Solomon’s Castle

As you leave the hustle and bustle of the Gulf shore busyness, you find yourself driving into an empty landscape.  There a few ranches and fields full of cattle and horses, but not much else.  The destination is so isolated, you start to question your decision to find it.  There is no cell service the closer you get to the area.  Thankfully the GPS seems to continue to work to help you find this amazing destination.  You will pass through iron gates to a small parking lot.  There is room for some small RV’s in the parking lot during off season, however we don’t recommend it.

Inside the gate, stands a giant silver castle with ornate stained glass windows on every wall.  The entire structure was built on the artistic whim of a man with a vision and all recycled materials or trash. To the side of the castle is a natural made partial moat, in which the artist chose to build a ship. The restaurant in the Boat in the Moat and on the lovely terrace under the trees offered a variety of  food options. Inside the castle, visitors can take a guided tour of the great halls and the artist’s personal home space.  Each incredible piece of art was constructed out of trash and recyclable material.    It is an amazing piece of architecture and artistic genius.   When we visited the Castle, Howard was still alive and we had the opportunity to speak to him briefly.   He started demonstrating prodigy type art pieces at age 4.  His first carving is on display in his home.

 

We highly recommend spending the day, taking the inside tour, walking along the hiking trails and enjoying lunch on the Boat on the Moat on the terrace.  If you want to avoid crowds and enjoy the castle grounds at your leisure the best time to go is between October to December  OR  April to June.    During snowbird season, it gets really busy and is less enjoyable.

Solomon’s Castle
4533 Solomon Rd, Ona, FL 33865

http://solomonscastle.com

Hours of Operation:

Tues – Friday 10 am to 3 pm

Sat – Sunday  11 am to 4 pm

Closed Mondays and Months of August/September

Adults $12.50, Children under 12 $5.00

 

 

The Friendship Oak

FRIENDSHIP OAK TREE, THE

The University of Southern Mississippi – Gulf Coast Campus

730 East Beach Blvd

Long Beach, MS 39560

Phone: (228) 865-4500

 

https://www.usm.edu/gulfcoast/friendship-oak

“I am called the Friendship Oak. Those who enter my shadow will remain friends through all their lifetime.”

Standing on the along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico is a symbol of strength and resilience.  It is called the FRIENDSHIP OAK and is more then 500 years old.  The massive tree is said to date back to at least 1487.   The tree finds its home on the campus of Southern Mississippi University in Long Beach.   The tree has survived several hurricanes in recent years, including Hurricane Katrina.   Her website says the following:

If asked about her length of stay on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, she might reply, “I was a sapling when Christopher Columbus sailed the Caribbean and I had begun to bear acorns when Ponce de Leon reached Florida in his quest for the Fountain of Youth. In 1587, the year Virginia Dare, the first Anglo-American child born at Roanoke Island, appeared, I had turned a hundred years old…”

 

While caravanning with our good friends to Florida, we stopped to view this magnificent sight.  The sign of friendship placed in front of the tree made us stop to reflect over our friendship.  Our stop seemed to be on an school holiday, so our access to parking right in front of the tree was very easy that day.  However, on busier days, one could pull off into any of the beach parking lots or spots around the route and make a short walk to the campus.

 

Things to Know:

  1. Free
  2. Fairly easy parking for cars and RV’s depending on the day
  3. Directly across from the beautiful Mississippi Beach front
  4. Climbing in not allowed on the tree
  5. Bring a friend to cement your life long friendship in the shadow of the tree.