Atalaya Castle — Attraction in South Carolina

This Castle is a really neat place and it has a lot of potential. Unfortunately, whoever the curator is..... Isn't allowing this place to live up to its potential. Plain and simple. This Castle could be staged with works of art and furniture like how Mrs Huntington had it when she was making those works of art. When you (pay) to walk through this Castle it is like an empty dungeon. There's nothing that really allows you to know a whole lot about it other than a few cheaply printed out pieces of paper in plastic. Mrs Huntington's works of art are very impressive in the fact that she did many of them here at this Castle should be considered. I am sure this place is making money hand over fist considering that you have to pay to get into the state park and then you have to pay to get into the castle. You think they would make the experience for the paying customers more pleasurable instead of walking through a dark dingy dungeon. The history is actually fascinating, but whoever the money is going to is absurd. How many Park rangers do you have in there that are doing basically nothing? Is this money going to the state (government) or private entities pockets? On top of that, there's zero military discount at any of these spots. I've traveled all over the country and I'm a United States Marine Corps Veteran. South Carolina is the only state that doesn't have any kind of discount for Veterans. I found that curious. Like I said above: You have to pay to get into the state park then you have to pay to get into the castle. In this day and age of technology it could be better staged and curated. Hopefully somebody can do that. The simple fact that most of her works of art are right across the street at Brook Green Gardens (which is absolutely beautiful). Yet, they charge $25+ per person. If Mrs Huntington was a true philanthropist and she wanted the general population to enjoy her works of art, then people wouldn't be catering...

Located on the grounds of Huntington State Park is the Atalaya Castle. Built in 1931, this was the winter residence of industrialist and philanthropist Archer M. Huntington and his wife, the sculptor, Anna Hyatt Huntington. It was named Atalaya, Spanish term for watchtower and designed after the Moorish architecture of the Spanish Mediterranean Coast. This walled structure formed a square with two courtyards inside, east side facing the ocean and the west side a main entry court. The living quarters had 30 rooms that included a kitchen, food service/preparation area, dining room, breakfast room, sunroom, wardrobe/clothes storage, bedrooms, baths, servants’ quarters, library, Mr. Huntington’s study, his secretary’s office and Mrs. Huntington studio. A 40 foot square tower housing a 3000 gallon cypress water tank gave enough water pressure to flow through the house. Additional buildings featured a horse stable, a dog kennel, a bear pen and an Oyster shucking shed. Rooms were heated by wood fireplaces and coal heaters. The name seems not fitting as no moats, ramparts, turrets, towers, look outs, and gatehouse are featured. More of a fortress with its single story structure, narrow walled walkways, grillwork and shutters over each window and enclosed courtyards. The bare rooms do offer some descriptive placards, otherwise it is a self-guided tour and you are on your own with a floor plan map. Cost is $2 per person, free if you have a yearly state park pass, to help the upkeep and maintains of the property. Come and tour the historical grounds, spend some time on the beach and go looking for alligators along the...

Beautiful!! The brick and iron work are all so cool. Loved this peaceful self guided tour of a artist's home with her husband. Took so many beautiful photos- and the tour only costs $2. The only thing I didn't love- I arrived 45 mins before close, ticket guy let me know they closed at 5pm, OK cool made sure I was heading back by 4:45. So it's 5:50 & I'm 20 ft from the exit and the ticket guy is literally clapping at me and yelling at me to hurry up. I honestly thought he was joking at first until I got closer. I told him I thought I had till 5pm and was walking towards the exit 10 mins prior to that and he said "well I need to get everybody out by 5pm" very angrily and was very short with me. I'm sorry but if there are other ppl still in there yell at them, not the person who is 10 mins early to close/smiling- and I do NOT need to be clapped at like a dog either sir. What he should've communicated is- you really need to be out by 4:45 not 5pm to avoid getting yelled at. I did the tour in 30 mins, I paid the admission- There are kinder ways to say "we're closing" which I already knew obviously. I understand this man is probably over dealing tourists (I live here) and deserves to go home at a decent time but but you're in a job that caters to tourism- be kind. It was the only "bad" part of my experience here. Otherwise it would...