Walk on beaches or in state parks, shop in boutique stores or explore the grounds of one of America’s most famous universities in this pretty coastal town.
New Haven is Connecticut’s second-largest city, located 81 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of New York City on the Long Island Sound. The city has been an important port since the 1630s. Today it is most famous for being home to the prestigious Yale University, which gives the town a large youth population and an exciting nightlife.
Dine in upscale restaurants or drink in lively student bars in New Haven’s thriving town center. Spend some time exploring the nearby state parks, where you can hike or cycle many miles of trails. Get to know the university better by taking a tour around the grounds. Visit the Yale University Art Gallery and the Center for British Art, as well as the Peabody Museum of Natural History.Find more museums in town. Visit the Shoreline Trolley Museum to take a ride on an old passenger car, or browse the many art galleries.
Keen shoppers could spend a day browsing the many boutique designer stores in New Haven. Take a break in any number of cafés, and finish your day in one of the town’s many excellent restaurants. The variety of eating options reflect the wide-ranging ethnic population in New Haven. Don’t leave without trying a New Haven-style pizza, a simple but delicious concoction with oregano, a tomato sauce and pecorino cheese.
Take a stroll in East and West Rock State Parks or rent a bike and cycle along the Farmington Canal Trail. Head to The Green, a popular park within the city center that’s more than 350 years old. Many of the town’s major events take place here, with the New Haven Jazz Festival in August the most well-known.
Get to New Haven by car following major interstate highways on the East Coast or fly into the city’s Tweed Airport. Trains, ferries and intercity buses also service the city. Once in New Haven, get around using the efficient public buses or walk between many of the major attractions in the downtown area, which also has plenty of parking garages if you are traveling by car.
