City guides
United States of America
Connecticut
New Haven Travel Guide
New Haven is not a big city, but its distinguished reputation is well-known across the country. For Americans, 'New Haven' connotes intellectual brilliance, historic tradition, and sometimes controversy.
It's the home of prestigious Yale University, the charter for which was granted in 1701. Having suffered a decline in population and the economy from the 1960s until the late 1990s, the recent revitalisation of downtown New Haven owes its success to the initiatives of both the local government and Yale's own property management programme, despite historic disputes between 'town and gown'.
Today, New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut, but it remains steeped in history and elegance and retains the atmosphere of a much smaller town. It has more National Historic Landmarks than anywhere else in Connecticut. Walking along tree-lined Wooster Square, historic New Haven Green and the many leafy downtown streets, it's easy to understand how the 'Elm City' got its nickname.
After visitors have taken in the beautiful vista of Long Island Sound and enjoyed hiking, biking, and canoeing in the public parklands surrounding the city, New Haven's abundance of theatres, museums, music venues, restaurants, shops, and nightlife options await.
The Chapel Street Historic District buzzes with galleries, boutiques, and bistros, and the newly redeveloped Broadway area is a shopper's heaven. The Shubert, Long Wharf, and Yale Repertory Theaters are renowned for ground-breaking performances, and the New Haven Symphony Orchestra is the fourth oldest in the country.
Things to do in New Haven
New Haven is a vibrant mixture of lofty academia, natural beauty, historic charm, and fun student life. Its music and arts scene packs in more diversity and greater quality than perhaps any other city of its size in the US.
Young visitors to New Haven will love the lively student culture, as they can dance until dawn in the Crown Street club district and relax the next day at one of the city's many coffeehouses. Less adventurous visitors can enjoy upscale shopping and fine dining, watch a free performance of the Elm Shakespeare Company in Edgerton Park, or visit the Peabody Museum of Natural History.
For a taste of New England's seafaring history, visit the famous Freedom Schooner Amistad, which docks at Long Wharf Pier when it isn't voyaging around the world. Exploring the Yale University campus is an absolute must as the grounds encompass so much of the best architecture and scenery of the city, as well as enshrining much of its history.
The birthplace of American pizza, no visit to New Haven would be complete without sampling what consider its most enjoyable traditional product. Age-old contenders Sally's and Pepe's pizzerias, each with an army of fiercely loyal New Havenites, have been battling for the 'best pie' title for more than 60 years.
Yale University
Yale, a member of the Ivy League, is one of the oldest universities in the country and one of the most distinguished in the world. Its beautiful campus is home to a wealth of stunning architectural achievements as well as multiple museums, exhibition spaces and theatres. Visitors might browse the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library or take in a performance of the Yale Glee Club. The Mead Visitor Center, located at 149 Elm Street, welcomes visitors from all over the world and is a good starting point. The centre offers free guided tours led by undergraduate students, but groups of 10 or more will need to book a private tour in advance.
Freedom Schooner Amistad
Long Wharf Pier in New Haven is the homeport of the Freedom Schooner , a faithful recreation of the schooner involved in the 1839 Amistad Incident, in which a group of Africans being transported to the Caribbean as slaves revolted and took over the ship. The Amistad was seized by the US government, and the Africans eventually won their freedom in a landmark case before the US Supreme Court. Some will know the ship's story from Steven Spielberg's powerful 1997 film of the same name. Today, the replica ship sails the world on peace missions, but it is open to the public when it is in port at New Haven and gives visitors a chance to have a hands-on experience of history.
Peabody Museum of Natural History
The stunning exhibitions of the Peabody Museum of Natural History are sure to amaze visitors of all ages. In addition to the Great Hall of Dinosaurs, visitors can discover Egyptian mummies, sabre-toothed cats, and Native American artefacts. Although the museum has all the old-fashioned staples of a natural history museum, efforts have been made to keep it modern and entertaining for children and there are a number of interactive stations in the Peabody. Multiple youth programmes are held during the summer and there are some temporary exhibitions and special events at the museum.
Getting Around
Exploring New Haven by foot is enjoyable, particularly in the area surrounding the university, with various walking tours starting from the Yale Visitor Center. The downtown area is serviced by a free electric trolley system that operates Monday to Saturday, and departs every 15 minutes or so between late morning and early evening. CTTRANSIT bus service is also available and the network covers most of the city. New Haven has been working to make parking more convenient and there are various off-street lots and garages. Anyone who plans on hiring a car to get around New Haven and the surrounding areas can pay for metered on-street parking by app (GoNewHaven or ParkMobile), or by texting 'PARK' to 77223 to get started.
New Haven Climate and Weather
New Haven enjoys something in between a humid continental and a humid subtropical climate, with four distinct seasons. New Haven's situation on Long Island Sound means that winters are milder, with less snow accumulation than inland, and summers are typically hot and humid.
The coldest month is January, with temperatures averaging between 22ºF (-5ºC) and 37ºF (3ºC), while summer temperatures frequently exceed 90ºF (32ºC), although they usually average more comfortably around 77ºF (25ºC). Rainfall is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year.
The best times to visit New Haven are summer, when the New Haven Green comes alive in the evenings with the Music on the Green concert series, and autumn, when 'foliage season' in New England supplies farm stands with fresh apple cider, pumpkins and cranberries, and attracts many visitors to the region.
United States of America travel info
Electricity
The electrical current is 120 volts, 60Hz. Plugs are mainly the type with two flat pins, though three-pin plugs (two flat parallel pins and a rounded pin) are also widely used. European appliances without dual-voltage capabilities will require an adapter.
Language
English is the most common language spoken but Spanish is often heard in the south-western states.
Money
The official currency is the US Dollar (USD), which is divided into 100 cents. Only major banks exchange foreign currency. ATMs are widespread and credit cards are widely accepted; Apple Pay and Google Pay are very popular. Banking hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm.
Tipping
A 15 percent tip is expected by taxi drivers, bartenders, hairdressers and waiters, but travellers shouldn't tip in fast-food or self-service restaurants. In expensive restaurants or for large parties, the tip should be 20 percent of the bill. It's normal to tip staff such as valets and porters in hotels; this is discretionary, although a minimum of $5 is expected. Most services are customarily tipped if the service is good.
Health
There are no specific health risks associated with travel within the USA. Medical facilities are excellent, but expensive. Only emergencies are treated without prior payment and treatment can be refused without evidence of insurance or proof of funds. Good medical insurance is essential.
Safety
Travel within the United States is generally trouble-free, though travellers should be aware that the US shares with the rest of the world an increased threat from terrorist incidents. Security has been heightened, particularly at airports. Restrictions on hand luggage apply and travellers are advised to check on the latest situation with airlines in advance. Travellers should also be alert to the dangers of car and street crime in cities and should use common sense and take basic precautions. Hurricanes are common between June and November, putting the southern USA, including the Gulf Coast and the eastern US at risk. There's a risk of wildfires in many dry areas in the US, particularly on the West Coast from March to November.
Local customs
Laws vary from state to state, including speed limit, fines and punishment. The age at which alcohol may be legally bought and consumed is 21 years.
Doing business
In such a large country, filled with so many diverse groups, business practices may differ according to each state, though rarely to any large degree. The East Coast is traditionally more formal than the West Coast, though in states such as California, dress code and conservative appearance are as common as they would be in New York. Punctuality is important throughout the country and it's considered rude to be late for a meeting. Gift-giving is uncommon as it may be construed as bribery. Appropriate titles (Mr, Mrs, Ms) are used upon introduction and until otherwise stated. Americans favour politeness and greetings of 'Hello' and 'How are you?' are often expressed with sincerity. Business hours may vary in each state, but an 8am start and 5pm finish Monday to Friday is the most common with an hour over lunch.
Status and age are not necessarily indicative of seniority, nor do they carry much weight in themselves. Those doing business in the States should be mindful of this fact; foreigners should never make assumptions about someone's position or rank. Best practice is to be respectful to all parties. That said, the US upholds a hierarchal business structure in which 'the boss' is the ultimate decision-maker. Senior leaders have the power of the last word, and can go against the grain just as easily as they can follow popular opinion. Foreigners should concentrate on winning over this individual, even if the greater group seems unsupportive. Americans value a direct style of communication. In this fast-paced, consumer culture 'time is money', and small-talk is viewed as unnecessary and wasteful. It's best for foreigners to get to the point quickly, speak about issues in a frank and open manner, and to avoid taking offence if someone questions or challenges them outright.
Duty free
Travellers to the United States who are returning residents of the country do not have to pay duty on articles purchased abroad to the value of $800 provided their stay was longer than 48 hours and their duty-free allowance was not used in the 30-day period prior. For passengers arriving from Samoa, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, a duty-free allowance of $1,600 is allowed. The following items are included in this: 50 cigarettes and 10 cigars and 150 millilitres (5 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages or 150 millilitres (5 fl. oz.) of perfume containing alcohol. Restrictions may apply to goods from Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Burma (Myanmar), Angola, Liberia and Sudan. It is prohibited to import Cuban cigars from any country.
Travellers to the United States who are non-residents do not have to pay duty on the following items: 50 cigars or 200 cigarettes and gifts to the value of $100 provided their stay in the USA is not less than 72 hours and that the allowance has not been used in the preceding six-month period.
Prohibited items for residents and non-residents include meat or meat products, poultry, narcotics, absinthe, plants, seeds, vegetables, fruits, soil, live insects and other living plants or animal pests. Fish is prohibited unless it carries disease-free certification. Wildlife and animals or their by-products carry restrictions. Dairy products and eggs from specified countries are not allowed. Firearms and ammunition are not allowed without the necessary license and permit.
Communications
The international country dialling code for the United States is +1. Mobile networks cover most of the country, especially all urban areas; travellers can purchase local prepaid SIM cards for unlocked phones or use eSIMs if their cellular providers support it on their networks. WiFi is widely available.
Passport & Visa
It is highly recommended that travellers' passports have at least six months' validity remaining after the intended date of departure from them travel destination. A visa is required for short visits unless travellers qualify for entry under the Visa Waiver Program.
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables citizens of certain countries to travel to the US for a stay of up to 90 days without a visa. Visitors under the VWP need a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which allows the US government to screen all visitors before travel. Visitors entering the country under the VWP must have a machine-readable passport (MRP) that has a barcode on the photo page. Travellers under the VWP must have passports that include biometrics if they wish to enter the country without a visa, which means that passports must contain unique personal data such as fingerprints or iris details. All passports must contain a digital photo image in order to travel visa-free. All visitors to the USA have a photograph and two fingerprints taken by an inkless scanner on arrival, including those travelling visa-free under the VWP.
As part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), all travellers travelling between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean region are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States. If departing from the USA, a valid passport is required by immigration authorities. Immigration officials often apply different rules to those stated by travel agents and official sources.
Entry requirements
US citizens require passports.
UK nationals require a passport valid for duration of stay. Most passport holders can get an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) through the Visa Waiver Programme, which allows travel to the US for up to 90 days. The VWP includes tourism, certain types of business visit and transit to another country.
The most important requirement on entering the U.S. is providing proof of Canadian citizenship. A valid Canadian passport is the best document to prove Canadian citizenship and the right to return to Canada. However, several other documents can serve, depending on the mode of transport. Generally, Canadian citizens do not require visitor, business, transit or other visas to enter the United States from Canada, though there are some exceptions.
Passports must be valid for the period of intended stay. If visiting the US for fewer than 90 days, Australian nationals may be eligible to apply for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), and enter under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
South Africans must hold a passport valid for duration of stay. A visa is required.
Passports must be valid for duration of stay. Irish nationals can get an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) under the Visa Waiver Programme for entry into the United States.
Passports must be valid for duration of stay. New Zealand nationals can get an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) under the Visa Waiver Programme for entry into the United States.
Useful contacts
United States Tourist Office: www.usatourist.com
911 (General)Embassies / consulates in other countries
United States Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 20 7499 9000.
United States Embassy, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 688 5335.
United States Embassy, Canberra, Australia: +61 2 6214 5600.
United States Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 12 431 4000.
United States Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 1 668 8777.
United States Embassy, Wellington, New Zealand: +64 4 462 6000.
Embassies / consulates in United States of America
British Embassy, Washington DC: +1 202 588 6500.
Canadian Embassy, Washington DC: +1 202 682 1740.
Australian Embassy, Washington DC: +1 202 797 3000.
South African Embassy, Washington DC: +1 202 232 4400.
Irish Embassy, Washington DC: +1 202 462 3939.
New Zealand Embassy, Washington DC: +1 202 328 4800.