New Haven
Home to Yale, free museums and famous pizza.
Points of interest
- Yale University Art Gallery
- Yale Center for British Art
- Frank Pepe
- New Haven Green
State guide
Things to do in Connecticut
Yale and famous pizza in New Haven, the seaport village of Mystic, Mark Twain's house in Hartford, and quiet coastal towns and hills between New York and Boston.
2–3
Days to do it properly
Between New York and Boston
Connecticut sits between New York and Boston, and most travellers pass through it on the train. It is worth stopping. The state is small and wealthy, with old colonial towns, a coastline of harbours and beaches along Long Island Sound, and wooded hills in the north-west.
New Haven is home to Yale University, with its Gothic colleges and free art museums, and to a style of thin, charred pizza that locals call apizza and argue about endlessly. Mystic, on the eastern coast, has a large maritime museum with historic ships and a famous aquarium. Hartford, the capital, has the houses of Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe, and the Litchfield Hills are full of country inns, lakes and autumn colour.
Give Connecticut two or three days, or stop for a night or two between New York and Boston. Summer and autumn are the best seasons.
Where to base yourself
New Haven for the city, Mystic for the coast.
Mystic
A seaport village with historic ships and an aquarium.
Points of interest
- Mystic Seaport Museum
- Mystic Aquarium
- Stonington
Hartford
The capital, with literary houses and an old art museum.
Points of interest
- Mark Twain House
- Wadsworth Atheneum
- Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
Regions of Connecticut
A coast along Long Island Sound, the capital in the middle, and hills in the north-west.
New Haven and the Shoreline
Yale, pizza, coastNew Haven and the harbour towns along Long Island Sound.
Mystic Country
Seaport, casinosMystic, Stonington and the casinos in the east.
Hartford and the River Valley
Capital, museumsHartford and the Connecticut River towns, including Essex.
Litchfield Hills
Hills, lakes, innsWooded hills, lakes and autumn colour in the north-west.
Fairfield County
Wealthy commuter townsThe coastal towns closest to New York.
Things to do
Things to do in Connecticut
In New Haven, walk around Yale's campus and visit the Yale University Art Gallery and the Yale Center for British Art, both free. Eat pizza at Frank Pepe, Sally's or Modern Apizza, and decide which is best.
In Mystic, explore the Mystic Seaport Museum, a recreated 19th-century seafaring village with historic ships, including the last wooden whaling ship in the world, and visit Mystic Aquarium. Ride the steam train and riverboat at Essex along the Connecticut River.
In Hartford, tour the Mark Twain House, where he wrote his most famous books, and the Wadsworth Atheneum, the oldest public art museum in the country. In the north-west, drive through the Litchfield Hills, hike part of the Appalachian Trail and visit Kent Falls.
Free things
And what it costs nothing to do
The Yale University Art Gallery and the Yale Center for British Art are free, and Yale's campus is open to walk around.
Kent Falls and many state parks are free to walk in, though some charge parking for out-of-state cars. Coastal towns such as Essex and Stonington are free to wander.
The New Haven Green is the historic heart of the city.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking
New Haven apizza is the state's food icon: thin, coal-fired, slightly charred pizza, with the white clam pie the famous one. Connecticut also has its own style of lobster roll, served warm with butter rather than cold with mayonnaise.
The coast has oysters and clam shacks, and the hills have farm stands and orchards. Louis' Lunch in New Haven claims to have invented the hamburger.
Craft breweries are spread across the state.
Nightlife
Going out
New Haven has the liveliest nightlife, with student bars, live music and theatre. Hartford has bars downtown.
The big casinos, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, have clubs and concerts.
Elsewhere, nights are quiet.
Getting around
Getting around
Metro-North trains run from New York's Grand Central to New Haven in around two hours, and Amtrak stops in New Haven, Mystic area stations and other towns on the way to Boston. CTrail trains run between New Haven and Hartford.
Bradley International Airport, near Hartford, is the main airport.
A car is the easiest way to reach the Litchfield Hills and smaller coastal towns.
Costs
What Connecticut costs
Connecticut is expensive, with few hostels, so expect budget hotels and motels. It can be cheaper to visit from New York or Boston.
Sales tax is 6.35 per cent, with a slightly higher rate on meals. Tip 18 to 22 per cent in restaurants.
The Yale museums are free, which helps.
Safety
Safety and scams
Connecticut is generally safe. Take normal city care in New Haven and Hartford at night.
Ticks are common in the woods and hills, so check after walks. Swim at beaches with lifeguards.
Health insurance is essential in the USA. In an emergency, call 911.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Pizza, festivals and autumn colour.
June
International Festival of Arts and Ideas
New Haven
Performances, talks and free events across the city.
Late September to October
Autumn colour
Litchfield Hills
The hills turn red and gold.
When to go
Summer is the best season for the coast. Late September and October bring autumn colour to the hills. Winter is cold and quiet.
Jan
Cold
Feb
Cold
Mar
Cool
Apr
Spring
May
Pleasant
Jun
Summer begins
Jul
Peak summer
Aug
Summer
Sep
Warm, quieter
Oct
Autumn colour
Nov
Quiet
Dec
Cold, festive
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs for Hartford, rounded.
What your trip will cost
Per night, for one person, based on New Haven prices.
Treat these as a guide. Coastal towns cost more in summer.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Connecticut questions
The ones we get asked most.
Is Connecticut worth visiting?
Yes, for New Haven, Mystic and the hills. It is an easy stop between New York and Boston.
Where is the best pizza in New Haven?
Frank Pepe, Sally's and Modern Apizza are the famous three. Try the white clam pie.
How do I get from New York to New Haven?
By Metro-North from Grand Central, around two hours, or by Amtrak.
Are the Yale museums free?
Yes. The Yale University Art Gallery and the Yale Center for British Art are free.
How many days do you need in Connecticut?
Two or three days, or a night or two between New York and Boston.
When is the best time to visit Connecticut?
June to October, with autumn colour in October.
Do I need a car in Connecticut?
Trains cover the coast. A car helps for the hills and small towns.
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