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January 2024 by CJS
This is a neat place to see but don't have lunch. Awful. I would not plan on having lunch but this is a very interesting place to see. If you are on bikes heading to Berts Limestone, check it out. Hard to believe a man lived here and did it all himself at one time. A little pricey for admission which makes it a one time thing in my opinion.
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January 2024 by Brianna Storm
Solomon's Castle was a unique and cool experience. Solomon's metal art showcased in the castle was impressive, and the creativity extended to a fascinating ship restaurant. The addition of a gift shop and a lighthouse added to the charm. However, the $35 price tag for a single tour seemed a bit steep, especially considering the remote location. We opted out of the tour due to the cost, but the overall atmosphere and Solomon's artistic touch made it a memorable visit nonetheless.
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January 2024 by Frank Martin
I don't know for the ticket price. I didn't come across an interesting story. Nice to look at from a little further away.
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December 2023 by Trent Davis
Little pricey but it was something that you need to see
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December 2023 by Robert Wulterin
After singing your praises to very good friends, who were on vacation, we decided to have lunch and a castle tour. Last year the tour was $20 which was ridiculously expensive only to find it now costs $34 for the castle tour. My friends and my wife and I decided to have lunch and skip the tour. We usually go at least once a month when they're open. I'll never go back. Mr Solomon was such a gentleman, how he ever sired such a greedy child is mind-boggling. Save your money even the decent food isn't worth the ride to the middle of nowhere.
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December 2023 by Sharon Catlin
Great place to visit and learn some history about a man who built the castle. It's such a nice place to go they only take cash money it cost 35.00 to get in and there is also a restaurant which has very good food. You can choose to sit inside or outside while eating. it's very relaxing. They give you a guided tour of the place. He was also an artist and a car collector. Some very old cars are hidden gems here. It's such a nice place you will enjoy your tour. The tour guides are wonderful and helpful and informative.
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December 2023 by Shaila Jensen
I love their lasagna. I have been there during holidays too. It is an incredible place. I used to take my children when they’re younger. Well, I still take my children there for lunch. You must try their desserts. If you want an old-fashioned milkshake, there is no better place than Soloman castles boat in the mote. I know for fact, the host weddings it is a magical place. If you ask my son, my oldest one he will tell you this is his happy place.
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June 2023 by Candace Coop
This place was such a hidden gem! The family that owns it is a great family. Their heart is in it. Listen closely to the tour. I visisited with my two children 10 & 12 and they got many of the well written puns that flow with the art work- if I say more, I'll spoil it! The grounds are well kept, and beautiful for pictures. The boat on a moat/ pirate ship restaurant was homey, clean, and old Florida. The food was great, southern style. We loved the ice cream desserts, we had after the tour. . Angie was our server and she was the kindest, the other waitress was super kind too, the service was great. All clean! It was touching to get to talk to the staff and owners. One of my favorites was right before they end the tour you'll see a beautiful dining room with a door to nowhere. I highly recommended this place for a family, friends or date night. Go before July ends!
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May 2023 by Joanne Thompson
We had a ball! It’s a reinvention recyclers day dream! Fun and funky! Everywhere you look you see repurpose through the eyes of a genius. Food at the cafe was fast and delish. And you don't need to do the tour to enjoy a great meal and fun gift shop under the sprawling oaks! Live music was an extra treat! We will definitely be back!
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May 2023 by JoAnn Marie Salmoretti
Magical place nestled in Hardee County Florida, Ona is a step back in time to a community that does not even boast 200 residents among the woods, lined with orange groves and cow pastures deep in the Florida Heartland. Time moves slower than its people filled coastline. Its secret is Solomons Castle. A placed filled with incredible art created by Howard Solomon over decades and now available for viewing inside the castle he built by hand and covered with of recycled aluminum. The home built with a menagerie of purely recycled items and up cycled to reflect his personality. Bursting at the seams with ideas he truly was able to see the opportunity to create unique art from what otherwise would of been discarded.His stained glass work alone is worth the trip - the real treat is his master iron works inside that I can not post here because photos of the inside of castle were forbidden, you must go see!
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April 2023 by Donna-Joy Ron
We drove an hour and a half to get to Solomon's Castle. The people that work there are extremely nice! We had lunch first, a large menu from sandwiches to hot meals, roasted chicken salad that we shared, and then pot roast and chicken pot pie all made from scratch. The tour was quite interesting, so many works of art were made by one man and from his head. After the tours, we had milkshakes and dessert.We was a very nice day trip for us!
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March 2023 by Rebecca Linville
Castle & castle tour guide (sadly don’t remember her name but she had short beautiful jet black hair w/bangs) were AMAZHHHHING. Mr. Solomon was SO creative. Her presentation of the script was just awesome. Hubby & the kids loved it too! PS the castle IS air conditioned. His art and the castle were worth the 1.5 hour drive. Only CONS are the bathroom I choose to use as it had pee all over the floor & the trash can and bottom of the toilet was moldy but the soap options were lovely and smelled great. They ONLY accept cash on site and at a steep $104 admission price tag for a family of 4 that wiped my wallet out. Also: please note, half of the tour (inside the house) is not wheelchair accessible. (Photo & video is prohibited inside the castle so no pics, sorry). Last CON was our restaurant experience at the Boat in the Moat but I’m reviewing that separately.
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February 2023 by Route 45
Well worth the the tour of this off-the-beaten-path individually built castle and home. Howard was an amazing artist and craftsman. Our tour guide was great and the restaurant and its staff were amazing.
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July 2022 by Yenet P.
We truly loved the experience at the castle with our 6 and 9 year old boys. We took the tour and had lunch at the boat , service and food and entire experience was great !
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July 2022 by Dave O.
In a land far far away... there's an engineering marvel that will total blow your mind - well that may be somewhat of an exaggeration but this place is super cool and somewhat magical. Other have stated the facts and as impressive as those reviews are I came here void of any preconceived notions. This is a location that you'll never brag to your friends that you were traveling around the countryside minding you own business and found this place by happenstance, that's never going to happen, this castle is definitely a destination. I've visited some of the most beautiful castles in Europe and most you can see from miles away high up on the edge of a mountain, this place is built on swampland near Horse Creek in Ona, Florida, need I say more? I purchased my ticket for the tour inside the restaurant in the moat, a.k.a. the "boat in the moat", it's a replica of a 60 foot Spanish Galleon that serves up many lunch options including what is described as "the world's greatest hotdog" with an option to cover it in chili for a couple more bucks, it's memorable or maybe nostalgic and paired well with the apple crisp that's served with cinnamon ice cream - if this was the renaissance period it would take a few days to get here and a meal would be in order after that ride, but I was hungry after just traveling the backroads out of Arcadia so I guess that justified the all beef dog. I chose to take the tour prior to the feast since I really didn't know the extent of the tour especially after seeing the Bell Tower and wondered the number of stairs or rope ladders I'd be climbing, boy was I relieved when I realized the tour is actually a first floor only excursion through the creative art work created from stuff by a guy named Howard. Our tour consisted of a total of four not counting the tour guide who was very creative in her script of comical quotes from the creator of this enchanted flood plain (tidbit: in 2017 the property flooded and water rose to the shoulders of the white horse out, front flooding the castle). The staff here is so friendly, everyone wears a smile it's almost Disney like or at least similar to the staff at Chick-fil-A in my hometown where it seems being happy is a condition of employment. The atmosphere on the property is one that promotes calmness so don't rush the experience, it felt like a cross between visiting a historic village and something paranormal, I think this may be because the entire property was built from repurposed stuff so there are influences from the past that reside here in my opinion, I personally loved the vibes permeating outwardly as I walked the property. I enjoyed the visit, and how everything is structured ensuring you can go at your own pace outside the official tours of course, I love these roadside oddities I don't know why you'd be in the area but if you are I'd say it's well worth a few hours of your time...
