Conn. (WTNH) — A new year means a new round of travel destinations.
The New York Times released a list of 52 places to visit in 2023. Among the historic, must-see places across the globe — like the artsy city filled with Roman ruins in Tarragona, Spain, and the orange-sand beaches of La Guajira, Columbia — is New Haven, Connecticut.
The Times describes the Elm City as “a home to tinkers and rebels, and a treasure trove of contemporary art and architecture.”
New Haven is a place you can find anything to do for any type of person; whether you’re looking to head to an arcade bar or a bookstore cafe, vinyl record shop, or speakeasy, the Elm City is the place to be.
As the third-largest city in Connecticut, New Haven is boasted as a “walkable and bikeable seaside town with distinctive neighborhoods,” like the artsy scene and diversity in Westville, the cherry blossom-picturesque Wooster Square, and the Queen Anne style architecture amid Prospect Hill.
The city, established in 1638, is home to thriving downtown shops, modern museums, and must-see architecture. The New Haven Preservation Trust is mentioned in the piece, as the organization is looking to save modernized buildings from the ’70s.
The Elm City is also known for its booming culture, uniting both the older generation and Gen-Z crowd with a variety of cultural-based businesses and experiences around every corner.
Specifically, the NYT features NXTHVN, the arts center building founded in 2019. It’s a space among the African American artists’ community, built inside two abandoned factory buildings in the Dixwell neighborhood. After viewing exhibits, the Times suggested guests head over to try some Parmesan aioli and pork belly with Tuscan cabbage at the newly-opened Villa Lulu on College Street.
Of course, you can’t visit New Haven without trying the assortment of food options. With a variety like Indian, African, and Thai — as well as arguably the best pizza alongside New York City — the Times dubbed the city as “one of the best food scenes in the country for a city its size,” with a population of just over 134,000.
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker welcomed the recognition, noting that anyone who travels throughout New Haven will “quickly notice the ‘treasure trove’ of all there is to do and see and why we’re on the map with so many other extraordinary travel destinations from around the globe.”
“The description in The New York Times just scratches the surface of what New Haven has to offer, and I look forward to more visitors from across the country and tourists from around the world coming to enjoy the city and what we as residents get to experience every day,” Mayor Elicker said.
See the full list of places to visit in 2023, provided by the NYT, here.
