Connecticut’s third-largest city is a historic, mostly walkable and bikeable seaside town with distinctive neighborhoods, an encyclopedic collection of great American architecture, a thriving cultural life and one of the best food scenes in the country for a city of its size (134,000).
Alexander Lobrano for the New York Times
The New York Times named New Haven as one of the 52 places worldwide to visit in 2023. The Yale School of Medicine (YSM) community agrees it is a wonderful city and hopes you come to experience it! Here are four fantastic reasons to come to New Haven, whether you're a medical student or just visiting.
See...
The NYT cited the city’s art and architecture: the (free!) Yale University Art Gallery
and Yale Center for British Art
and the Yale School of Architecture (located in a brutalist building that Paul Rudolph designed) are less than one-half mile from YSM. And you can go watch a college hockey game, or skate yourself, just over a mile away, in the very cool-looking Ingalls Rink (also known as the Yale Whale based on its shape) designed by famed architect Eero Saarinen.
Eat...
Villa Lulu, which the NYT cited as a place to go for a great meal, is one-half mile from the medical school, while several of the city’s famous pizzerias also are within walking or Yale Shuttle distance: Sally’s, Pepe’s, Bar, and Modern. There are many other wonderful options besides pizza; as the NYT says, the city has “one of the best food scenes in the country for a city of its size.”
Go...
The NYT described a “mostly walkable and bikeable seaside town,” and that includes trails for walking, hiking, running, and biking both in and beyond downtown. The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail starts within the Yale University campus and runs 80 miles, mostly uninterrupted and often through the woods, to Northampton, Massachusetts. Close to campus, you can hike in city and state parks, such as the 425-acre East Rock Park, or head to Lighthouse Point to enjoy the beach!
Engage...
The article also praised the city for its history of being full of thinkers who challenged the status quo. This spirit continues today—the city has vibrant neighborhoods, filled with residents who care deeply about their community. At YSM, you can easily become engaged with the community and have an impact on making positive change.
Check out the full NYT article here and, again, we hope you come experience New Haven yourself!