a pair of socks crumpled up at the foot of our bed that neither of us could claim. We could only assume they belonged to the previous occupant immediately making me question the cleanliness boasted about in so many other reviews. We were excited to find a Roku remote in our room. However, there was no remote included for the TV, so annoyingly all volume adjustments had to be done by hand. Additionally, the mattress on the bed in our room was uncomfortable and sagging, leading to a broken and painful night of sleep. All in all, for anyone interested in the history and architecture of the place this might be worth a one-time stay solely to admire the bones of this charming old house currently functioning as a hotel of sorts. However, I cannot say we were particularly impressed by the service or hospitality offered by this establishment. While the property is clearly charming, the only thing "elegant" we found about it was the pricetag.

The private back yard was in full bloom, very tranquil and beautiful. The Garden Room is a great choice featuring a huge porch with comfy patio chairs. Took in a show at The Goodspeed, seafood dinner at the Gelston, and made several trips to the Swingbridge wine shop across the street, all within a short walking distance. New owner is very attentive and caring. Stayed 4 nights.

My wife and I stayed here for three nights for our anniversary and it was everything we were hoping for. It is a beautiful old house and we had the Garden suite which was a beautiful two room suite with our own entrance, large bathroom and a really nice sitting area. Mia was very helpful with anything we needed. The dining options were one we could walk to and others just 5 minutes away. There were museums and wineries in the area to visit during the day. The Gillette Castle was very close and well worth a visit. A great place to stay if you are going to the local Opera House for a play.