5 Must-Do Spring Activities
in New Haven

Cherry Blossom Magic in Wooster Square

Every April, I make a point to visit Wooster Square at least three times. Why? Because those 72 Yoshino cherry trees create the most spectacular pink canopy you’ll see anywhere in New England. I’ve tried catching them at sunrise (worth the early alarm), during lunch breaks, and at sunset when the light hits differently.

The official Cherry Blossom Festival is happening April 27th this year. I recommend getting there early if you hate crowds like I do. The vendors have gotten better each year, and I always end up buying something from the local artists even though my walls are running out of space.

Pro tip: Everyone heads to Sally’s or Pepe’s for pizza afterward (and waiting in those lines is practically a New Haven initiation ritual), but if you’re hungry and impatient like me, Modern Apizza is just a few blocks away with shorter lines and equally amazing pizza. Their Italian bomb pizza has been my go-to order for years.

New Haven’s Outdoor Dining Revolution

After the pandemic, outdoor dining in New Haven completely transformed, and spring is when it really comes alive. My calendar is basically a rotation of different patios and parklets where I meet friends after work.

My current rotation includes:

For weeknight drinks, I’m usually at East Rock Brewing Company’s beer garden. Their seasonal saison with local honey is my spring staple, and they’ve added these fire pits that are perfect for cooler evenings.

Weekend brunches happen at The Pantry’s sidewalk setup (already mentioned above but worth repeating), where I’ll fight anyone for the last table in the sunshine. Their coffee is consistently excellent, and watching the neighborhood come alive while sipping it is my definition of a perfect Saturday morning.

For dinner splurges, Villa Lulu’s back patio has become my go-to for bringing visitors. They have these string lights that create the perfect atmosphere as the sun sets, and their spring vegetable risotto changes slightly each week depending on what’s fresh at the farmer’s market.

Budget-friendly favorite: the taco truck that parks near Criscuolo Park on Friday evenings has $3 tacos that I’d put up against any restaurant in town. Grab some and eat at the picnic tables while chatting with neighbors – it’s community dining at its finest.

Yale’s Hidden Gardens and Museums

Even after years living here, I’m still discovering secret corners of Yale’s campus. While students are stressing over finals, I’m taking advantage of the university’s public spaces that burst with life in spring.

The Marsh Botanical Garden is criminally undervisited. I spent an entire Sunday afternoon there last May just watching bees pollinate flowers and reading under a magnolia tree. They have these guided tours on Thursdays that taught me more about native plants than I ever expected to learn.

Yale Art Gallery’s Friday evening programs are my intellectual treat to myself once a month. They’ve extended hours until 8pm, often with live music in the sculpture garden. The best part? It’s completely free. I usually save dinner money by packing a sandwich to eat in the adjacent courtyard beforehand.

The hidden courtyards throughout campus are my secret reading spots when I need a break from my apartment. My favorite is the one behind Sterling Memorial Library – there’s a bench under a cherry tree that feels like it’s straight out of a movie set when it blooms. You might technically need a Yale ID to enter some buildings, but I’ve found most outdoor spaces are accessible if you look like you know where you’re going.