How to spend the day at Fonthill Castle with kids
One of the most interesting places to visit on a day trip from Philadelphia is Fonthill Castle, located less than an hour away in Doylestown PA.
During a visit to Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA, we decided to visit Fonthill Castle as a day trip before heading back home.
I’m so glad we visited because it is one of the most stunning places we’ve seen in the US!
On the blog, I will share how to spend the day at Fonthill Castle with kids. It’s such a fun day trip to add to your itinerary when planning a trip to Philadelphia.
READ NEXT: Fun Family friendly day trips from Philadelphia
*This post may contain affiliate links. Affiliate links are no extra charge to you, but I may earn a small commission if you choose to make a purchase.
PIN ME FOR LATER!
History of Fonthill Castle
Fonthill Castle was the home of the American archeologist and tile maker Henry Chapman Mercer.
Mercer built the castle between 1908 and 1912 as his home, and as a showplace for his collection of tiles and prints.
The castle was completed in 1910 with the help of his horse named Lucy who helped build the castle by hoisting concrete up to the workers.
The castle was an early example of poured in place concrete, which was all mixed by hand, and features 44 rooms, 18 fireplaces, and 10 bathrooms.
Fonthill castle also has over 200 windows of varying sizes as well and the place was just so stunning!
Since Mercer was an avid tile maker, he built the castle with an extensive collection of ceramics embedded in the concrete throughout the house. Every single wall, ceiling and floor was covered in tiles which was so amazing!
You will also find many other artifacts that Mercer collected during his world travels all around the house, including a historic tablet that was discovered in Mesopotamia dating back to over 2300 BCE.
The home also contains an extensive collection of books which were pretty much in every single room of the house. One in particular was his library which was just beyond stunning!
The house also featured some modern conveniences like a dumb waiter, elevator, intercom and phone system, which was pretty amazing for a house built in that era.
Since Henry Mercer never got married or have children, he left his castle in a trust as a museum upon his death in 1930, with a condition that his housekeeper and her husband, Laura and Frank Swain be able to reside there for life.
They both lived there and gave occasional tours until their deaths. Since then it has been operating as a historic house museum by the Trustees of the Mercer Fonthill Museum, and managed by the Bucks County Historical Society.
How to spend the day at Fonthill Castle with kids
Fonthill Castle Information
- Fonthill Castle is located in Doylestown, PA. (GPS address is 525 East Court Street)
- There is on-site parking and restrooms at the Visitors Center.
- Fonthill Castle Hours: Open Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Closed Monday. (Last tour beginning at 3:45 p.m.)
- Fonthill Castle has limited accessibility with steep stairs and narrow, uneven passages throughout the site. Personal photography is permitted during tours.
READ NEXT: Check out our blogs about some other castles we visited in the US and Europe here
Fonthill Castle activities for kids
One of the best things to do before your day trip to Fonthill Castle with kids, and to get them excited about their visit is to download some fun activities and resources to make their visit even more fun.
You can download crossword puzzles, wordsearch puzzles, games, and scavenger hunts for the kids to enjoy!
Fonthill Castle Tour
Fonthill Castle is open for guided one-hour tours, and I recommend you reserve tickets online since last minute tickets are never guaranteed.
Since tickets are on a specific time slot, you can pass the time by exploring the Castle grounds. Make sure to download the Fonthill Castle Grounds Walking Brochure for a self-guided tour.
There is a beautiful pond area behind the castle and a short hiking trail as well which the kids will love exploring.
The tree lined driveway makes for a dramatic entrance and is a popular photo spot, especially for weddings.
The tour is definitely kid friendly as the guide does make it interactive for the kids. Be aware that there is very limited accessibility in the castle, as there are lots of narrow stairs to climb so strollers are not possible during the tour.
There are only three rooms on the ground floor that are wheelchair accessible as well and guided tours are available with advanced reservations.
- Admission Costs:
- Adults $15
- Senior (65 and up) $13
- Youth (6-17) $8
- Ages 5 and under FREE
Fonthill Castle discounted tickets:
- AAA: $1 off adult ticket – (AAA card required at check-in) Use Discount code AAA online.
- Local Teacher: One free adult ticket for full-time teachers from PA, NJ and DE. – (Valid School ID required at check-in). Use Discount code TEACHER online.
- Blue Star Families / Active Military: Year-round free admission for active-duty military personnel and up to 5 family members – (Active Military ID required at check-in). Use Discount code MILITARY online.
- Veterans / Retired Military: 50% off an adult ticket for veterans or retired military. Use Discount code VETERAN online.
Visit the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works and the Mercer Museum
- Fonthill Castle is one of three cast-in-place concrete structures built by Mercer. The other two are the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works, and the Mercer Musuem.
- The Moravian Pottery and Tile Works is also located on the grounds of Fonthill Castle, and is a “working history” museum where handmade tiles are still produced in a similar manner from when Henry Mercer first founded the company. You can shop for tiles or go on a tour with advanced reservations which you can make online here.
- The Mercer Museum is another fun museum to visit which was also built by Mercer and is home to an extensive collection of objects representing everyday life in the pre-industrial age collected by Mercer himself. The museum is located just a short drive away in Doylestown and you can pair your visit here with the castle.
Fun day trips to add to your visit to Fonthill Castle
- Visit the Castle Playground -Make a stop at the Kids Castle playground which is just a short drive away. The playgrounds is complete with several slides, swings, a treehouse and a rocket ship. The castle structure is designed for children ages 5-12, but there are toddler swings available for younger kids as well. The playground is located just 10 minutes away from the castle at 425 Wells Rd. Doylestown, PA 18901
- Visit Washington Crossing Historic Park– Another great stop to add to your day trip to Fonthill Castle is the Washington Crossing Park located just a 30 minute drive from the castle. Visit the site where George Washington crossed the Delaware RIver and turned the tide of the Revolutionary War. There are lots of historic buildings to explore and multi-use trails to explore.
- Spend the day at Sesame Place– When planning your day trip to Fonthill Castle, you can pair it with a visit to Sesame Place in Langhorne PA. Sesame Place is the perfect theme park for kids ages 3-10 with many fun attractions geared for the littlest ones.
- Sesame place is only about a 40 minute drive away, and you can use the area as a base when planning your visit to Fonthill Castle. There are lots of hotels in the area and lots of restaurants nearby.
BOOK A HOTEL HERE:
Booking.com
READ NEXT:
How to spend the weekend in Philadelphia with kids
