You might have lived your whole life in Florida and had no idea there were so many castles outside of Walt Disney World. Some of them are beautiful, some of them are creative, and some of them are almost unbelievable, but they are all right here in the sunshine state. The best way to check out the state’s best and most authentic castles is on this unforgettable castle road trip in Florida. You’re probably not surprised to discover that three of the castles are in St. Augustine. That means you can either see them all at once or save one for the end of your trip. Even better, the trip back means a drive on the incredibly scenic A1A, which is one of the best road trips in Florida all on its own!
Google Maps
- Villa Zorayda, St. Augustine
Flickr/rperlin83 The Villa Zorayda was built by Bostonian millionaire Franklin W. Smith in 1883 to look like a 12th-century Moorish palace. Today it serves as one of the many museums in St. Augustine. There are many manmade wonders in Florida, and this is one of the coolest! Check out the museum’s website for hours and more information. Address: 83 King St, St Augustine, FL 32084
- Castle Warden (Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!), St. Augustine
Flickr/Tim O’Brien Yet another Moorish castle in St. Augustine, but it’s certainly not just any old castle. Castle Warden was built in 1887 and turned into a hotel in the 1940s. Among the hotel’s visitors was Robert S. Ripley, and in 1950, he chose it to house his collection of curiosities. Believe it or not, this museum was the first of many Ripley wound eventually establish. The museum’s website lists many of their oddities that are on display. Address: 19 San Marco Ave, St Augustine, FL 32084
- Castle Otttis, St. Augustine
Flickr/N.Kodama Castle Otttis is an impressive piece of architecture made to look like a 1,000-year-old Irish castle. Amazingly, the exterior structure was created by just two men with no paid labor. The landscape-structure was made in remembrance of Jesus Christ. The official website has some beautiful photos of the interior. Address: 103 3rd St, St Augustine, FL 32084
- Solomon’s Castle, Ona
Flickr/Sam Howzit Three stories high and covered with reclaimed aluminum printing plates, Solomon’s Castle is the work of artist Howard Solomon. Powered by eccentricity, Solomon fills the castle with his quirky work, which is heavily influenced by groan-worthy puns. Hidden in swampy Central Florida, it’s a real diamond in the rough of roadside attractions. The castle has quite the following on Facebook! Address: 4533 Solomon Rd, Ona, FL 33865
- Coral Castle, Homestead
Flickr/psyberartist Editor’s Note: Coral Castle is temporarily closed to visitors. Keep an eye on their website for updates. Coral Castle is made up of over 1,000 tons of stone unearthed, transported and carved by lovelorn Latvian Edward Leedskalnin in the 1920s and the following two decades. Leedskalnin supposedly built the castle, which includes tables, rocking chairs, huge carvings, a throne and even a bathtub, for an unrequited love. He would never really reveal his methods for creating his own Stonehenge, but claimed to have used some “secrets of the pyramids.” He lived in the castle and conducted tours until his death in 1951. Address: 28655 S Dixie Hwy, Homestead, FL 33033
Who knew there were so many castles in Florida? Have you visited any of these unique palaces? Share your experiences in the comments!
Google Maps
Flickr/rperlin83
The Villa Zorayda was built by Bostonian millionaire Franklin W. Smith in 1883 to look like a 12th-century Moorish palace. Today it serves as one of the many museums in St. Augustine. There are many manmade wonders in Florida, and this is one of the coolest! Check out the museum’s website for hours and more information. Address: 83 King St, St Augustine, FL 32084
Flickr/Tim O’Brien
Yet another Moorish castle in St. Augustine, but it’s certainly not just any old castle. Castle Warden was built in 1887 and turned into a hotel in the 1940s. Among the hotel’s visitors was Robert S. Ripley, and in 1950, he chose it to house his collection of curiosities. Believe it or not, this museum was the first of many Ripley wound eventually establish. The museum’s website lists many of their oddities that are on display. Address: 19 San Marco Ave, St Augustine, FL 32084
Flickr/N.Kodama
Castle Otttis is an impressive piece of architecture made to look like a 1,000-year-old Irish castle. Amazingly, the exterior structure was created by just two men with no paid labor. The landscape-structure was made in remembrance of Jesus Christ. The official website has some beautiful photos of the interior. Address: 103 3rd St, St Augustine, FL 32084
Flickr/Sam Howzit
Three stories high and covered with reclaimed aluminum printing plates, Solomon’s Castle is the work of artist Howard Solomon. Powered by eccentricity, Solomon fills the castle with his quirky work, which is heavily influenced by groan-worthy puns. Hidden in swampy Central Florida, it’s a real diamond in the rough of roadside attractions. The castle has quite the following on Facebook! Address: 4533 Solomon Rd, Ona, FL 33865
Flickr/psyberartist
Editor’s Note: Coral Castle is temporarily closed to visitors. Keep an eye on their website for updates. Coral Castle is made up of over 1,000 tons of stone unearthed, transported and carved by lovelorn Latvian Edward Leedskalnin in the 1920s and the following two decades. Leedskalnin supposedly built the castle, which includes tables, rocking chairs, huge carvings, a throne and even a bathtub, for an unrequited love. He would never really reveal his methods for creating his own Stonehenge, but claimed to have used some “secrets of the pyramids.” He lived in the castle and conducted tours until his death in 1951. Address: 28655 S Dixie Hwy, Homestead, FL 33033
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Address: 19 San Marco Ave, St. Augustine, FL 32084, USAAddress: 103 3rd St, St. Augustine, FL 32084, USAAddress: 4533 Solomon Rd, Ona, FL 33865, USAAddress: 28655 S Dixie Hwy, Homestead, FL 33033, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Castle Road Trip In Florida April 22, 2021 Lisa Sammons What are some of the best road trips in Florida? Florida is such a big state with so many destinations that it’s impossible to list them all! There are countless themed trips you can take through the sunshine state. From small towns to big cities to theme parks, Florida really does have just about everything you could want in a travel destination. We’ve got an awe-inspiring itinerary for a natural wonders road trip you won’t want to miss. Short on cash? Here’s some fun places to visit that won’t break the bank. What are some other interesting manmade wonders in Florida? We certainly aren’t short on manmade wonders - after all, we’re home to Disney World! If you want to see some of the many manmade wonders in Florida, check out this listing for some ideas of places to check out. Some of the coolest architecture in the country can be found here. And how fascinating is Bok Tower Gardens? If you’re looking to see the height of human creativity and accomplishment, Florida can’t be beat. We like to think the perfect weather and incredible beaches bring out the best in people. What are the weirdest places in Florida? Florida is famous (or infamous) for its wackiness. We’ve got plenty of bizarre roadside attractions. Looking for more weird spots to see? It doesn’t get much weirder, or more colorful, than Whimzeyland. How about Tarpon Springs? It advertises itself as Sponge Capital of the World - you won’t find that just anywhere!
The OIYS Visitor Center
Castle Road Trip In Florida
April 22, 2021
Lisa Sammons
What are some of the best road trips in Florida? Florida is such a big state with so many destinations that it’s impossible to list them all! There are countless themed trips you can take through the sunshine state. From small towns to big cities to theme parks, Florida really does have just about everything you could want in a travel destination. We’ve got an awe-inspiring itinerary for a natural wonders road trip you won’t want to miss. Short on cash? Here’s some fun places to visit that won’t break the bank. What are some other interesting manmade wonders in Florida? We certainly aren’t short on manmade wonders - after all, we’re home to Disney World! If you want to see some of the many manmade wonders in Florida, check out this listing for some ideas of places to check out. Some of the coolest architecture in the country can be found here. And how fascinating is Bok Tower Gardens? If you’re looking to see the height of human creativity and accomplishment, Florida can’t be beat. We like to think the perfect weather and incredible beaches bring out the best in people. What are the weirdest places in Florida? Florida is famous (or infamous) for its wackiness. We’ve got plenty of bizarre roadside attractions. Looking for more weird spots to see? It doesn’t get much weirder, or more colorful, than Whimzeyland. How about Tarpon Springs? It advertises itself as Sponge Capital of the World - you won’t find that just anywhere!
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Florida is such a big state with so many destinations that it’s impossible to list them all! There are countless themed trips you can take through the sunshine state. From small towns to big cities to theme parks, Florida really does have just about everything you could want in a travel destination. We’ve got an awe-inspiring itinerary for a natural wonders road trip you won’t want to miss. Short on cash? Here’s some fun places to visit that won’t break the bank.
What are some other interesting manmade wonders in Florida?
We certainly aren’t short on manmade wonders - after all, we’re home to Disney World! If you want to see some of the many manmade wonders in Florida, check out this listing for some ideas of places to check out. Some of the coolest architecture in the country can be found here. And how fascinating is Bok Tower Gardens? If you’re looking to see the height of human creativity and accomplishment, Florida can’t be beat. We like to think the perfect weather and incredible beaches bring out the best in people.
What are the weirdest places in Florida?
Florida is famous (or infamous) for its wackiness. We’ve got plenty of bizarre roadside attractions. Looking for more weird spots to see? It doesn’t get much weirder, or more colorful, than Whimzeyland. How about Tarpon Springs? It advertises itself as Sponge Capital of the World - you won’t find that just anywhere!
