New Haven — A Lively, Small Urban Center

The City of New Haven, a lively, small urban center between New York City and Boston, offers many diversions. New Haven is home to vibrant neighborhoods, a tantalizing variety of restaurants for all tastes and budgets, and a bountiful arts and culture scene. 

In 2023, The New York Times named New Haven to its list of “52 Places for Travelers to Visit” in the world, calling it “a home to tinkerers and rebels, and a treasure trove of contemporary art and architecture.”

“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).”
—The New York Times

A View of the City

New Haven and the Region

Yale Law School is at the heart of the city of New Haven—a lively, small urban center between New York City and Boston.

New Haven and the Region

The New Haven Green is the heart of downtown, and home to free cultural events like the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, Music on the Green, and the New Haven Jazz Festival.

New Haven and the Region

The Law School is part of downtown New Haven, close to bookstores, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, and entertainment.

New Haven and the Region

Chapel Street in downtown New Haven has a wide variety of restaurants and shops.

New Haven and the Region

Year-round, seasonal farmer’s markets held throughout New Haven are a great place to buy fresh, local produce.

New Haven and the Region

The shops on Broadway, around the corner from the Law School, cover all of the essentials from books, to clothes, to coffee.

New Haven and the Region

New Haven is home to several museums and a vibrant arts community, all within the greater downtown area.

New Haven and the Region

Ask a group of locals which pizza they like better, Sally’s or Pepe’s, and you’ll witness a debate as fierce as any Red Sox vs. Yankees discussion.

New Haven and the Region

Modern Apizza on State Street is not in New Haven’s Little Italy district, but is often named in the same breath as the originators of New Haven-style pizza: Pepe’s and Sally’s.

Enjoying New Haven and the Region

New Haven Neighborhoods

Distinct neighborhoods surround campus

Dining and Shopping

A tantalizing array within walking distance of campus

Sports and Recreation

Sports and recreation on campus and beyond

Music, Dance and Theater

Professional and student productions abound in music, dance and theater

Museums

World-class museums at Yale and in nearby communities

Accommodations

Selections range from historic B&Bs to modern chain hotels
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The clinics at YLS offer students incomparable experiences in representation of poor and marginalized individuals and communities, real-world engagement in complex fields of law, and the development of strategic judgment critical to effective lawyering.”

Professor Muneer Ahmad

Deputy Dean for Experiential Education