Something I hear all the time from new visitors to New Haven is this: “Wow, I had no idea how close you were to the ocean!” And it’s true–the water is RIGHT THERE. But people don’t think of Yale as a “beachy college.” And, in many ways, that’s fair–the water is super cold and the area closest to campus is pretty boat-filled–but I still think that Yale should be considered, if not a ten on the beachiness scale, at least higher than a five.
Arguably the most accesible beach-esque place for Yalies is Long Wharf, which I’ve written about before because of its famous food trucks. The trucks at Long Wharf are exquisitely delicious and fairly easy to get to on foot. Don’t believe me? Here is living proof from Google Maps. This is a long (but flat) walk that ends in a beautiful reward: great food with an ocean view. And if you don’t want to walk, you can very easily hop on CT Transit’s 274 bus.
A little farther from campus are some other wonderful Connecticut beaches. I’m particularly fond of the ones found in Old Saybrook (not pictured), Old Lyme (the picture at the top of this post), and Madison (pictured below). A one-way ticket on the Shoreline East train from New Haven to Old Saybrook is $7.25–and only $5 to Madison!
Me in Madison on a fall morning.
Finally, I would be remiss not to mention some of the glorious water-based beauty in surrounding states. If you secure a friend with a car, you can travel to Maine, Rhode Island, or New York in less than a day. Many beaches in these places are also accessible by public transport.
My friend in Maine pointing out the glorious sunset. Not technically a beach because this is a lake–but still! GORGEOUS.
As summer comes to New Haven, I’m more grateful than ever to be so close to such epic natural beauty. And on that note–I graduated. This is my last blog post. I’ve loved working as a Bulldog Blogger, and I will miss this city and this school very, very much.
