Justa Rollin’ Right Along


Visting Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam, CT

Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008



On Monday (), we decided to get in the car and cruise down to in , CT. This has been on my “to do” list for a while.

We weren’t really in the mood for a hike. We kind of just wanted to see the castle. I read good things about it and heard it was really cool. I also wanted to see if it would be a good place to launch a boat, since it sits right on the River.

It’s a good thing we weren’t in the mood for a hike. Even though there is a trail map, this state park isn’t like the others we have been to. The castle definitely is the main attraction. There is a visitor’s center and everything. The trails lead, in a zig-zag fashion, down to the river. We walked them, but there really wasn’t an opening down there. I kind of popped out of the woods where the water began. It’s not bad in the least, just not a park.

Now, what was really cool was the castle. It overlooks the River like nothing else does. I was surprised to see so many . I mean, I guess it was and everything, but still, it was packed with boats. I think the best part of this river is the fact that it leads down to the Sound. I am guessing that you could get from the castle to the Sound in about a half hour. That’s pretty neat, and really good if you have a boat.

The castle has tours, for a fee. We didn’t take them up on the offer this time, but I think we will do it when the weather gets a little cooler. I am thinking around . It can be spooky, I’m sure, especially because the castle has secret passage ways. I like secret passage ways because I am a secretive and sneaky person by nature.

Here are some photos of the castle and the surrounding area.

Castle and windows at Gillette Castle State Park

Castle and windows at

Boat on Connecticut River

Boat on River

Sailboats on Connecticut River

Sailboats on River

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Playing at Rye Playland

Monday, September 25th, 2006



The absolute to go to Rye Playland is at the end of the summer. Just be sure to check their schedule to make sure you pick a day before they close up. Their hours get quite sparse towards - . This is the best because the park is nearly empty. No heat and sweat, no kids running around dropping ice cream on your shoe and no lines. Yes, no lines.

We parked in the side lot and met Craig at “Ye Old Mill.” The official story of this ride is…

“As you enter this dark ride on a , a voice tells the story of the who are protecting their jewels. You’ll encounter a and a terrifying troll during this eerie journey.”

…but this may give you a better picture:

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It’s a pretty cool ride. You float around a in a , that might tip over at any moment…seriously…be careful. Things move and make noise, but overall, it’s not too scary.

We went on only the best rides. The and the Double Shot are musts…

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…and of course all the . You can never get sick of going on the famous Dragon Coaster…over and over and over…did I mention no lines?

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There is something about Playland that you might not expect. I would call it a certain aire. As you walk around and have all sorts of fun, the sun starts to go down and it gets a little chilly. If you are there on a clear evening, you can go out on the pier and try to look across Long Island Sound.

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The best part is just hanging out on the pier looking back at the park waiting for it to get a little bit darker, because the best part comes next.

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The at night. Who says isn’t romantic? Riding the with a nice messing up your hair offers a deserved break from reality. This might be the most memorable part of the day. You have to make sure you go on the almost at to feel the .

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Besides the of Playland, there were some movies filmed here, such as Tom Hanks’ “Big” and Wood Allen’s “Sweet and Lowdown.”

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