Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut
One of the United States’ oldest and most prestigious academic institutions, Yale University comprises 373 acres (151 hectares) with architecturally charming historic buildings from the mid-18th century. Located in New Haven, Connecticut, the campus and city offer picturesque landscapes, plenty of public artworks, and a Tony Award-winning theater, Yale Cabaret—a theater-restaurant run by students.
As part of the Ivy League, Yale University is considered highly competitive when it comes to admission. It boasts several US presidents as graduates, including Bill Clinton and both Bushes. Visitors can take a guided tour, attend a concert, or stroll through the scenic campus. In the surrounding city of New Haven, you’ll find a range of cuisines, notably what many think is the world’s best pizza, a thin-crust, coal-fired Neapolitan-style pie. There are also shops, boutiques, and theaters.
Student-led tours start at the Yale Visitor Center at 149 Elm Street and last about an hour; guided tours require reservations.
Accommodations such as assistive listening devices and interpreters are available upon request.
Be sure to visit the Theodore Dwight Woolsey statue (he was president of Yale from 1846 to 1871) on Yale's Old Campus by the entrance of Dwight Hall and rub the toe for good luck.
Yale University is located about 90 minutes from New York by car. You can also reach New Haven via Amtrak and the Metro North line from Grand Central; the Yale Shuttle provides service between Union Station and campus destinations. The Hartford Line CT Rail commuter train provides transport between Springfield, Massachusetts, and New Haven along the I-91 corridor. CTtransit offers local and express bus services in the greater New Haven metro area.
In terms of weather, the best time to visit is in summer (late May through September). Summer is also when New Haven hosts the annual International Festival of Arts & Ideas, a 15-day event in mid-June. The campus comes alive in fall when students return, and the leaves change color, turning the area into a must-visit autumnal destination.
Despite what most folks assume, New York and Chicago aren’t the pizza capitals of the US. It’s New Haven, home of Yale University. There’s even been a government proposal to make pizza the Official State Food of Connecticut. You’ll find brick-oven pies at top shops like Modern Apizza (pronounced “ah-beets”), Sally’s Apizza, and Frank Pepe Pizzeria.
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