Silver Sands State Park: Beach Oasis

Silver Sands State Park is a tranquil oasis for those looking to relax while at the beach. Unlike many other East Coast beaches, Silver Sands State Park is clean, not typically crowded and offers a boardwalk free of loud vendors and tacky souvenirs. This tranquility, along with an alcohol-free policy, makes this a safe, friendly beach for families. There are even porta-pottys for the little ones. With free parking and admission, you can stop by Silver Sands for a simple sunset stroll or bike ride along the craggy rocks and marshes.  Rumor has it Captain Kidd buried treasure on the shore in 1669, so perhaps you’ll stumble across it on your meanderings. Instead of keeping your eyes peeled for shiny objects, though, check Silver Sands State Park's website for water conditions so you don’t get swept away in a strong tide.

Silver Sands State Park
Milford, CT 06460

Ward-Heitmann House Museum: If These Walls Could Talk

Rumored to have been built around 1684, the Ward-Heitmann House is the oldest surviving structure in all of West Haven. The history of the house gets murkier further back in time, though records place it in the New Haven Colony in 1725. Since its construction over 300 years ago, the house became a microcosm for Connecticut communities as residents have moved in and out of it as recently at 1991. In 1995, the Ward-Heitmann Museum Foundation purchased the property and created a very personal timeline through Connecticut history. Each room has been transformed into an homage to its previous residents, with amassed artifacts including a hand-sewn shoe, musket flints, and various ceramics. Considering the house survived three wars and several natural disasters, it has a lot to say.

Ward-Heitmann House Museum
277 Elm Street
West Haven, CT 06516
(203) 937-9823

The Shore Line Trolley Museum: A Ticket to the 1920s

To give your kids a true history lesson, check out The Shore Line Trolley Museum. With its mission “to preserve an endangered species,” the museum has amassed over 100 vintage vehicles along with documents and artifacts to provide historical context.  During the 1920s, trolley lines thrived as a practical means for suburban residents to commute into the city. Helpful museum volunteers will fill in the rest of the history, before trolleys’ decline as automobiles and city sprawl increased. The museum is now situated over a section of the Branford Electric Railway, which visitors can hop on abroad for a trip through the past. You may snag a seat on the Canadian Car 2001, the breezy Brooklyn Convertible, or the roomy Connecticut Company City Car. These antique trolleys are also available to rent for affordable and unique birthday parties, family reunions, and more.

The Shore Line Trolley Museum
17 River Street
East Haven, CT 06512
(203) 467-6927

Dance the Night Away at Alchemy

This chic club prides itself on its appeal to a tasteful crowd. With its state-of-the-art sound and light, it holds three prominent resident DJs and also attracts live musicians. Offering multiple venues for your musical preferences, mood, and occasion, you can join the energy around the bar areas, pick your favorite dance floor and chill to some very cool signature cocktails, or reserve a bottle upstairs, and kick back on a couch or two with your party. There's also a decent snack menu to ensure you won’t leave hungry. The dress code is reasonable, and frequent events make the exciting nightspot even more so. Watch the calendar for discount specials for ladies wearing dresses or for students (age 21 and over) with identification. 

Alchemy Nightclub
223 College Street
New Haven, CT 06510
(203) 777-9400
www.alchemynightclub.com

Orchestra New England: ONE Great Musical Experience.

Founded in 1974, Orchestra New England is established among major league classical authorities, and has also carved its reputation for performing summer pop concerts and supporting innovative musical ideas and talent. Also known as ONE, the orchestra makes its home base in Yale University’s Battell Chapel.  Through the orchestra’s travels and recordings, ONE’s voice is heard worldwide. Music Director James Sinclair is particularly renowned for his expertise on Charles Ives. Loyal subscribers to ONE are treated to occasional tastings of Ives’ music, but ONE’s repertoire is far too rich and diverse to focus on just one particular sound. Artist-in-residence programs enrich already high-powered orchestral teams, for example, composer-in-residence, Mark Kuss's new compositions have infused audiences (and musicians, as well) with fresh energy and stimulating concepts. Click here to see the concerts and events coming soon to ONE!

Orchestra New England
For general information, call (203) 777-4690 or for tickets, (800) 595-4849
www.orchestranewengland.org

John Slade Ely House: Dedicated to Visual Art

A lovely Victorian home dating from 1905, the John Slade Ely House was given to the arts directly by its owner, the widow of Dr. John Slade Ely, in 1960. This non-profit arts museum curates a handful of major exhibits free of charge to the public each year. Juried shows and exhibits by artists who are members of the organization fill the calendar with fabulous events. Ely House is bold enough to show unconventional and even controversial contemporary art.  Some of the artists selected to exhibit have created works that are not of commercial nature.

Students are an important part of the mission of Ely House. Ely House sponsors an annual art exhibition of the work of high school students, with cash prizes for competitors. Internships and work study are available to some college students, too.

John Slade Ely House
51 Trumbull Street
New Haven, CT 06510
(203) 624-8055
www.elyhouse.org

Eli Whitney Museum: A One-of-a-Kind Workshop for Kids Inventions to Shine

Combining a traditional museum and a unique, hands-on workshop, the Eli Whitney Museum is an engaging experience for anyone interested in invention. Housed on the site of Whitney’s armory—where he developed many new techniques in production, which lead to the Industrial Revolution—the museum uses Whitney’s drive for innovation as a basis for all of its exhibits. With a mission to invest the spirit of innovation into today’s youth, the Eli Whitney museum helps children learn through building and inventing. Children can participate in interactive programs that include boat building, crafting castles, designing a pinball machine, and creating a working camera. Kids and parents alike will find their inner inventor at the Eli Whitney Museum.

Eli Whitney Museum
915 Whitney Ave
Hamden, CT 06517
(203) 777-1833
www.eliwhitney.org

New Haven Green: A Meeting Place of Past and Present

New Haven Green is reported to date back to 1638, as part of the original plan for the settlement that has developed into the New Haven of today. Approximately 16 acres of green space in the center of the town, this area has been designated as part of a National Historic Landmark District. Over the centuries, the Green has hosted churches, meeting places, and a graveyard, as well as a monument that tells something of its role in the history of slavery and the story of the Amistad. The Green’s history, in a sense, is also currently suggested by the different neighbors that you’ll find around its perimeter. Churches from the 1800s, Yale’s campus, government buildings, and the commercial district all find borders along the Green.

In addition to serving as a green zone for passive recreation, strolling, and sitting, New Haven Green is the site of free public concerts in the summer. Yo-Yo Ma is but one of an impressive list of famed performers that draws huge crowds to the diverse series of festivals on this revered Green.

New Haven Green
Bounded by Elm, Church, Chapel and College Streets
New Haven, CT 06511
www.towngreens.com

Yale University Art Gallery: A FREE Glimpse at the Work of the World's Great Artists

Featuring world-class exhibitions and art from all over the globe, the Yale University Art Gallery is a perfect introduction to the history of art, and is free to all visitors. The permanent collection is quite extraordinary, as it contains works from ancient China and Africa, medieval France, Renaissance Italy, and modern Europe and America. With works from big names like Van Gogh, Picasso, Lichtenstein, Pollock, Degas and Monet, visitors can view and learn about some of the world’s most famous artists. The exhibits are rounded out by non-Western collections that highlight movements and artists less familiar to our culture. The galleries are held in a gorgeous building designed by architect Louis I. Kahn, full of loft spaces for versatile exhibits and two large study classrooms to accommodate visiting classes. For its comprehensive catalog of works and high-quality exhibits, Yale University Gallery is a must-visit for any art lover.

Yale University Art Gallery
1111 Chapel St
New Haven, CT 06520
(203) 432-8479
www.yale.edu/artgallery

Fresh Yoga Satisfies Lots of Minds & Bodies

Whether you’re interested in exploring the body-mind connection, balance, restorative breathing, alignment, or any of the many features of yoga practices, you’ll find Fresh Yoga a favorite place to for this pursuit. The studio offers a wide variety of influences and approaches to yoga, multiple instructors, and two sites to accommodate different tastes and needs. Concerns for safety, proper alignment and choice prevail.

Among the classes, you’ll find Forrest, Ashtanga, Anusara, OM and other styles. Beginners can take classes that introduce the basics, and periodically, special workshops are scheduled around national celebrity experts or particular themes. Special discounts are available to university students that are significantly lower than regular rates. And if you like to build yoga into your daily or weekly routine, consider the bargain of purchasing unlimited or multi-use card passes.

Fresh Yoga
(203) 776-YOGA
www.freshyoga.com

319 Peck Street
New Haven, CT  06513

49 Orange Street
New Haven, CT  06510

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