Bannerman Castle — Attraction in Town of Fishkill

My husband and I attended the movie night and it was not what we expected.

The parking situation was difficult. We were not to sure where we could park without getting a ticket or towed. We finally just parked in a spot that seemed okay and just hoped we had our car there by the time we got back. They should let people know where to park with signs or have a volunteer stand by so we could have pulled up and asked for help and maybe have them point best spots to park.

Once we arrived on the island there were so many steps to get to the top of the castle where we had to go for the movie and tour. I was concerned because a lot of the people were seniors and one or two of them had a cane. My husband also has back issues. I thought it would have maybe been a small incline hill we had to walk up. I didn't know it was going to be steps.

The rest rooms were horrible! I understand that there is no running water but the smell of the restrooms almost made me vomit. My husband walked in and walked right out. He held his bladder for the 5 hours we were there. I had to create a mask of toilet paper to wear over my nose and mouth.

They offered metal holding chairs which I knew based on the photos on instagram so I brought mini blanks for us to make cushions out of. We sat in the chairs waiting for the movie to start which slowly became uncomfortable. We kept waiting and waiting for the movie to start . They were waiting for it to get darker. Then when they finally were about to start the movie one of the volunteers gets up and gives a really long speech which took up more time.

During the movie I was in so much pain and worried my husband was in pain from sitting so long in the chair. We could see we were not the only ones. They did offer sit cushions for a 5 dollar rental. We couldn't see to well and couldn't get up to stretch. We watched others trip over unseen tree trunks and rocks. I finally got up and made my way to the side for stretching.

Once the movie was over the first group jumped up and made their way back down the stairs with dim lighting. By the time we made it to the boat we waited a few minutes and could see their was a gentleman coming down slowly with a cane. We pulled away as he finally made it to the bottom and it looked like the person he was with wanted us to wait. I was shocked that they couldn't have waited just a few more minutes. I guess they had to stick to a tight schedule. I felt bad because there is no way they were going back up to wait for the next boat and now how to wait 50 mins for the next boat on the poorly lit dock.

The island is beautiful, the boat ride was beautiful and we did get wonderful history from our tour guy on the island and boat guide. The staff was great! The pictures and views were gorgeous.

I think that on the website they should let people beware of the stairs and not just say "wear comfortable shoes", mention about the rest rooms, mabe created a friendly list of "things you may want to pack". We knew to definitely...

Would definitely go again. It’s been on my bucket list for sometime and I finally got the chance to go on the tour. Our boat took you from Beacon, close to where the train station is—Which is where you can park for free on the weekends. Another fun tip: I would recommend you finding a restroom before the tour. Captain John and Jen were great… loved their jokes and music choices. Jen is also a volunteer coordinator and gave us interesting facts throughout the boat ride. Even from the boat you can tell what a huge impact this castle had on the region.

Upon arriving to the island, you are greeted with a guide. Our guide was okay, wish he took a different direction with the storyline. One can only hope to ever achieve this much riches to draw something on a napkin and turn it into a castle on a private island in the Hudson. The gardens are beautiful and don’t get enough credit. I enjoyed learning about the monarch butterflies. The views from the island are breathtaking. The castle was built in the style of European castles, which does transport you in time. Our guide mentioned some Bannerman family members visited the island earlier that day…would be interesting to hear their thoughts.

The current situation is that the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation owns the land but doesn’t contribute to the upkeep and tourism operations. The Bannerman Castle Trust handles all of that. They restored a smaller area on the island, but there are no efforts to restore the castle due to high costs. At this point they should probably build a new castle in the style of what it once was. Or try their best to secure what’s left and attach it to a new structure. Similar to what Germany did after WW2 when their buildings were heavily boomed. Turn it into an opera theater and museum. Maybe invite local artists to do exhibits. Get some nice restrooms lol wouldn’t recommend using the ones that are currently there. The island definitely needs a permanent electric supply to survive all seasons. It’s sad to see the state not invest anything into tourism on the island. It really seems like a missed opportunity. The island grounds should be made more walking friendly. I can’t imagine taking someone elderly on this tour.

To end my rant on a positive, go and check it out! Castle remains are beautiful and the island itself is a treasure with...

We drone from Brooklyn, NY for the day and it was so worth it! The tour was beautiful from the boat ride to the castle and back. The boat driver and the man who spoke during the ride were very accommodating, helpful, and charismatic.

The tour guide on the island, was very informative. He had a sense of humor, and even was very patient with my 7 years old who asked many questions. He made my son’s day involving him, and responding to his questions. He made his day. Thank you for that. I can’t remember his name but he was phenomenal giving every detail about the castle. Hint: we want Saturday May 18th at 12:30. Can’t remember his name but “thank you!”

The tour was amazing, beautiful and everything imaginable.

Only thing, depending on the age of your child, I recommend older maybe 12 and up. We had time to walk the island alone, there are paths, near cliffs and rocks which were concerning if your child is busy and rambunctious like mine. We had to hold his hand when we separated to walk alone. Why, because well, try telling a 7 year old to not jump and play lol You get my point. If it’s too dangerous for the child to walk alone and understand the severity of the moment, then they are too young to be there. (Jut my opinion) But that’s how I feel.

Otherwise, everything was perfect from beginning to end. It’s the perfect day trip from NYC. I cannot wait to return and do it again.

We also had time after to walk through town, 5 minutes away, grab some food, and take in the sites. Not really much to but, it was a beautiful day to stroll.

Definitely buy tickets in advance. The boat going has no food just seats. Carry snacks, and water. Also, most important use the bathroom before you go to wait for the boat unless you like ports potty’s.

There are bathrooms on the island but there is no running water. So, uhm again just try to use the bathroom before you even go to the doc.

The bathrooms on the island aren’t dirty but because there is no running water, they...