[GoCUBS1]

My 17 y.o. daughter and I are traveling around the country visiting colleges over Springbreak. We are flying to Hartford and will have one free day/eve before we tour Yale. Any recommendations for areas to stay or sightseeing?

We have never been to this area and are not sure where to stay/what to do. We will have a rental car. We are active and like outdoor activities, nature, hiking, etc... We also appreciate the arts - theatre, museums, art galleries, live music, etc. Any ideas appreciated!

[ChadChadderson]

Lighthouse Point in New Haven. You'll get to see Long Island Sound. It's small and definitely an urban park in gritty industrial New England but it's still a cool experience. Lots of Oyster shells at low tide and you might find some sea glass.

[Stylo]

Plenty of arts in New Haven. Both Yale art museums are amazing and free. Woolsey Hall has classical concerts. Yale Rep and Long Wharf do plays. Shubert has musicals and other performances. Firehouse 12 has jazz shows. College Street Music Hall and Toad’s are good sized music venues.

A Yale walking tour is worth doing. Impressive architecture. Driving or walking around East Rock is impressive. Loads of beautiful old homes. Hillhouse Ave has an impressive cathedral and musical instruments museum, and stately gilded age mansions. Drive to top of East Rock for a view of the city. Lots of good food, but the pizza is famous at Sally’s, Pepe’s, and Modern. The latter will likely be the quickest. Sally’s is my favorite but a long line and wait.

For hiking, the boardwalk at Silver Sands is lovely. The nearby Audubon Center is a lovely slice of nature. I believe Sleeping Giant will be back open for a hike.

[hvexpatinct]

Plenty of cultural opportunities in New Haven as outlined above.

In Hartford, there's the Wadsworth Atheneum and the Mark Twain house.

CT is surprisingly rural/nature oriented in many ways as well. Silver Sands is a good recommendation.

[JayCT]

A lot depends on what you and your daughter like to do. The suggestions made are all good. New Haven certainly has enough to do so that you do not have to travel to Hartford or very far to see things. If you like art museums, the Yale Center for British Art and the Yale University Art Gallery are wonderful. The Peabody Museum of Natural History is also very good. Depending on the weather you may also like the Shore Line Trolley Museum in Branford. Also there are some great theaters in New Haven. You may want to see what The Shubert, Yale Rep or The Long Wharf Theater have going on when you are here. Jay

[CTartist]

This is a great website. I have lived in CT all my life and I use it.
Visit CT | Official Connecticut Office of Tourism

Some already mentioned the music in New Haven. At Yale there are concerts and some are free.
https://music.yale.edu/concerts/series
https://music.yale.edu/concerts/series/ysm-ensembles (these are by the students and I think they are all free)

[smarcus]

For flying into Bradley and the next day touring Yale... I'd actually say the best plan is to book a New Haven hotel. Bradley to New Haven driving is maybe 50+ minutes. Downtown Hartford is empty post 5pm, whereas in Downtown New Haven there is street life and a good New England small-city feel to walk around in the evening. New Haven's new Blake Hotel would be my first choice, but for less money the Marriott Courtyard I've stayed recently and is very convenient and good value, too. Agreed with Lighthouse if you want to be at the water, but it's a quiet park you're making your own entertainment. The East Rock summit is a good destination and not only can you see New Haven but also on a clear day can see Long Island Sound and Long Island. Good luck...

[pipermaruu]

Check out the Peabody Museum and get pizza at Frank Pepe's, followed by dessert at one of the Italian pastry shops next door.

[JayCT]

Louis Lunch on Crown Street is credited to be the birthplace of the hamburger. You might try it. Jay

https://louislunch.com/

[nico7]

If you want a nice place to stay and are willing to pay a bit more, The Study at Yale is very convenient to campus. Nice rooms, some with a view.

Wooster St pizza (Pepe’s and Sally’s) is great, as are Modern and (a small notch down, still very good) Bar. Your daughter would be most likely to spend time at Bar as a Yale student, due to proximity to campus.

Yale Center for British Art is excellent.

The “Broadway” area (York St & Elm St) is pretty central to campus and is where a lot of the retail in New Haven is found.

Beinecke Library is interesting and worth a quick visit — probably on the official Yale tour. In addition to the unusual architecture, they have a Gutenberg Bible on display, one of only a handful in existence. While you are there, see the inside of nearby Woolsey Hall rotunda and the concert hall, if you can get in (used to be unlocked during daytime). The Law School is nearby and has some hilarious gargoyles adorning the front entrance on Wall St.

I like Saint Ronan St, but it is peripheral to undergrad life. If you’ll be driving around, consider a look.