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New Haven is a historic coastal city in southern Connecticut, set on a harbor of Long Island Sound between the red basalt cliffs of East Rock and West Rock. Puritan settlers founded it in 1638 as one of the first planned cities in America, laid out around a central grid of nine squares with the New Haven Green at its heart. Yale College moved here in 1716, and the city grew with the university, as well as with shipping, manufacturing and invention: Eli Whitney's arms factory and the first telephone exchange in the world both operated here.
Today New Haven has about 135,000 residents and a rich cultural life shaped by Yale University, whose Gothic and Georgian colleges, libraries and towers fill the downtown. The New Haven Green, surrounded by three historic churches, remains the city's gathering place. New Haven is also famous for its pizza: Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, Sally's Apizza and Modern Apizza on Wooster Street and beyond serve the thin, coal-fired "apizza" that many call the best in the country, and the hamburger is said to have been born at Louis' Lunch.
Visitors can explore outstanding free museums, including the Yale University Art Gallery, the Yale Center for British Art and the Peabody Museum of Natural History with its famous dinosaurs. The Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library displays a Gutenberg Bible in its translucent marble building. East Rock Park offers sweeping views over the city and harbor, Lighthouse Point Park has a beach and a historic carousel, and the Shubert and Long Wharf theaters keep New Haven's stages busy.
Yale University, founded in 1701, fills central New Haven with Gothic Revival colleges, courtyards and towers such as Harkness Tower. Free student-led campus tours start at the visitor center on Elm Street. Many courtyards are closed to the public, so a guided tour is the best way to see inside.
The New Haven Green is the 16-acre town common laid out in 1638 as part of the city's original nine-square plan. Three historic churches stand on it, and it hosts concerts, markets and festivals. It is a good starting point for walking to Yale, Chapel Street shops and nearby restaurants.
Grove Street Cemetery, founded in 1797, is one of the first planned cemeteries in the country, entered through a large Egyptian Revival gate. Noted burials include Eli Whitney, Noah Webster and many Yale presidents. Free guided tours run on some weekends, and the grounds are open daily.
The Yale University Art Gallery is the oldest university art museum in the Americas and has free admission. Its collection spans ancient art, African and Asian works, European paintings and strong American art and silver. Allow at least two hours, and see the Louis Kahn building on Chapel Street.
The Yale Center for British Art holds the largest collection of British art outside the United Kingdom, with paintings by Turner, Constable, Gainsborough and Hogarth. The building was Louis Kahn's last design. Admission is free, and the top floor galleries with skylights are the highlight.
The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History is famous for its Great Hall of dinosaurs and the huge mural The Age of Reptiles. It also has fossils, minerals, meteorites and cultural artifacts. After a major renovation, admission is free, making it an easy stop for families with children.
The Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library is a striking modern building whose marble panels glow with filtered light. Inside, a glass tower of rare books rises through the center, and the exhibition hall displays a Gutenberg Bible. Entry to the exhibitions is free and takes about 30 minutes.
East Rock Park centers on a tall basalt ridge overlooking New Haven and Long Island Sound. A road and hiking trails lead to the summit, where the Soldiers and Sailors Monument stands and views reach across the city. The summit road is open seasonally, so check before driving up.
Lighthouse Point Park sits at the entrance of New Haven Harbor with a sandy beach, picnic areas and the Five Mile Point Lighthouse from 1847. It also has a historic carousel in a restored building. In summer there is a parking fee for non-residents, and fall brings good hawk watching.
Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana opened on Wooster Street in 1925 and is one of the founders of New Haven style apizza, a thin, coal-fired and charred pizza. The white clam pizza is its best-known pie. Expect a line at dinner time, or try The Spot, its smaller sister location behind it.
Louis' Lunch is a tiny brick restaurant on Crown Street that claims to have served the first hamburger in America in 1900. Burgers are cooked in antique vertical cast-iron grills and served on toast, with no ketchup allowed. It is small and closed some days, so check hours.
The Shubert Theatre on College Street opened in 1914 and became known as a tryout stage where many famous Broadway shows premiered before New York. Today it hosts touring musicals, concerts and comedy. It is close to downtown restaurants, so pair a show with an early dinner nearby.
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