New Haven

New Haven is a city in Connecticut that is best known as the home of Yale University.

Understand

With a population density of 6,000 people per km2, downtown New Haven has a particularly residential character. As a result, numerous shops, cafes and top-rated restaurants have proliferated. Ethnic restaurants include Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Eritrean, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, French, Mexican, Thai, Indian and Malaysian cuisines, among many others. According to the Hartford Courant, New Haven has more pedestrian activity than any place between New York City and Boston, and also has a burgeoning nightlife scene.

The area is a center for bicycling and hiking, with nearby East Rock Park, West Rock State Park, and Sleeping Giant State Park. Together, they provide many miles of hiking trails and summits with expansive views over hundreds of square miles. Bicyclists enjoy cruising along the beautiful shoreline, or along the Farmington Canal Trail, a former canal and railroad that has been converted for recreational use.

Get in

By car
  • New Haven sits at the junction of Interstates 91 and 95. Be careful to lock your doors, as the crime rate in New Haven has been known to elicit broken windows. Do not leave your GPS unit or its accessories (such as mounting units, suction cups, or suction cup marks on the window) in plain sight. Belongings are typically not taken in these incidents.

By plane
  • 🌍 Tweed New Haven Regional Airport (HVN  IATA), 155 Burr Street, ☏ +1 203 466-8833. Avelo Airlines is the only commercial airlines that flies into Tweed. As of July 2023, flights are available from Baltimore, Charleston (SC), Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Greenville/Spartanburg, Melbourne/Orlando, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, Orlando, Raleigh/Durham, San Juan (PR), Sarasota, Savannah, Tampa, West Palm Beach, Wilmington (NC), and seasonally from Chicago-Midway. 

Additional airports for flights with additional airlines:

  • Boston Logan International Airport (BOS IATA) As the major airport for the New England area, Logan provides frequent non-stop service from most major cities in the United States and almost all major European airports.
  • Bradley International Airport (BDL IATA) in Windsor Locks (near Hartford), from which I-91 leads straight to New Haven, is a much larger airport with flights from cities throughout the eastern half of the United States and Canada and seasonal service from Mexico. It is about an hour away by car.
  • LaGuardia Airport (LGA IATA) is another major airport in the area, in Queens. It has flights from cities throughout the Eastern United States and Canada and from a few Caribbean destinations. It is about 1Β½ hours away by car. Airport shuttle service to New Haven is available, or you can get to Grand Central Terminal in New York and then a train to New Haven.
  • John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK IATA), also in Queens, is a major international airport. Airport shuttle service to New Haven is available, or you can get to Grand Central Terminal in New York and then a train to New Haven.
  • Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR IATA), in northern New Jersey, is a major international airport. Airport shuttle service to New Haven is available, or you can take Amtrak to New Haven or a train from Grand Central Terminal.

By train
See also: Rail travel in the United States

Stations

Train operators:
  • Shore Line East provides service between New Haven and New London, Conn. and intermediate points. It also operates a small number of trains between New Haven and Stamford, Conn.
  • Hartford Line is a commuter rail service between New Haven and Springfield, Massachusetts. This service features 17 trains a day from Hartford (12 of which originate in Springfield).

By bus

The New Haven Union Station at 50 Union Ave also serves as the central bus station for:

  • Flixbus
  • Greyhound also serves New Haven, but if you are coming from New York City, you may find Metro-North Railroad cheaper and more comfortable.
  • Megabus. Service from Boston and Hartford. Buses stop at Union Station. Fares from $1 and up. Their bus stop is the same as the Peter Pan Bus stop.
  • Peter Pan operates between cities in the Northeast U.S. (in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, Philadelphia, PA; Albany, NY; New Jersey, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Washington, DC)

Some of the same bus companies have an additional stop elsewhere in town. Check the tickets and their website for location of your stop.

  • CT Transit Express #950 New Haven to Hanford express bus from the Chapel & Church St Transit Center and Union Station. Additional stops in Meriden, Middletown and Wethersfield. Check schedules for local stop locations.
  • Yale Shuttle are local shuttles, operated by Yale University, from the NH Station to the Yale Central Campus and the Medical Campus on multiple routes.

Get around

Downtown New Haven is compact enough to be traversed by foot.

The city is also served by an efficient public bus system.

Other transportation options include:

See

Yale University has several sights of interest:

Outside of Yale, New Haven has many notable sights:

  • 🌍 The Green. Public park in the center of the city. It's over 350 years old and recognized as one of the best 100 public spaces in the United States. Frequent festivals are held here. 
  • 🌍 Knights of Columbus Museum, 1 State St, ☏ +1 203-865-0400. Daily, 10AM-5PM. Free. (updated May 2019)
  • 🌍 Lighthouse Point Park, 2 Lighthouse Rd. Lighthouse Point Park gives a scenic view of New Haven’s shoreline and is perfect for those looking to leave the hustle and bustle of the downtown area. The park is home to Hawkfest, a celebration of the local wildlife, and the Carousel at Lighthouse Point. Visit their website for department phone numbers, park opening times, and parking information. 
  • 🌍 Pardee Morris House, 325 Lighthouse Road, ☏ +1 203-562-4183. Visit a landmark of colonial New Haven. Built in 1750 and burned down in 1779 during a British raid on New Haven Harbor, the Pardee Morris House offers a glimpse into New Haven’s history. Classes, tours, and summer camps are held throughout the year. Visit the Pardee Morris House section of the New Haven Museums website for a schedule of events. 
  • 🌍 Fort Nathan Hale Park, 50 Woodward Avenue, . Get a spectacular view of the New Haven seaside as well as learn about the town’s colonial history. See Black Rock Fort, replete with the Betsy Ross flag, and take in a recreation of battles from New Haven’s past. Fish from its expansive pier or take the nature trail that leads from the park to the Pardee Seawall. The visitor center is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day from 10AM to 4PM. Visit their website for more information. 
  • 🌍 Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium at Yale University, 355 Prospect St, ☏ +1 203-432-3000, . Tu shows $5/person (under 13 free). Shows in the planetarium theater on Tuesday nights, followed by viewing of the night sky through telescopes (weather permitting). Check website for current shows, as well as special events on other nights. (updated Feb 2019)
  • 🌍 New Haven Museum, 114 Whitney Ave, ☏ +1 203-562-4183, . Tu-F 10AM-5PM, Sa noon-5PM. 1st Su of monthː 1-4PM. Adults $4, Seniors $3, Students $2, Under 12 free, 1st Su free. (updated Feb 2020)
  • 🌍 Artspace, 50 Orange St, ☏ +1 203-772-2709, . W-Sa noon-6PM. Free. (updated Feb 2020)
  • 🌍 Marsh Botanical Garden, 265 Mansfield St, ☏ +1 203-432-6320. (updated May 2020)
  • 🌍 Amistad Memorial, 165 Church St. Depicting the slave trader Joseph CinquΓ©, commonly known as Sengbe Pieh, this 14-foot bronze sculpture commemorates the events of the Amistad Affair of 1839, which was a kidnapping of 53 Mende captives, who led the revolt aboard the La Amistad, a two-masted schooner. It sits in front of a city hall, where the slaves were imprisoned during their trial. 
  • Institute Library, 847 Chapel St, historic subscription library, welcoming to visitors to the building. Free to visit.

Do
  • Free community bike rides leave various bookstores and cafes each day; check with the Devil's Gear Bike Shop to rent cycles or find out about community rides. Local beaches are also a short bike ride or drive from the city center, and provide additional recreational opportunities.
  • Dine at one of Wooster Street's popular Italian restaurants. New Haven is famous for its old-world style pizza.
  • Visit the Crypt, an ancient graveyard under the Center Church on the Green. It is open April-October, Th & Sa 11AM-1PM.
  • St. Patrick's Day Parade, one of the oldest in the United States.
  • Visit summit of East Rock Park and West Rock Park where you can see the Three Judges Cave and hike along miles of trails.
  • Tour Yale University.
  • See an avant-garde jazz concert at Firehouse12, a firehouse converted into a modern bar and cutting-edge concert venue and recording studio.
  • See a show at the famous Toad's Place, a must for any music lover.
  • Bicycle along Farmington Canal, or shoreline bike routes.
  • Pilot Pen Tennis, Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale, 45 Yale Avenue, ☏ +1 203-776-7331. Also known as the New Haven Open at Yale, This week-long event held in the summer showcases the talent of America’s best tennis players. The tournament is held in late August. 
  • 🌍 Long Wharf Theatre, 222 Sargent Dr, ☏ +1 203-787-4284. Not only are some of the best plays in the North East performed right on this stage, the theater also gives back to the community by hosting classes and sessions for those interested in theater and want to get involved in the performing arts. 
  • 🌍 Shubert Theatre, 247 College St, ☏ +1 203-562-5666. Box officeː M-F 9ː30AM-5ː30PM, Sa 10AM-2PM and prior to all performances. (updated Feb 2020)

Buy

When visiting, pick up a copy of the Downtown Guide at a local shop or restaurant. It will provide you with up-to-date information on the hundreds of restaurants downtown, and on shopping opportunities. New Haven abounds with hundreds of retailers, ranging from pricey local boutique to art galleries to national chains such as Ann Taylor.

  • 🌍 Ikea Home Furnishings, 450 Sargent Drive, ☏ +1 203-865-4532. Located just off Long Wharf Drive, visit the only Ikea store in Connecticut and check out their selection of inexpensive furniture and their restaurant 
  • 🌍 J Press, 260 College Street. Fine men's suiting. 

Eat

New Haven has many famous pizza parlors and is often credited with having introduced pizza to the United States, although New Havenites themselves often contend that New Haven-style apizza (pronounced uh-BEETZ) is a separate food from pizza altogether. The pizza has a thin, bitter crust, offset by high quality ingredients, making for one of the world's best pizza experiences. The most famous pizza locations are Pepe's and Sally's, which are over 80 years old and usually have lines going around the block. Modern Apizzaβ€”a more recent arrival (1934), further from the city centerβ€”has nonetheless usurped these establishments as the local favorite. For a real New England New Haven experience, order the white clam bake pizzaβ€”the simple toppings of garlic, olive oil, and New England clams against the backdrop of the bitter, oven-scorched crust make for a delight to the senses.

While it is a bit sacrilegious to pass through New Haven without trying the pizza, the small city has an astonishing wealth of fine dining establishmentsβ€”easily rivaling the dining scene of any of New York's outer boroughs. The blocks just south of Yale University along Chapel, Crown, and George Streets are home to the majority of the city's best restaurants. Often-cited top restaurants in town include the Union League Cafe, Ibiza, Heirloom, and Zinc, but there are fantastic options around every corner in this part of town to try.

Wooster Square

Downtown

  • 🌍 Louis' Lunch, 261-263 Crown St, ☏ +1 203-562-5507. This tiny hamburger joint, a few blocks off the Green, claims to be the inventor of the hamburger. The burger served in Louis' traditional style: steamed in an antique table-top cast-iron gas broiler, served between two pieces of white-bread toast, optionally with cheese, tomato, and onion. Condiments like ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard are not used or available, which is a point of pride for management who are adamant that such extras detract from the experience. Sides such as potato salad, chips, pies, and local Foxon Park soda are available. Do not expect McDonald's wait times for your burger! 
  • Aladdin Crown Pizza, 260 Crown St, ☏ +1 203-773-3772. 11AM-2AM. Don't be fooled by the name; the best cuisine this place offers is not pizza; it's Middle Eastern. Be sure to try their falafel plate and baclava dessert. Authentic food with excellent service. $7-12. 
  • Bangkok Gardens, 172 York St, ☏ +1 203-789-8684, fax: +1 203 789-0336. Lunch: 11AM-3PM daily, Dinner: M-Th 5PM-9:45PM, F Sa 5-11PM, Su 5-10PM. If you are looking for a casual, but high quality restaurant within walking distance of the University, take your budding scholars here. The food is up to New York standards, prices are reasonable, and the location enviable. $8-17. 
  • 🌍 Claire's Corner Copia, 1000 Chapel St, ☏ +1 203-562-3888. Vegan and vegetarian options, regularly-changing specials. Known for their Lithuanian coffee cake. Great bakery with gluten-free options. Kosher. 
  • Pacifico, 220 College St, ☏ +1 203-772-4002. Latin American seafood dishes with an upscale New York sensibility served at this LGBT-friendly restaurant. $15-30. 
  • Royal Palace Chinese Restaurant, 32 Orange St, ☏ +1 203-776-6663. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-11PM, Su noon-10PM. Very reasonably priced authentic Chinese cuisine plus friendly service equals a great find. Definitely do not pass up on the honey walnut shrimp. $7-18. 
  • Temple Grill, 152 Temple Street, ☏ +1 203-773-1111. Known for design-your-own burgers and salads, and for leaving Swedish fish on the table with the check. 
  • Union League CafΓ©, 1032 Chapel Street, ☏ +1 203-562-4299. Upscale French cuisine. Make reservations. 
  • York St. Noodle House, 166 York St., ☏ +1 203-776-9675. 11:30AM-10:30PM. If you're looking for an inexpensive, casual meal, York St. Noodle House is the place to go. Service is always friendly, and the menu always has irresistible options. Be sure to try their delicious boba fruit slushy. Try also coconut curry noodle soup and spicy wok basil noodle. $6-12. 
  • Yorkside Pizza and Restaurant, 288 York St., ☏ +1 203-787-7471. Family-owned diner with large menu and very reasonable prices. Dough and sauces are made fresh daily on the premises. $10-25. 
  • Zinc, 964 Chapel Street, ☏ +1 203-624-0507. Modern American. Chef's table options focus on local food items. Make reservations. 
  • Junzi Kitchen, 21 Broadway, ☏ +1 475 441-7836. 11 am – 10 pm daily. Northern Chinese fare
  • Cafe Goodfellas, 702 State Street, ☏ +1 203-785-8722. This is the perfect place not only for the connoisseur of Italian cuisine but for also a lover of movies. You can enjoy some of the finest Italian food New Haven has to offer while viewing movie classics on their ten flatscreen televisions 
  • Brazi's Italian Restaurant, 201 Food Terminal Plaza, ☏ +1 203-498-2488. Drawing upon New Haven’s large Italian-American population, only the best food made with the freshest ingredients is served. Who knows, maybe you’ll be serenaded with traditional Italian music while you dine 

East Rock

  • 🌍 Modern Apizza, 874 State St, ☏ +1 203-776-5306. This New Haven-style apizza place has really stirred up the waters of New Haven cuisine, dethroning the seemingly invincible Pepe's and Sally's as the city's (and quite possibly the world's) best pizza place. Modern Apizza has been voted "Best Pizza" in New Haven for 12 consecutive years in the New Haven Advocate’s "Best of" Reader’s Poll. Modern Apizza is a long walk, or a short drive, bike ride or trip on the "M" bus from Downtown New Haven. 
  • Atticus Market, 771 Orange St. New American fare plus pop-up pizza nights

Drink

Crown and Chapel Streets run through downtown New Haven and are packed with hundreds of restaurants, cafΓ©s, wine bars, lounges and the like. New Haven is the primary entertainment destination for the 800,000 people who live in the immediate area. When driving, watch pedestrians since the crowds can be thick, especially on weekends.

Sleep

Stay safe

As with New York City, New Haven's crime rate has gone down considerably since the early 1990s, and it is now considered to be a safe city, at least in the downtown area. Today, there is very little risk involved with traveling to New Haven's tourist attractions as streets bustle with crowds generated by hundreds of restaurants, cinemas, theaters, cafes and stores. Luxury apartments and million-dollar condominiums have proliferated, adding a large population base to formerly industrial or commercial zones. In such areas, the downtown area is generally safe at night, but like other cities, late night travel through certain city neighborhoods outside the downtown, without someone who knows the area, is not recommended. When visiting, exercise the same precautions you would use in any large city.

It is not recommended to venture outside the Metro North stop at Union Station at night. Taxis wait near the doorway, and it would be wise to take advantage of them if you must arrive in New Haven during the evening. The surrounding area is poorly lit and has seen a variety of violent and non-violent crime.

Connect

Go next
  • Mystic is famous for its seaport, and is a great family tourist attraction. It is about an hour away.
  • Hartford is the capital of Connecticut, home to the state library and the Connecticut Capitol Building.
  • New York City is the largest city in the country, which attracts tens of millions of visitors every year. It is 1Β½-2Β½ hours away.
  • Boston has many tourist attractions, and is the capital of Massachusetts. It is about 2Β½ hours away.
Routes through New Haven
New York City ← Stamford ←  SW  NE  β†’ New London β†’ Boston
New York City ← Bridgeport ←  SW  N/NE  β†’ Wallingford/Old Saybrook β†’ Springfield/Providence
New York City ← Bridgeport ←  SW  N  β†’ Wallingford β†’ Springfield
Hartford ← North Haven ←  N  S  β†’ Merges into
Providence ← East Haven ←  N  S  β†’ West Haven β†’ New York City
Providence ← East Haven ←  N  S  β†’ West Haven β†’ New York City
Hartford ← Hamden ←  N  S  β†’ Orange β†’ New York City
Stamford ← West Haven ←  SW  NE  β†’ END
Stamford ← West Haven ←  W  E  β†’ Branford β†’ New London


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