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Residents' Favorites

Calendars: Find out what's going on in New Haven

  • What to do this weekend: A weekly synopsis of all the events taking place in New Haven for the weekend, including activities for families, couples, and singles published by the International Office.
  • Yale Calendar of Events
  • MacMillan Center: The MacMillan Center produces one of the most comprehensive list of lectures, events and workshops at Yale.
  • Daily Nutmeg: Sign-up to receive daily emails featuring local insights and events from around New Haven.

Cultural Spots, Festivals & Events

Yearly Events

Theatre

  • The Yale Rep: A leading professional American theatre dedicated to producing new plays and interpretations of classics.
  • Yale Cabaret: "An intersection for curious audiences, invigorating stories, and artistic excellence."
  • The Long Wharf Theatre: With an annual season of six plays on two stages, children’s programming, and play workshops, it’s no wonder this organization is celebrating 50 years of success!
  • Shubert Theatre: A downtown landmark presenting Broadway shows, popular bands and musical artists, ballet, and family entertainment.
  • Elm City Shakespeare in the Park: An annual (and free!) Shakespeare production in Edgewood Park the last two weeks of August.

Music

  • Yale School of Music presents more than 200 events on Yale’s campus every year that range from student recitals (usually free!) to internationally renowned artists (discounted prices with your Yale University ID).
  • College Street Music Hall: Find this revitalized New Haven gem across the street from the Shubert, with standing room floor and reserved balcony sections that attracts a variety of artists to show that CT isn’t “merely a state in between the entertainment meccas of NYC and Boston.”
  • The Space/Outer Space: Self described as “halfway between an underground arts collective and sticky floor rock venue” with a variety of performers, as well as an 80s arcade, an extensive tea selection, and an outdoor patio.

Museums

  • Yale University Art Gallery, the oldest college art museum in the country, houses a diverse collection and frequently changing. Truly a Yale Psych Residency favorite!
  • Yale Center for British Art is home to the most extensive collection of British Art outside of the United Kingdom.
  • Peabody Museum Of Natural History has everything from Egyptian mummies to saber toothed cats!
  • Connecticut Children's Museum is a great place for families with plenty of hands-on exhibits including a pint sized post office, a construction site, and a green room from the book "Goodnight Moon."
  • The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library: A vast collection of literary archive and rare books, including a Gutenberg Bible, housed in a building of Vermont Marble.
  • Over the past eleven years, City-Wide Open Studios (CWOS) has drawn thousands of visitors to explore New Haven's neighborhoods while discovering artists, galleries, and the treasures of our city.

Favorite Nightlife & Restaurants

New Haven has an active nightlife scene thanks to number of great bars, restaurants, pubs, and nightclubs, as well as the number of young professionals and college students who also live in the city. Here are some of our resident’s favorites:

  • Firehouse 12: Semi-weekly Jazz Series, often avant-garde.
  • Anchor Spa: Swanky cocktail bar inspired by the World and its Ports.
  • Bar: Micro-brews, brick oven pizza, and free pool.
  • August: East Rock’s best wine bar with hand selected bottles from the finest vineyards.
  • Caseus: Seasonal menu focused on showcasing local artisans, farmers and cheesemakers. Keep your eyes out for their delicious food truck.
  • Mecha Noodle Bar: “American-Vietnamese-Japanese-Thai-Chinese-New England-Momofuku-Totto-and-Ippudo-inspired.” Two words: KFC baos.
  • Bella's Cafe: The best brunch spot in town.
  • Koffee? Coffeehouse by day, bar by night.
  • Da Legna It might be the newest pizza shop on the block, but it's delicious.
  • 116 Crown: A hip place to hang out with fancy cocktails like the Margarita Noir.
  • Stony Creek Brewery: Enjoy one of their seasonal brews at the waterfront bar

Outdoor Activities

There are tons of outdoor activities in the greater New Haven area. Here are some residents' favorites:

  • Yale Outdoor Education Center: Beautiful kayaking/canoeing at the center which has a pristine, large lake that is accessible only to Yale faculty/students/staff.
  • Like to bike?: Many residents cite bikes as their preferred mode of transportation. Several streets in the city have dedicated bike lanes, and several local organizations are advocating for more.
  • Spending time on the Outer Island, a public island in the Long Island Sound (one of the Thimble Islands). All you have to do is take a quick $10 ferry ride to get there.
  • Farmington Canal Trail: A canal turned railroad turned trail stretching 84 miles from New Haven to Northampton, MA that is great for running, biking, and rollerblading.
  • Hammonasset Beach: a popular 2 mile long public beach with a Nature Center located in Madison, CT (stop by R J Julia bookstore to pick up a summer beach read on the way).
  • Hiking up Sleeping Giant: Two miles of mountaintop resembling a large man lying in repose, the "sleeping giant.”
  • Connecticut has a beautiful state park system!: Residents frequent Silver Sands Beach, Rocky Neck State Park, Chatfield Hollow State Park, and West Rock Ridge Park, Lighthouse Point Park.
  • Farmers Markets: City Seed runs 4 summer markets in different neighborhoods throughout the city (Wooster Square is a resident favorite!), and then heads indoors for their winter market.
  • Bishops Orchard: Apple picking in the fall, raspberries in the spring, and blueberries in the summer...and wine all year!
  • Gardening: Whether you choose to pitch in at Yale Farm or get your own plot through the New Haven Land Trust, the New Haven summers are perfect for growing delicious produce.
  • New Haven Parks & Recreation Department is VERY active and hosts great events including Movies in the Park, open swim at local high schools, seasonal camps for kids, snowshoeing, kayaking and canoeing, even a holiday cookie crawl and wreath making event!

Other Awesome Things to Do