HARDEE COUNTY, Fla. — There’s an old cliché that a person’s home is their castle.

For Alane Solomon, that phrase rings true, as her childhood home is now a castle on the outskirts of Ona. 

What You Need To Know

  •  Solomon's Castle is a tourist attraction on the outskirts of Ona

  •  Howard Solomon, an artist, bought dozens of acres in Hardee County in the early 1970s after living in the Bahamas

  •  All these years later, Solomon's daughter, Alane, is leading the business and hosts tours daily showcasing her father's work

  • Solomon's Castle runs tours Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In the early 1970s, her father, artist Howard Solomon, bought dozens of acres outside Ona and because he had a great sense of humor and quite the creative mind, he decided to build his home to look like a castle using aluminum as its siding.

“The goal was never to have a tourist attraction,” Alane said.

However, so many people were fascinated by Howard’s creation that they couldn’t help but make their way to the massive aluminum castle.

Solomon’s Castle ended up becoming a tourist attraction and continues to be a place people can visit and marvel over the aluminum exterior.

“From the moment that they can see the castle peeking out from behind the trees is sensory overload,” Alane said.

While the castle is intriguing from the outside, the inside is what’s worth the price of admission. There are multiple rooms with dozens of Howard’s art pieces.

According to Alane, there are over 600 of her dad’s art pieces that span 70 years of work.

“The biggest comment I hear is, ‘How did one man do so much work in a lifetime?’” she said.

This is what she tries to show with tours of her childhood home because her father’s art is quirky and one of a kind, almost as unique as the home it sits in.

“He woke up every day, and this was it — was his passion,” Alane said. “It was easy for him.”

Spectrum News got a sneak peek of Solomon’s Castle, which showcases Howard’s sense of humor through his art.

“My dad was also known for being a comedian,” she said. “Everything had a pun.”

His eclectic work even expands to creating his own stained-glass windows throughout the building.

Even though no one lives in the castle permanently, Alane and her husband stay here at least once a week to make sure they know exactly what’s going on inside.

Walking through the rooms inside the castle is a joy every day for Alane because each piece of art is a piece of her dad that she gets to show the world.

“These pieces of work came from his heart and his soul,” she said. “And it’s what he left here for us.”

Because this castle is more than just a home now. It’s an experience inside the mind of an amazing artist and father.

Along with the castle, guests can dine at the restaurant run by Alane and her husband, which is inside an old Spanish vessel that looks out of a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean.

Tickets to tour the castle range between $30 to $33 for adults and include free parking.

For kids, it ranges from $10 to $14.

Tours usually last between 45 minutes to an hour.