Driving through Ohio's valleys and rustbelt towns, I kept running into turrets, keeps, and stone walls thick with ivy. Some felt like Shakespeare had taken a wrong turn at a cornfield. Others wore their age with stately pride or had been reimagined as inns, event venues, or eccentric homesteads. Each was a surprise—and every one offered a different kind of escape. These weren’t relics of monarchy, but monuments to imagination and, often, obsession. As I walked creaky halls, climbed spiral staircases, and admired gargoyles staring into Ohio skies, I thought, “This isn’t just fantasy. It’s legacy—written in limestone.”
Best Castles in Ohio:
Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, Akron
The approach felt cinematic—tree-lined, elegant, hushed. But it wasn’t until I stepped through the gate at Stan Hywet Hall that I really felt the size of it. The Tudor Revival mansion stood like it had been there for centuries, but without any of the coldness I sometimes associate with old estates. This place had warmth. Not just in the burnished wood and soft carpets, but in the lived-in feeling, like someone had just set down a teacup in the next room.
I wandered through the grand hallway and into the library, where sun spilled across the rug. I sat on a low bench by the window and thought, “This is what it feels like to be still in the middle of something vast.” Outside, the gardens were even more generous—open lawns, formal rose beds, and shaded alcoves that invited you to stay longer than you meant to.
Lunch was a simple turkey sandwich with cranberry chutney from Molly Brown’s Country Café. I brought it with me, unwrapped it on a bench near the reflecting pool, and ate it slowly. The bread was soft and warm, the chutney tangy-sweet, and the whole thing tasted like late spring—fresh, calm, a little indulgent.
Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens At a Glance
- Drive time from Columbus: 2 hours
- Address: 714 N Portage Path, Akron, OH
- Best Time to Visit: Spring through early fall, especially for garden blooms
- Vibe: Quiet opulence, estate elegance
- Highlights: Manor house tours, formal gardens, conservatory
- Facilities: Restrooms, café, gift shop
- Cost: $19 adults (house + gardens), $13 garden-only
- Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 10am–6pm
- Food Nearby: Molly Brown’s Country Café (good sandwiches and homey breakfast)
Ravenwood Castle Hotel, New Plymouth
“Did I just drive into a video game?” That’s what I muttered out loud as I turned onto the gravel road. Trees pressed in close on both sides, and then—suddenly—a stone tower peeked through the canopy. Ravenwood Castle isn’t a gimmick. It’s a medieval-inspired escape tucked into the Hocking Hills forest, and the second I stepped inside, the scent of wood smoke and pine hit me like a spell.
The stone walls were rough and real, the kind that held onto the day’s warmth and glowed a little in the late sun. My room had a fireplace, a writing desk, and thick wooden shutters that creaked like something out of a fairytale. I sat on the bed and just listened to the quiet for a while. Then I walked the grounds—narrow paths, mossy bricks, little nooks where ivy clung like it had secrets. I didn’t see another person for nearly an hour.
That night, I ate at the castle tavern, tucked into a booth that smelled faintly of oak and old leather. Dinner was rosemary chicken with buttery roasted potatoes. The meat was tender, the rosemary bright and sharp, and the potatoes had that edge-of-the-pan crisp that tastes like home. I didn’t want dessert. I wanted to take a slow walk under the stars and write down what I felt before it slipped away.
Ravenwood Castle Hotel At a Glance
- Drive time from Columbus: 1.5 hours
- Address: 65666 Bethel Rd, New Plymouth, OH
- Best Time to Visit: Fall for the leaves, winter for the atmosphere
- Vibe: Fantasy getaway, secluded and immersive
- Highlights: Overnight castle stays, on-site tavern, woodland trails
- Facilities: Rooms, cottages, tavern, board game library
- Cost: Rooms start around $165/night
- Hours: Check-in 3pm, Check-out 11am
- Food Nearby: On-site Raven’s Roost Pub (hearty dinners, cozy feel)
Landoll's Mohican Castle
Landoll’s felt theatrical from the start. The castle rose out of the hills like it was conjured, all turrets and stone and sharp angles. It didn’t feel subtle. It felt like something you book when you’re ready to be somewhere else entirely. And honestly, I was.
The drive in curled past fields and forest, then ended abruptly at this Gothic silhouette, towering over the trees. My room had vaulted ceilings, ornate woodwork, and a view of the forest that felt more European than Ohio. I dropped my bag and leaned against the balcony railing, just watching the wind ripple through the canopy. _“This is what escape looks like,”_ I thought.
That night I had dinner at the Copper Mug Bar & Grille on-site. I ordered the wild mushroom risotto—creamy, earthy, just salty enough—and a slice of warm bread that smelled like rosemary and butter. Everything about it slowed me down. The hum of quiet conversations, the flicker of candles. Even the waiter moved like there was no rush.
Landoll’s Mohican Castle At a Glance
- Drive time from Columbus: 1.5 hours
- Address: 561 Township Road 3352, Loudonville, OH
- Best Time to Visit: Fall foliage is stunning, but winter has that moody, snow-dusted magic
- Vibe: Dramatic, romantic, built for effect
- Highlights: Overnight stays, on-site restaurant, ghost tours
- Facilities: Hotel, restaurant, wedding/event venue
- Cost: Rooms start around $200/night
- Hours: Hotel open year-round; restaurant hours vary by season
- Food Nearby: Copper Mug Bar & Grille (on-site, upscale and cozy)
Piatt Castles
They weren’t castles in the fairy-tale sense—no towering spires or grand halls—but the Piatt Castles had their own kind of gravity. Hidden in the farmland outside West Liberty, these twin limestone mansions felt like family secrets kept alive out of love, not spectacle.
I visited Mac-A-Cheek first. The details inside stopped me mid-step: carved wood, dusty bookshelves, stained glass that caught the sun just right. Each room told a story not of kings and queens, but of curiosity and craftsmanship. I ran my fingers along a velvet rope and thought, _“This is a house that remembers being lived in.”_
Afterward, I drove a short way to Mac-O-Chee, where the ceilings soared higher and the rooms opened wider. I sat on the porch steps outside with a sandwich from Sweetie Pie’s in West Liberty—turkey, sharp cheddar, apple slices, and a honey mustard so tangy it made me pause. The sandwich was cold, the air was warm, and both somehow made the stone of the castle feel even more grounded.
Piatt Castles At a Glance
- Drive time from Columbus: 1 hour
- Address: 10051 Township Rd 47, West Liberty, OH
- Best Time to Visit: Late spring through early fall
- Vibe: Historical, humble, personal
- Highlights: Self-guided tours, period architecture, quiet grounds
- Facilities: Limited—no café or restrooms on-site at both houses
- Cost: $15 per house or $25 for both
- Hours: Varies by season; check their website before visiting
- Food Nearby: Sweetie Pie’s Baked Goods & Coffee Shop (grab a sandwich or slice of pie)
Loveland Castle Museum
I didn’t believe the story at first. A retired World War I soldier built a castle by hand? But when I saw it—gray stone, arched doorways, and that proud, lopsided charm—I understood. Loveland Castle isn’t perfect. That’s exactly why it moved me.
Built rock by rock over decades by Harry Andrews, the place feels more like a declaration than a home. The rooms are narrow and dim, filled with handmade furniture and odd little artifacts. I lingered in the tiny chapel room, where the light filtered through iron bars, and thought, _“You can build something massive one bucket at a time, if you’re stubborn enough.”_
I walked the outer walls, past sun-drenched stone and wild ivy, then sat by the Little Miami River and ate a veggie wrap from Paxton’s Grill down the road. The spinach and feta were fresh, but it was the roasted red pepper that gave it bite—smoky and sweet, like something earned. I stayed until the sun hit the water just right, casting long shadows across the uneven ramparts.
Loveland Castle Museum At a Glance
- Drive time from Columbus: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Address: 12025 Shore Dr, Loveland, OH
- Best Time to Visit: Midday, spring through fall
- Vibe: Quirky, heartfelt, resolutely DIY
- Highlights: Handmade castle, gardens, riverside setting
- Facilities: Basic restrooms, small gift shop
- Cost: $5 admission (cash only)
- Hours: Open daily 11am–5pm (weather permitting)
- Food Nearby: Paxton’s Grill (walkable—great wraps, easygoing vibe)
GreatStone Castle Resorts
The first thing I noticed was the porch. It wrapped around the sandstone mansion like a promise of stillness. Inside, GreatStone Castle didn’t feel like a hotel. It felt like a place where someone important used to live, and for one night, I got to pretend it was me.
The carved staircases, stained glass, and antique beds all whispered of another era. I chose a room with a clawfoot tub and took the longest bath I’ve had in years. Then I sat in the drawing room, watching the fire flicker and scribbled in my notebook. _“I didn’t expect to feel so cared for by a building,”_ I wrote.
For breakfast, they served homemade quiche and warm croissants. The buttery scent hit me before I even reached the table. The quiche was soft, eggy, with a bit of sharp cheddar folded inside—and the croissant flaked apart just right. I ate slowly, in the kind of silence that makes even coffee taste better.
GreatStone Castle Resorts At a Glance
- Drive time from Columbus: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Address: 429 N Ohio Ave, Sidney, OH
- Best Time to Visit: Any season—cozy in winter, romantic in fall
- Vibe: Historic charm meets quiet luxury
- Highlights: Overnight stays, gardens, spa services
- Facilities: Rooms, event space, full breakfast, spa (by appointment)
- Cost: Rooms typically $150–$250/night
- Hours: Check-in 3pm, Check-out 11am
- Food Nearby: On-site breakfast; dinner options in downtown Sidney
Final Thoughts: Castles in the Heartland
I didn’t expect to feel transported. Not in Ohio. Not by castles built from sandstone and sweat, tucked behind woods and wheat fields. But somewhere between the hand-laid stone of Loveland Castle and the quiet luxury of GreatStone’s drawing room, I realized this wasn’t about pretending to be royalty. It was about stepping outside my regular life, even for a few hours, and letting something old and strange and beautiful reset me.
Each place offered something different—solitude, imagination, silence, story. I arrived looking for castles and left with something softer: a deep breath I didn’t know I needed, a slower pace I didn’t expect to miss, a reminder that wonder doesn’t always announce itself with trumpets. Sometimes, it waits behind ivy-covered walls and homemade quiche.
Jump to a Spot...