New Haven, Connecticut

After we spent a wonderful 24 hours in Philadelphia, it was on to New Haven, CT. It was the first time that John and I had been to the city, and for matter been that far up North. We started the day off right by going to Louis' Lunch, the birthplace of the hamburger. The tiny little restaurant on the side of the road is pretty unassuming. So, unless you know what you're looking for, it would be pretty easy to pass by. It's a must have for New Haven visitors and locals alike though! When you go in, don't expect to see a list of gourmet burgers to choose from. Instead, it's pretty basic- an all beef patty sandwiched between two slices of white bread with tomato and cheese.  That's it. So, don't even bother asking for condiments because there are none to be had. The burgers are cooked medium rare and are as juicy as they come. Pair that with a bag of chips and you're good to go.

We then walked around Chapel Street, stopped in for a quick coffee at Atticus Bookstore Cafe and were on our to Grove Street Cemetery. Graveyards aren't usually on my itinerary, but Grove Street is the first chartered burial ground in the U.S. and is the final resting place of some of  New Haven's earliest restaurants including Noah Webster (yes,  as in the Webster's Dictionary) and Eli Whitney.

A few blocks away was Yale's campus. Since the campus is so historical, there are free tours that are catered towards the general public rather than just incoming freshman. Without the tour, a lot of the grounds are blocked to the public. So, we were glad that we signed up and attended. The architecture was breathtaking and the information given regarding the history of the campus was most interesting. Some of my favorite things to do on the tour included rubbing Theodore Woolsey's foot for good luck and taking a peep at the Yale University Library. However, the books weren't available for people to flip through secondary to them being in a low oxygen chamber to preserve the integrity of the collection.

The weather was most beautiful during our trip. So, we took a little stroll at East Rock Park. The views were stunning, especially since you could see all the way out to the Atlantic Ocean. 

In addition to New Haven being the birthplace of the hamburger, it also prides itself as the birthplace of the pizza. So, we had dinner at where it all began, Frank Pepe Pizzeria. Have an open mind when you hear this, but John and I loved the white clam pizza. It was definitely unlike any pizza that we had every had and probably will have again (unless we make another visit to New Haven), but the flavor combination was surprisingly delicious. That followed by a cannoli to share from Libby's Italian Pastry made for a perfect foodie dinner date.

Even though our stay was short,  we loved the little New England town and all of the adventures that we had there, especially getting to eat some iconic American food. While it's not a booming metropolis, it was definitely a fun stop during our NE road-trip.