Did you know that New Jersey is home to a whole bunch of castles? One of them, in particular, reminds us of Hogwarts. It’s absolutely enchanting and magical, and the best part is that it’s open for the public to explore.
Kip’s Castle Park is a 10-acre historic homestead and estate located partially in Montclair Township and partially in Verona, New Jersey. The park sits on First Mountain, a prominent ridge in the highlands of Essex County.
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The park’s namesake castle is a 9.000-square-foot home that was built in the 1900s by textile inventor and author Frederic Ellsworth Kip, along with his wife Charlotte Bishop Williams Kip.
Tripadvisor / Duck8to As if a giant castle wasn’t enough space for the Kips to make their home, there’s also a two story, 6,000-square-foot carraige house nearby.
The Kips lived here for the remainder of their lives. When Charlotte Kip passed away in 1926, the estate was all but abandoned, and it began to fall into disrepair.
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Kypsburg, as it was known at the time, was purchased by a law firm in the 1980s. The firm spent nearly 20 years restoring the exterior and interior of the property, before deciding to sell the estate to Essex County in 2007.
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The castle itself is reminiscent of medieval castles in the “Norman” style. Locals have compared it to the sprawling castles and enchanting buildings of Hogwarts, the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the Harry Potter book series.
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The castle and park grounds are open to the public at no charge from dawn to dusk, seven days a week.
Tripadvisor / Claudia F. Along with being a scenic green space in the idyllic Montclair area, the park is also a top spot for birdwatching thanks to its ridgeline location.
On a clear day, you can see the New York City skyline from this mountain ridge. The view serves to make Kip’s Castle Park even more enchanting.
Tripadvisor / Claudia F.
Not many people realize just how many castles in New Jersey you can find, if you know where to look! Kip’s Castle Park is an enchanting treasure in Essex County, New Jersey.
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Kip’s Castle Park is maintained by Essex County Parks. If you would love to see more castles in New Jersey, This Road Trip To New Jersey’s Most Majestic Castles Is Like Something From A Fairytale and it makes for a lovely trip with family or friends.
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As if a giant castle wasn’t enough space for the Kips to make their home, there’s also a two story, 6,000-square-foot carraige house nearby.
Tripadvisor / schmutaki
Tripadvisor / whatJDsaid
Tripadvisor / Claudia F.
Along with being a scenic green space in the idyllic Montclair area, the park is also a top spot for birdwatching thanks to its ridgeline location.
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Address: Kip’s Castle Park, 22 Crestmont Rd, Verona, NJ 07044, USA
