48 Hours in New Haven, Connecticut

Probably best known as the pizza capital of America and the home of Yale University, New Haven is the second largest city in Connecticut. New Haven has many cultural neighborhoods, a rich history, and several family friendly attractions. We flew direct from Raleigh into Tweed New Haven, a regional airport that is minutes from everything the city has to offer.

South of Boston and north of Manhattan, New Haven is an amazing place to visit in New England. We spent 48 hours exploring the city, and soaked it all in! There is something for everyone here: foodies will rejoice at the culinary scene, art lovers will enjoy Yale’s huge collection, beachgoers can spend some time in the sun and sand, and children will love the museums and playgrounds!

I have compiled a list of the three A’s: Accommodations, Adventures, and Appetite!  If you have any questions about New Haven or our trip please send me an email!

Accommodations

We stayed at Cambria New Haven, located in the university area. Cambria New Haven is a boutique style hotel, just a short walk from downtown New Haven and Yale University. Yale’s newest hotel is pristine, everything from the contemporary rooms to the open concept lobby will have you feeling this is your home away from home.

We stayed in a spacious king suite with views of the city. Our room had an ultra-comfortable king bed with a separate living room, refrigerator and large bathroom with walk-in shower. Our suite had an adjoining room with two queen beds, making it the perfect setup for a family!

9 Squared is Cambia’s new restaurant and bar with regional cuisine inspired by New Haven’s culinary spirit. We had the pleasure of eating breakfast here both mornings and were blown away by the portions and taste! Pro Tip – get the food to go so you can enjoy it from your comfy bed!

Adventures

Yale University – You can’t visit New Haven without a walk through Yale University. Admire the architecture of the historic campus, and learn about the history. The Art Gallery, founded in 1832, is the oldest university art museum in America and includes nearly 300,000 pieces of art in its collection. The highlight for us was the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, with the entire outside designed in marble, the interior will leave you in awe! Home to the original Alice and Wonderland (among many other unique collections) it is one of the largest buildings in the world dedicated to rare books and manuscripts.

East Rock Park – East Rock Park is a 425 acre park that includes 10 miles of hiking trails, the Mill River, athletic fields and courts, a 112 foot monument at the top of the mountain. We stopped here before our flight to let the kid’s get some energy out and were impressed with the playgrounds and splash pad! 

Lighthouse Point Park – This epic New Haven gem is located on 82 acre park on Long Island Sound that has sweeping water views and plenty of space for outdoor fun. It is home to the 1847 Five Mile Lighthouse and the 1916 carousel (open on weekends 12pm-4pm and .50 cents a ride). There are also walking trails, a large playground, splash pad (open during the summer) and picnic tables in shaded areas. There is an entry fee for cars, at the time of our visit it was $30 for non-residents.

IT at Jordan’s Furniture – Someone recommended IT at Jordan’s furniture to me, and I was a little confused that someone would tell us to visit a furniture store. Let me tell you… I have never seen anything like the indoor adventure course, aptly named IT at Jordan’s Furniture. Home of the largest indoor ropes course in the world, this is a must stop if you have children (and even if you don’t). Our Saturday morning was rainy so we came here and had the time of our lives! There is fun for all age groups, including a small course for the littles. There are four levels of adventure to be found here, with several zip-lines (our favorite bering the one over the water show). I highly recommend this for a family, we did a two-hour package, but our kids were exhausted after one!

Appetite

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana – You can’t go to New Haven without having some of their unique and delicious pizza. Pepe’s is the original pizza spot located on Wooster Street in Little Italy. Be forewarned, there will be a line at all times, which took me by surprise. The good news – you can order takeout from the original spot behind the restaurant, which will take less time. We ordered take out and ate at the park just down the road (a great place for the kids to play and eat). Here we tried the Original Tomato Pie (half with mozzarella), and a meat and veggie pizza. Okay I will be honest, I am a pizza snob, so I wasn’t sure what to expect…. it was DELICIOUS! I highly recommend Pepe’s… I might just hop on a quick flight to get some more!

Sally’s Apizza – Just down the road from Pepe’s you can find Sally’s! Again, there will be a line out the door. From what I heard, getting take out from Sally’s is not as quick, so we decided to get there at 11AM to get in line (they open at 11:30). My husband stood in line and I took the kiddos to the park. We were sat in the first wave, and were super impressed with the customer service and kindness the staff showed our kids (they were brought etch-a-sketches and a lolly pop tree). This time we tried half clam and half potato (unique but what they are known for!). The pizza at Sally’s was also delicious, but hard to compare since the types of pizza we got were so different.

Food Truck Paradise – New Haven’s collection of food trucks serving Latin America eats from Mexico, Puerto Rico & Cuba. This spot was very eclectic and a lively atmosphere. There were 30+ food trucks serving up some of the most delicious, authentic Latin American food. It does get crowded here so be patient when looking for a parking spot!

East Rock Brewing Company & Beer Hall – Just down the road from East Rock Park is a family-owned brewery producing German-inspired lagers for modern times. The beer was great, and there was a relaxed atmosphere, our kids enjoyed the foosball table.

Until next time…