We’ve gone through some of the best coffee and pizza in New Haven, but there is also more to the town than caffeinated goodness and supremely crafted Neapolitan specialities. We asked some of our Before the Fall Orientation small group leaders for their favorite things to do around town, to make sure you have a full panoply of options—all of which are well worth checking out.
Emily Judd: I love to go to the free museums in New Haven, both on- and off-campus. The Yale University Art Gallery and the Knights of Columbus museum have fascinating exhibits centered on religion!
Laura Traverse: My favorite thing to do around New Haven is run (or walk, if it’s that kind of day) through East Rock Park—the best stretch stop is on the pedestrian footbridge that overlooks the river and East Rock’s bluff.
Megan McDermott: On a regular basis, my favorite thing to do would be to take advantage of the bars and restaurants around New Haven with friends. This is a particular favorite of mine since I grew up in the suburbs and went to college in a small town. Having this amount of options (that I can get to by shuttle or walking!) is still exciting to me. On a more occasional basis, I love to go to the Yale University Art Gallery and the Yale Center for British Art. The collection at the YUAG is astounding in both its breadth and beauty!
Christopher Hazlaris: I love to play on the Paracleats —the Div School intramural team— and play in a competitive men’s indoor soccer league about 20 minutes from YDS. The soccer games are what I look forward to most during my weeks! And to speak of more New Haven specific things, when I am free, I love going for a run around East Rock Park and to the top of the mountain there. It is so peaceful and the nature is beautiful!
Ben Wyatt: My favorite thing to do around New Haven is… Eat! New Haven punches way above its weight in terms of restaurants that are within a grad student’s (occasional) budget. For starters, you should try Basil, Lalibela, Mamoun’s, Prime 16 (which may have the best happy hour in town), Barracuda, and Arethusa Farm and Dairy (for post-meal ice cream). And that’s to say nothing about the pizza in town, which deserves its own tour.