One word to describe this place: RANDOM!!!! Happened upon this gem of a place while out cruising around on a friend's motorcycle. We took a tour, for $10 I believe, which as the first reviewer describes, is rife with corny puns and junk/folk art made from recycling and found objects. Our docent was decent (ha ha) and she obviously loved what she did and was very animated and silly, encouraging us to take part in the corniness. The Boat in the Moat restaurant was fine, just basic stuff, and home-made pies. Kindof nice to sit outside there and enjoy/dwell on the random-ness of it all. Just crazy. We loved it. :) read more

Yes, this place is a little out-of-the-way but so well worth the trip. I was tickled pink when I saw there was a restaurant in addition to the castle and all the art to view within. The restaurant is run by Mr. Solomon's daughter! And all the food is homemade! It was absolutely OUTSTANDING! My daughter ordered the chicken pot pie which was a special for the day. It was huge and clearly homemade and delicious. My club Sandwich was incredibly tasty with actual turkey, not sandwich slices. Even the ice tea was amazing and served in a nice glass. The ambience is stellar. We were eating outside under the great oak trees next to their little gift shop. We really enjoyed this visit. Unique and Fun day trip from Tampa. read more

Solomon's Castle - Tours Near Me - Ona, Florida

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Interesting site in the middle of nowhere, a motorcycle must stop for beer and a bite. The castle and grounds tour costs about $10 per person there is an outside eating area shaded by lush oak trees and a music performer (not loud or obnoxious) can easily carry on a conversation. The food is not that great but atmosphere and beautiful farm open country we passed in order to arrive make it a well worth effort to visit read more

Solomon's Castle - Main entrance - Tours Near Me - Ona, Florida

Fantastic place....he was soooo talented. Dont miss this. Fantastic place...little restaraunt

Spectacular! This is a gem that you don't want to miss. You will first meet Lew who as the Castle Ambassador gives you a warm welcome. His enthusiasm is contagious and he has the perfect job for his fun personality. The tour highlights outstanding art and don't miss having lunch at the Boat and Moat. The pie is fabulous! This place is a treasure and you will want to visit again and again! Ambassador Lew will enjoy seeing you once again! read more

Great food. Awesome place to relax and enjoy old Florida. Wheelchair friendly. It is a castle and ship in the middle of nowhere. It is really cool to go to read more

our family had a really great time here...everyone was super friendly and hilarious! we were in awe of Mr Solomon's model t collection, the kids minds were blown to see these blast from the past. his castle and artwork were all amazing, beautiful and funny! all of it from "junk". i think my kids got alot from just this one visit. we talked alot about mr solomon for several days after. we would like to go back sooner than later! we had a delicious meal at the boat in the moat...i really miss that walnut pie! read more

I absolutely agree with JP. People giving this place 4/5 stars are nuts. The so-called art was nothing more than trash and rubbish thrown together as if a 9 year old did it. A waste of a drive, a waste of gas, a waste of time, Disappointing in all aspects. If you still want to waste your day, or the one hour it actually takes to be fully disappointed, bring cash because they don't accept cards either. read more

I been back several times, it one of those quirky places you take friends who visit you in Florida. The lunches are good, if you're riding there you'll hit a couple of good bars along the way, in Wauchula: Charlotte web , The Moose lodge in Arcadia , The wagon Wheel on your way home. All good watering holes. read more

What a great find. An incredibly interesting museum. Howard, the owner and creator of all the art is talented an a hoot. If you have an opportunity to speak to him, he is very accessible, you will have a better appreciation of his creation. We also ate at the restaurant which was very good. read more

Ya some of the humour is corny but Dave, our tour guide, did a great job. Very friendly guy. However, the gentleman taking your money, Lou, needs to rethink his approach to dealing with people. I had no idea what I was walking into so I asked Lou. He looked at me as if I was insulting him by asking but managed to mention that everyone that worked there was related to Howard. So, I asked him if he was too. Yes was the answer. How are you related I asked. That's not important was his reply. I pressed him and he finally said cousin.....now I think he's full of chit so I told him. I was reprimanded for my language when all I was doing was being friendly. He made me feel like turning around and leaving but I had time to kill. I was the only person in line so there was no hurry. Solomon family, I ask you......is this the person that you want greeting potential customers? This man's attitude was discussed whille waiting for the tour and the general consensus was the same. Lou needs some training on people skills or give him a job where he doesn't meet the public. All in all its worth the 12.50 butavoid Lou. read more

This was a fun group outing on a beautiful day for 36 friends from SW FL. However, we made reservations weeks in advance for lunch and a tour. We arrived at the reserved time and found the kitchen could not accommodate us as they failed to prepare for our large group. We got our food here and there, with many of us waiting over 1 1/2 hours for our food. They appeared to be severely disorganized and short staffed. Two separate, full trays of drinks were spilled on some of us and all over the floor.The manager refused to present herself or speak to us....we were told she was out on the "golf cart". This location is very rural situated amongst orange groves. There are no other places to eat in the area. Ergo, when the food finally was delivered, it was marginal, at best. Very poor restaurant experience & the restrooms were a tick up from outhouses. The castle however, was very fun, interesting and amusing. We collectively decided to put the aggravating restaurant experience behind us and enjoy the tour. It was a beautiful day. read more

Solomon's castle is a unique place to visit in ONA, Florida. The buildings and 1000s of artwork are entirely made out of recycled metal and wood by one man, Howard Solomon. And the food is so yummy made by his daughter. This is a definitely visit!!!!! read more

Solomon's Castle - Tours Near Me - Ona, Florida

Okay..for what it was..a short day trip from Sarasota. for just something to do on a Sunday...it was alright. Met Solomon...he's nice..this is a family run fun spot...wouldn't suggest bringing kids under 12...not enough there for them. Great place for a teen date...the drive was nice...a lot of old florida and farms The attraction itself...A bunch of junk turned into art by a whimsical aging hippie....basic food and more in a unique setting...less crowded than Disney and for $10 bucks...I felt good supporting the arts and this guy and his family's crazy lifestyle. Yes...sure... go once while Solomon himself is still there to greet you! read more

Once in a lifetime do you get to discover such an amazing, unique, truly imaginative and emotional place. Regardless of who you are, and art being in the eyes of the beholder, you cannot ignore that one man had so many talents, so much personality and an energy and vision that could not be contained. My mother and I walked away in tears and laughter and an awe of how life is so precious and how most of us don't live our lives to 'our' fullest potential as Mr. Solomon did. Everyone is special and everyone has a talent and Howard encourages you through his character, humor and skill to go find it and live! What a legacy of love to leave behind. Thank you Howard, thank you to his wonderful staff and neighbors, and thank you Alana and Dean for one of the best meals and ambience ever...and especially for keeping his character, love and legacy alive and well. Dee & Violet read more

This is a must see attraction! The highly interesting castle and all of the artwork, inside and out, is unusual and very interesting! The artist is usually on site. He constructed the castle (which he lives in and you get to tour). A fun day for the whole family. Restaurant and café on site, even a nice picnic area. Worth the 1 Hour Dr. east. of Sarasota. read more

Visited Solomon's Castle for the first time today. It definitely won't be the last. It is definitely out in the middle of nowhere. It's a great motorcycle destination. No internet service and barely a signal on Verizon...for all intents and purposes it was none. While I did not take the tour of the castle, a group of us ate and listened to the live music (a guitarist who would play anything you asked him to play). The food came very quickly and was absolutely delicious. There were eight in my group and everyone was extremely happy with the food. The menu is not extensive but has some great comfort foods on it. I had the meat loaf and several in my group had the special of the day which was pot roast. I'll take the tour on my next visit. read more

I am surprise by these great reviews. Are these people smoking something ? The place takes you back to yesteryear - like 100 years ago. ITs dump - contracted with all thrown out items and he used these, to build the entire so called castle. Boat Moat restaurant was OK but choices and food taste, could have been better. Fee is not worth the price for what you're going to see. Its in the middle of yee haw country and no other nearby attractions. He was good with his salvage items and made so called art out of them. Castle is really not a castle but made from various plastics and other sturdy forms of building junk. People who gave 4 or 5 stars really must be on something to not recognize what the place is really contracted from. Waste of time driving there from Tampa - very disappointing. read more

Interesting place , tour guide that we had kept giving us looks cause we had a toddler with us she was making noises and made us feel uncomfortable read more

Wonderful visit! Arrived about 1pm on a Tuesday. There was an hour wait for the tour, which was great because we were hungry. We walked over to the Boat in the Moat restaurant. Beautiful outside seating. Inside is also available. We split the Lasagna plate hoping to leave room for the homemade desert but after lasagna we were full. Browsed the gift shop, unique items. Time for the tour. Absolutely intriguing! So many unusual things to see! We loved it. Tour ended after about 40 minutes back at the restaurant. Just in time for dessert. We sat closer to the solo entertainer this time and split a Walnut Pie. Delicious! It's 4pm now and we're headed home but the visit was more than we expected and very relaxing. Highly recommended! read more

Solomon's Castle is a place that you will never forget. It is one-of-a-kind. Highly recommended for all ages. $10/person (cash) for tour is fun and funny (Maybe less for kids). Puns and jokes galore, script written by Mr. Solomon himself (who recently passed away). The artworks are fantastical, surprising, creative, and have quite a wow factor. This is way more than a junk man assembling junk art. This is good stuff, made from crazy materials. The castle and all the buildings were created/built by Mr. Solomon-- an astounding feat in itself. The entire operation is family-run, including the restaurant. The restaurant was very good, and the pies are incredible. (I had the walnut pie, but the others looked great as well.) The meat loaf (which I had) is gigantic: takes up the whole plate. While it was good, I have had better. It was a dense kind of meat loaf, whereas I prefer a loose sort of meat loaf (difficult to find at restaurants). I ordered the spinach (soufle, I think) and green beans as sides. But the chef apparently thought I should have mashed potatoes and green beans as sides. That's what I got, and I thought it was funny (I know that probably 99% of people who order the meat loaf will order the green beans and mashed potatoes as the side dishes -- kind of like peanut butter and jelly. So, I didn't mind.) The fact that this place exists really in the middle of nowhere makes it all the more fantastical. This is cattle and farm country. Period. The tour, I believe, is in the process of being revised to include Mr. Solomon's workshop (in the future). That would be interesting to see. If the Solomon family has any film or video of Mr. Solomon building his castle, or making his various art works, that would be a great addition to show to visitors. It would be a highlight, and I urge them to consider collaborating with a professional film maker to produce such a documentary film. read more

As others have noted, rather isolated, so it must be the destination, not a accidental find. I first took my new hubby there for an adventure w/ envelopes & clues to follow along our route there. Stayed in their available room for our honeymoon = Blue Moon Room (if you get my lousy pun). So named because of the decor & the entry door is a full length stained glass picture of a full moon & mostly blues. As I didn't know what to expect, I had secretly packed a basket w/ snacks. The room was quite nice w/ a queen bed, VERY lg. L-shaped couch,w/ coffee table, tv. & full "mini-kitchen" furnished w/ stove, fridge, toaster, coffee pot, & dishes, silverware, pots & pans + outside stairway provided our own, private, covered balcony. As we went there first to deposit our bags, I found a fresh fruit basket in the fridge along w/ a bottle of wine. The tiled bathroom had only a shower I believe. We then took our transister radio & a blanket & set off to explore the grounds; peaceful & serene if you are a nature or country lover. All over the grounds are little surprises: an old iron bed = his "flower bed", multiple tire swings cut into animals, & toured the castle w/ more surprises & corny, little puns which we loved. Ate at the on-grounds restaurant run by his dau. & son-in-law (or vice-versa) & it was a very nice experience for us. Choices are somewhat limited, but vary widely & w/ prices very competitive to fast food, unhealthy crap, you get fresh fruits & veggies grown right on site. Portions are generous &, although famished, we still took left-overs to the room. Spent a leisurely 1/2 hr. or so on the patio over a mixed drink as things wound down & began closing. Afterwards, Mr. Solomon himself gave us a personally guided tour of the grounds not open to the public & his workshop, though I use the term loosely ! It is a WAREHOUSE of very organized but separate areas for woodworking, stained glass, welding, etc. w/ every imaginable tool & copious amts. of supplies. Considering he built the castle himself & sheeted it with discarded newspaper metal print pages + made 80 stained glass windows w/ stations of the cross, signs of the zodiac, nursery tale characters, etc. + all the various metal sculptures....I was humbled to be in the presence of such a talented, cordial host ! Our trip was memorable, to say the least. And now, 12 yrs. later, to find the rates & food prices still the same ??? I won't even consider overpriced Disneyworld & am taking my 2 grandsons to the castle in a few days ! But this is not the place for fast-paced people who like to be passively entertained, dine in 5 star restaurants & be fawned over like celebrities. You are pretty much on your own here. read more

This is a delightful "one man's castle" built over 4 decades. There are over 200 pieces of art on view in several media--tin, wood collage, wire sculpture, over 90 stained glass pieces. He is the "Rembrandt of Refuse" making much out of others discards. It was built in love by a truly gifted internationally known artist, Howard Solomon. It was very worth the $10 tour fee to learn the back stories on many of the pieces. Solomon is very punny and shows the fun he had in creating. Many parts are quite dusty would be my only complaint but even this goes "with castle". He parodies others art--we saw glimpses of Picasso, Dali, Bua, Matisse and others, joyfully imitated with a twist. It's an enjoyable whimsical visit. We were lucky enough to meet Mr. Solomon while there. You tour his show rooms as well as the living room and kitchen of the residence. You can't help but leave with "I wish I'd thought of that" ideas and a smile on your face. read more

There's Disney's Castle and there's Solomon's; I'll take Solomon's every time. It was made by Solomon, a unique and very talented artist who seemingly built this place to show off his eclectic welded, carved and assembled pieces which must be seen to be believed. The man was and is a prodigy. The castle is a marvel of design and assemblage: the kid in us all will relate to the crayon drawing type design. The setting is very rural Florida wetland/forest, making for a great day away from civilization. We rode in from Port Charlotte and enjoyed the rural flat landscape, the grazing and finally the orange groves. You can tour the castle for a modest fee: our tour-guide was well versed in Solomon's works and we had lots of laughs and gasps of wonder. You also your a bit of Solomon's home which is about the quirkiest living space you'll see in these parts. We took a trial walk after dinner and delighted in the sights and sounds: it's very well marked and easy to walk. I read about the up and down restaurant experiences. Ours definitely was UP...friendly, timely, tasty, and reasonable. Dining under the Spanish moss was totally enjoyable. We'll definitely bring friend and family there read more

Fyi....closed for the summer.....reopens on Oct. 1. I just saved you a drive. Thank you

Was there just after Christmas. Did not know what to expect but my retired parents have visited a few times and wanted me to see the metal sculptures as I like welding and working with metal - plus novelty welding. It is out in the country and secluded, which I liked, not a lot of people to bump into. The price for admission is what it is and we also took in the antique cars. The tour is done in groups and you are guided from room to room through "Solomon's Castle" as the guide points out each artistic piece, what it was named by Mr. Solomon, what materials is was made from (can you say recycled), along with some humorous dialogue in the spirit of the man who created each piece as he saw it. Incredible artistry in that Mr. Solomon could work equally well in metal, glass, wood, & paint, not just one form. I am not an art enthusiast by any means, but Mr. Solomon's talent and enthusiasm for his work can't be denied - he loved what he did and it shows, along with his dry sense of humor. I found the different works intriguing. Sadly, you can't take any pics. From the tour we went to the metal building housing the car collection. This was another guided tour. Our guide was very friendly & informative. She had done some homework and researched some of the cars to point out the uniqueness of the vehicles. I am a "car guy" as was my Dad who remembered these old cars. She was pretty good in her explanations and me and Dad threw in a few bits of info as well. My Mom even enjoyed the old cars. The collection is teens to 1930's and all restored or original. Maybe 25 cars in all. More of Mr. Solomon's art is also found throughout the collection. We then all went to the "Boat on the Moat" restaurant for a meal. We sat outside as it was a great day. Very relaxing atmosphere and I think if I was a local, I'd be there regular taking in a drink and chilling. Food was excellent and the service was perfect - no complaints from any of us. So I was not sure what to expect going into this, but when it was all said an done, and after soaking it all in, I have to give the entire experience 4-stars. If you are looking for the excitement of Disney, you will be disappointed. If you like casual, relaxing, out of the way, & museum like settings, then this might be your cup of tea. read more