how to live, travel and explore the world from your van

Gillette Castle State Park Connecticut on $20 a day

This is part of an 18 week, 7,532 mile, Vanabode road trip detailed in the book from Amazon
titled Big City Wild Country East Coast Road Trip on $20 a Day for just $2.99
See East Coast Road Trip for more pictures, itinerary, maps and trip overview.

Beautiful winding roads lead us through pristine deep green country down to Gillette State Park.

This sanctuary is based around ponds, woods, hills, and a large hand made, rock and cement structure turned mansion. Opened in the early 1900's this place is very unique. A millionaire playwright that once played Sherlock Holmes in many plays built Gillette Castle. Architect William Gillette acted in one of the first films with sound, and made the rounds with political big wigs of his time.

Gillette Castle free standing rock entrance to the State Park in Connecticut

Above: We head down the hill to one of the ponds and eat our picnic lunch. Fist sized toads croak and bellow. These big fatties extend their yellow throats in full view of all, and celebrate the sun, each other, and mating season. Everywhere I look they are making tadpoles.

The castle is a fun walk around, and we marvel at the eccentric, very unique structure with its dark, jagged walls and arches overlooking the lake.

Gillette Castle State Park hand made brick bridge over seasonal low stream

Surprisingly there are not many birds around, which, not surprisingly, means there are swarms of insects. Flies bite us. Noseeums itch us. Flying ants sting us. Gnats buzz our ears. The ever-present East Coast mosquito torments us too. We hike for an hour, which is all Kelly can take today. She flails and spins and smacks herself trying to kill all the bugs around her. Once again I laugh so hard it hurts. I trip over a stump and almost face plant because my eyes are blurry with tears.

gillette castle state park underground storage area

We head out and stop at Beckett Hill State Park Preserve so Kelly can swim bathe off her sweaty bug bitten flesh in Norwich Pond. She wades out and I play lifeguard in the shade from my lawn chair by the van. We are alone and the view is quite nice. Oh, the joys of being married to a beauty. NO! There are NO PICTURES, don't even think about it!

For thousands of unforgettable experiences on this affordable 18 week 7,500 mile road trip
Click to see the book "Big City Wild Country East Coast Road Trip on $20 a Day"
from Amazon

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