My Day in New Haven

Submitted by marbleheader88 t3_11mzzy4 in newhaven

We spent the week in the Berkshires. We were within a couple hours of New Haven and decided to drive there to see what the city and Yale looked like. I was expecting this fabulous city and beautiful campus. Maybe we drove into the wrong part of town? We were across the street from Yale, but maybe the wrong direction? I tried to use a restroom at a convenience shop. I found out they had no bathrooms, but was shocked that everything and the cashier was behind bars and what looked like bullet proof glass. There was a Popeyes next door. I did use their bathroom, even though the door didn’t shut and there was no running water for my hands. We walked up and down by The Shops at Yale, but that was unimpressive as well. We decided the pretty part of the campus must have been behind the big buildings in a courtyard? Please tell me that as tourists, we were just loss and not seeing the better parts of New Haven!

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paddyboombotz t1_jbkov8i wrote

It took you an entire day to pee in a toilet and walk past LL bean?

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packofpoodles t1_jbktbgl wrote

So you could come here, find this sub, and post this but Google maps was a bit too much for you to handle?

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marbleheader88 OP t1_jbkz473 wrote

Google maps took us about a block from The Shops at Yale and said we had arrived.

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Slave_IV t1_jbkzgvb wrote

Damn I guess that renders it completely useless for finding literally anything else

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HockeyandTrauma t1_jbks8nf wrote

We didn't do anything in New haven and can't see why anyone would like it!

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MazenGreen t1_jbl6wtc wrote

There’s not much to do besides going to restaurants or night life anyway…

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notanotheramber t1_jbksrsp wrote

Ahhh you were across the street from Yale. Which is like, 90% of the city.

Edit: checks on Popeye location and OP was on corner of whalley and goffe. Just a couple blocks away from where they needed to be

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HockeyandTrauma t1_jbkxy8y wrote

Or the one off 95 on kimberly

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notanotheramber t1_jbky44t wrote

I consider that "west Haven" but I know it's still new haven but damn I hope that's not where they were

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eddie964 t1_jbl318k wrote

So I'm going to be blunt.

You drove all the way here, but it sounds like the only research you did was to look up "Yale" on Google Maps.

Even a little bit of planning would have gotten you to the Sterling Library, Beineke, Woolsey Hall, the Grove Street Cemetery, the Yale Art Gallery, the Center for British Art, and half a dozen other places within a couple blocks where of where you were. And that's not even counting non-Yale destinations like Louis Lunch, Wooster Street, and East Rock Park.

Hope you come back, but next time, maybe read up a little first.

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MazenGreen t1_jbl6n6j wrote

What if you’re not into art? Then those galleries wouldn’t matter. being a tourist and seeing a cemetery that’s not Arlington National cemetery? Not quite exciting.

Louis lunch is also not good, at all

People here are offended, but as someone who went to SCSU for 4 years, and been all over New Haven, he’s right, it’s not that great of a city. Has good restaurants and some night life, but not something I’d recommend people to visit. Other than trying the few pizza spots, nothing stands out Vs better cities around us like NYC, Boston, Newport

OP was right it’s not that great for tourists…

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eddie964 t1_jblhld9 wrote

They could have learned that from 5 minutes of research as well. What I'm getting at is that it seems like they didn't even do the bare minimum research required to locate the main thing they were apparently looking for, the Yale campus.

It's like they Googled New York City, found themselves in Staten Island, and complained there's nothing to see.

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MazenGreen t1_jbli6h8 wrote

They said they did see Yale, so it looks like they did find it, I think they were overall just not impressed with the city, which is acceptable, outside of a few things it’s not all that impressive

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green_lemonade t1_jblkm0x wrote

You can hate on the town its pretty normal but you don't need to go out of your way to apologize for OP lol

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green_lemonade t1_jbl9ks9 wrote

It's a town of 150k, of course it does not have the cultural amenities of NYC or Boston, and it's not loaded with old money like Newport. You don't go to what is essentially a small college town and expect the world.

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MazenGreen t1_jblcbnz wrote

Yes and that’s why I’m saying, it’s not great for tourists. OP isn’t wrong, it’s not very exciting. Crazy that people in this sun get offended when people dont like/hate on our state. It’s a great place to live, but can’t deny it’s one of the less exciting states…

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green_lemonade t1_jbleso1 wrote

If they drove an hour to see Yale and New Haven they could have easily walked another 100yds to wall and york st, walked down it to see the libraries, law building, beineke, a couple secret societies tombs, a lively quad, then continued on to the green and onto crown street. I have no sympathy.

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MazenGreen t1_jblftfd wrote

Seems like they randomly stopped by spontaneously. And that’s just it, New Haven isn’t great for that. You need to pre plan, can’t just roam around and find cool stuff like other cities. Everything you’re suggest is cool to see for a bit, but not engaging for a tourist.

You’re suggesting to look at a quad and buildings, doesn’t that sound kinda said compared to what other cities have?

I’ve been going to new haven for years, and went to college there, it’s a good city, but not great for tourists

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green_lemonade t1_jblgzlu wrote

They said they were in the Berkshires, thats at least an hour away.

Again, college town. Yale has museums that are better than most university's. Other than that most colleges are just nice famous buildings and old architecture. They're the ones who wanted to see Yale.

No one said it was a tourist hotspot, but if you want to stop by, walk around a pleasant campus, and experience a dense, walkable colonial era downtown you could do a lot worse than New Haven.

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MazenGreen t1_jblhi7h wrote

Yes, I understand they were far away, that’s why I’m saying they spontaneously camped in New Haven and it’s just not a great city to go to spontaneously. You can’t just wander around and find cool stuff everywhere

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green_lemonade t1_jblju8a wrote

I disagree, you can absolutely spontaneously stop by and have a nice time for an afternoon or evening. If you're expecting hours of urban wandering you're gonna be disappointed but you could've saved yourself the trouble by just looking at a map.

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MazenGreen t1_jblptc5 wrote

Obviously not, see the post we are commenting on. If you live in the area, sure. But not as easy as when you’re a tourist

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green_lemonade t1_jbn204a wrote

You keep on saying "its not so easy if youre a tourist", like a mantra as if tourists are all brainless shambling zombies. Then again OP was unable to find Yale despite being within clear line of sight to a couple tall Yale buildings and presumably around plenty of townies who could point them in the right direction, yet failed to find it, so who knows maybe youre right.

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MazenGreen t1_jbo2xw1 wrote

Maybe some people are shy and don’t feel comfortable asking strangers for help? What I am saying is New Haven isn’t just a city where you can just walk around Lake, New York city or Boston and find some cool stuff, you walk in the wrong area New Haven then you’re done for. Obviously, this is what they did. They walked around and found the worst part, they could’ve kept walking towards Yellen found something better, but I think the point is New Haven is ignite city for people who live here, but not that great for tourists.

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Slave_IV t1_jbpoohb wrote

They took way more initiative in creating their post than they did during their time here. They had a 90 minute drive to look up one of the many recently articles from the NYT about what there is to do here, let alone from a local publication. Instead they wanted to complain. Sorry that locals aren’t satisfied with that.

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UndercoverPages t1_jbkv3ri wrote

I like New Haven. There is a lot to going on for a small city. However, it's not New York or Chicago. It's not big enough to just wander in a random direction and be guarantee to stumble upon interesting places. Unfortunately for you, the Popeyes you stopped in is at the unofficial demarcation between the tonier part of New Haven and the poorer. That was some bad luck. I'm sorry you didn't find what you were looking for, but with a bit more research I think you could have put together a worthwhile day trip.

Yale has some interesting architecture. There are some cool gothic-style buildings about a block away from the Shops at Yale. If you walked down Wall St you would have seen law school, the Beneicke Library and Woolsey Hall.

Most of the restaurants and nightlife are concentrated in the area bounded by Orange St, Howe St, George St and Elm St. You can also find some small pockets of restaurants along Whitney Ave, Wooster St. and Whalley Ave in Westville.

If you want culture, there are plenty of plays and classical music concerts because of the Yale's drama and music schools. Yale also has an art gallery and a center for British art. There are some great festivals on the green when the weather is nice. You can hike up East Rock Park to see views of the city and Long Island Sound. Light House Point is also a nice walk. They have a festival of Christmas lights in December.

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MazenGreen t1_jblcr16 wrote

All things that are fine for people living here, but not the best for a tourist like OP is. you said it best, not big enough to wander and find something cool. That’s why it’s just an OK city for tourists. New Haven can be done in less than a day then move on to NYC or Boston

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eggheadslut t1_jblg33u wrote

I saw a tweet where it went something like “Yale students claim they live in New Haven but won’t go past the Popeyes on Whalley ave” and it’s true

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kppeterc15 t1_jbkqujg wrote

If you had kept walking up Elm Street past the Shops, you would have arrived at the historic New Haven Green, with easy access to Yale's Old Campus and Cross Campus, both of which are accessible by the public. You also could have seen quite a bit more little nooks and crannies of Yale's campus. It's not a gated compound, it's an urban campus that's pretty well integrated into the surrounding city center.

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GhostInTheSpaghetti t1_jblw1pd wrote

Lol this post has me dying. Drove for hours just to go to the Popeyes on whalley lollllllll so much was like just 2 blocks away.

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bingybunny t1_jbkv72o wrote

Yeah, you drove past the nice part of the campus, and half a block past you're in an edgy neighborhood that used be bad but now it's just depressing.

The nice part is, as you say, kinda hidden behind behind buildings, in courtyards and concealed within a web of one way side streets designed to get you back to the highway. The stadiums and fields are like 2 miles away basically in another town

New Haven is pretty unhip and a lot of the campus architecture is either medieval and forboding, or like the art museum, designed by Louis Kahn and has no visible entrance and little signage and is easy to miss. If you're driving there's a right turn down a narrow street off the main drag that gets you into the interior of the campus

You're pretty brave to use the bathroom at Popeye's though.

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marbleheader88 OP t1_jbkzr73 wrote

Thank you for understanding. We DID use Google maps. This really wasn’t a day trip, so we put no planning into it. It was more like. “New Haven is 1 1/2 hours from here. Let’s just drive over there and look around.” We put Yale into Google and we got there among some of the gothic buildings and said “You have arrived.” We parked and made the mistake of walking the wrong direction. If we had more time, we should’ve stopped somewhere for coffee and strategized which way to walk.

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bingybunny t1_jbl6nza wrote

next time you want to get a good coffee at Willoughby's near the green and walk to Beineke Library, it'll be a different trip

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michael_ellis_day t1_jbl1o56 wrote

I'm not entirely unsympathetic. New Haven doesn't always present a good face to visitors if you happen to come at it from the wrong angle. Had your wandering been around Whitney Avenue and Audubon Street, say, or further north in the area of the New Haven Museum or the Peabody, you would have had a different impression. You were well away from the posh environs of Prospect Hill or the Yale campus proper. This is where a little advance research would have served you well.

(I have relatives who travel that way: "We'll just show up and take whatever comes our way!" And they end up missing out on stuff they would have enjoyed, or hunting two hours for someplace to eat. Fun fact: I'm diabetic, so you better believe I always know of suitable places to eat before I travel.)

All that said, I'm not sure what response you're expecting coming to the local sub and posting this now? Visitors often post questions here before they visit, and folks here are always up for recommending good places and noting things to avoid. That would have been the thing to post.

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MazenGreen t1_jbld8cd wrote

Idk that I’d use posh and New Haven in the same sentence

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Saint_Chrispy1 t1_jbkmgnt wrote

Peabody is closed for renovations... You didn't get robbed... Did you try any pizza on Wooster street?

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Dispatches547 t1_jbl4b29 wrote

If you can't figure out a city that's kind of on you. Later

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MazenGreen t1_jbl6r59 wrote

I mean he’s not wrong, for a tourist it’s not really that great of a city…

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Dispatches547 t1_jbl8cmk wrote

Disagree hes entirely wrong. it's a great city for a tourist (who can utilize Google maps or just has a cursory understanding of how to Google things). If you go to a city and only find a Lululemon it's probably a you problem.

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MazenGreen t1_jbl956j wrote

I mean compared to other cities it’s just OK, Peabody? NYC has way better alternatives.

Art (if they are into that) MOMA is way better

The list can go on - I took my friends from out of state, and we did a New Haven tour in half a day. Where is we did 2 days in NYC (which still wasn’t enough) 2 in Boston and Philly, and a day trip to Newport for the beaches and mansion tour - new haven’t doesn’t have what those cities offer, and it’s obvious, it’s not a tourist city or a too attraction

I went to college in New Haven for 4 years, and still come down for restaurants/bars mostly now.

But it’s just great when compared to what other states have to offer

CT is the bridge between NYC and Boston is where you stop and try the great pizza

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Dispatches547 t1_jbljueg wrote

You're comparing a city of 100k to a city of 8 million thats widely seen as the cultural capital of America. Mmhmm. Didn't have a lot of fun in college im guessing lol and it's new havens fault...

You post about it further down but the idea you can't wander around new haven is objectively wrong. Anyone with a cursory knowledge of Google can find walkable locations. It's just true.

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green_lemonade t1_jblkvdl wrote

You don't even need google, you can just walk towards the largest buildings lol

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Gloribert_Cubeshade t1_jbleeya wrote

Your comparisons are a pretty unfair. Everything seems mediocre compared to New York City and Boston.

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MazenGreen t1_jblexsg wrote

It’s not unfair, it’s truth. I see people in this sub get so upset when people talk down about CT. It’s a fine place to live and raise a family, but not great for tourists, and not as exciting for people post college to get jobs/have a fun young adult life.

I think some people need to realize that, and this post from an outsider was spot on.

It’s not a great city to just walk and find something. You need to pre plan for an event or something.

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Gloribert_Cubeshade t1_jblfm8e wrote

It is unfair. "Sure, the museums are nice, but Paris has the Louvre, so why bother."

Sounds like New Haven was convenient given their itinerary but they didn't take advantage of it and were underwhelmed by an Apple Store.

Why are you so invested in posting multiple times in a sub about New Haven arguing with people who ostensibly like New Haven about how underwhelmed you are with New Haven?

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MazenGreen t1_jblg5al wrote

Sounds like they went spontaneously, and you can’t really do New Haven like that, it’s not a city where you can just wander and see what’s around, which is made obvious by OPs post

Just sad to see people getting so offended but a truthful post from an outsider.

It’s a public forum, am I not free to comment as much or as little as I want?

I can ask why people are so offended by someone making a truthful statement about New Haven just being SO-SO?

everyone always gets upset here when people talk about CT being “boring” I mean our side of a few things it is kinda boring…

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Gloribert_Cubeshade t1_jblh1az wrote

You're free to do whatever you want. It does however make you seem like you have a weird, sad grudge. So, you know, have fun with that.

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MattFantastic t1_jbmqvjp wrote

Actually you’re not free to just say whatever you want, this isn’t the public square and we aren’t the government. But far outside of your needless negativity, spamming your complaints in every comment thread is a great way to get banned no matter what you’re saying. Consider yourself warned, please stop spamming every thread.

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paddyboombotz t1_jblgggv wrote

Born and raised New Yorker here. If you think NYC post 2010 has anything interesting or worthwhile to do or see, chances are you’re a hick. All the cool shit left a long time ago.

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green_lemonade t1_jbli6fg wrote

Thank you, I've been in and out of the city for a decade. It's fun and lively but the people who complain about not having anything to do and move to NYC are typically not interesting people to begin with. Living in the city isnt a substitute for having your own hobbies and interests.

Not hating on the city at all, i love it, rent is criminally overpriced though.

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MazenGreen t1_jblhp9l wrote

Maybe because you’ve been there you don’t like it? But there’s so much to do and see you there. I’m not sure how you can even say that. I’ve lived in Connecticut all my life and I frequently go to Manhattan for mostly Rangers games but my girlfriend and I always go a couple times a year for a weekend just to hang out, we could always walk around and find cool stuff, there’s tons of awesome events, museums, and activities to do as well. Not to mention the restaurants there are awesome, so I’m not sure why you’re calling me a hick when there’s plenty to do in New York City.

Especially for people who have never visited there’s a whole lot you can do and a few days doesn’t do it justice

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paddyboombotz t1_jblipo8 wrote

You’re not sure how I can say that? I’m born and raised there. People like you ruined my city. And now you want to act a hot shot and shit on smaller cities because you go to midtown once a month to do boring shit. You probably goto Manhattan and look up at the buildings.

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MazenGreen t1_jblkwm3 wrote

How did it ruin it? Lmao you don’t know me at all.

I don’t go to look at buildings, I literally just told you some of what I do there.

I think the city is very happy to take my money, so I’m not sure why you’re so salty and upset, did someone hurt you today?

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paddyboombotz t1_jblloca wrote

You just said you goto rangers games and stay in manhattan. In 2023. That’s two of the most boring things you could do in nyc. Also I said “look UP at the buildings,” implying you’re a hick, which you are. You ever been pre 9/11?

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MazenGreen t1_jblpiyk wrote

that’s 1 of the many things I listed… nice cherry picking. Obviously rangers games are exciting for people who like hockey, if you don’t that’s fine, but doesn’t make it less exciting for the 20k people in the building, and everyone watching on tv/at bars etc

what was different to you pre 9:11 to now?

You seem very upset for no reason, would you like to talk to a therapist?

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paddyboombotz t1_jblqq45 wrote

I’m not upset at all, I’m just pointing out the facts. You say New Haven is a boring, unimpressive city, but think Manhattan in 2023 is some enriching cultural experience. The irony is lost on you I suppose.

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MazenGreen t1_jbm5ls5 wrote

lmao I never said enriching cultural experience. I said as a while NYC is better, which it is. I bet if you polled people you’d find I’m right

So again, what, in your opinion was better about NYC before 9/11?? You sound like a 40+ year old cranky old man, and/or a Republican who hates how liberal NYC got

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paddyboombotz t1_jbm8cpy wrote

Nyc, I’d anything has gotten way more conservative and uptight. Yuppies everywhere, calling noise complaints after buying apartments above bars and music venues. I’m still in my 30s, and when I was a kid I used to goto punk matinees at cbgbs, abc no rio, and c squat so you’re wrong again. All those places are gone. Enjoy the frozen yogurt stores and corner banks.

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MazenGreen t1_jbmd7p6 wrote

I haven’t found it more conservative, but maybe you get mad easily (obviously) I feel like pink matinees are boring LMAO ( see what I did there, you called hockey boring even when it isn’t)

I have never been to a frozen yogurt place in NYC haha nor have I been to a bank there. Why would I go to a bank?

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Priestah203 t1_jblft0g wrote

Lmaoo god bless you, that Popeyes bathroom has at least two STD’s at all times, it’s never cleaned and crazy people literally smear shit on the walls (I have seen this personally). Next time you come this way, put Old Campus in your GPS and go from there. Stay away from Whaley, it’s getting cleaned up slowly but is still crime infested and nasty

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Extreme-Cupcake5929 t1_jbl4fx4 wrote

That part of Whalley avenue you were on isn’t the greatest representation of new haven

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sothisiswhyhmm t1_jbp0e01 wrote

I too have judged this city by the functionality of the lock of the bathroom door at popeyes.

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6th__extinction t1_jblncl8 wrote

OP spent the past week in Worcester so give them a break 😊

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OverDimension5842 t1_jblewp4 wrote

New to CT, was pretty underwhelmed by my initial impression of New Haven but had an “Ivy League City” dream in my head. Have found a lot of cool stuff after some searching.

Calling out that there was a Popeye’s seem a bit iffy 👀

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UndercoverPages t1_jbma2ac wrote

I could be wrong, but I didn't interpret OP's complaint to be about the presence of the Popeye's, but about the condition of the bathroom inside. They specifically mentioned that the door on the bathroom in it didn't close and faucet didn't work when they tried to wash their hands.

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SharkMark18 t1_jbn69ze wrote

Bruh I’m sorry. You drove hours for nothing. Yes there’s good pizza. Yes there’s a prestigious university. The city is stale as hell lol. There’s 3 blocks with worthy activity on crown college and temple lol. City is very underwhelming.

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