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.

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