Support Us Button Widget

A Lakelander’s travel guide to New Haven, CT

Find out what to do and where to stay in the first destination city Avelo Airlines will fly to from Lakeland.

The New Haven, CT downtown skyline viewed from afar. Behind highrise buildings are wooded hills.

Catch a roundtrip flight from Lakeland International to Tweed New Haven Airport this summer.

Avelo Airlines will fly from Lakeland to New Haven, CT for the first time on Thursday, June 13. Prepare for takeoff with some help from our jet-setting readers and recommendations from Visit New Haven.

✈️ Fast facts

Flight time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Est. population: 139,000
Avg. high in June: 80º

A square, several-story glass enclosure holds thousands of rare books on hundreds of book shelves.

The Beinecke Library includes a public exhibition hall in addition to its reading room for researchers.

Photo by Melissa Gilmore

🗺️ Things to do

One of the biggest draws in New Haven is Yale University, the third oldest college in the US. Take a tour of its architecture, stroll through campus to see the public art, or learn something new at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

The International Festival of Arts & Ideas takes place June 14-29 — just in time for Avelo’s first flights. This festival will include many free events showcasing dance, music, film, theater, and more around town.

Water lovers will feel right at home in New Haven. Head to the beach or walk the piers of the Long Island Sound, Mill River, and Quinnipiac River.

A New Haven-style thin-crust pizza served on a tray on a restaurant table

You can’t go wrong with a piece of apizza — this reader recommends Sally’s.

Photo by Melissa Gilmore

🍽️ What to eat

Several of our Instagram followers told us you have to visit Little Italy in Wooster Square. The number one recommendation is “apizza,” a thin-crust pizza that’s coal-fired. Readers recommend a slice from Sally’s Apizza, Zeneli Pizzeria, Zuppardi’s Apizza, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, and Modern Apizza.

Searching for something savory? Visit Louis’ Lunch, the birthplace of the burger, for a hand-rolled hamburger. If you have a sweet tooth, the PEZ Visitor Center is located nearby and offers daily self-guided tours.

🏨 Where to stay

Heavenly Haven, Wooster Square
Stay steps away from Little Italy in this two-bedroom house.

Modern apartment, Westville
This basement apartment is a three-minute drive from Yale’s campus.

Scranton Seahorse Inn, Madison, CT
Travel 25 minutes west of HVN airport to this bed + breakfast in an 1830s coastal home.

Already thinking about your next trip? We’ve also got guides to Avelo’s other destinations out of LAL, with more on the way.

More from LALtoday
Hit the courts and grab a bite at this development, helmed by local entrepreneurs and pickleball fanatics.
The City of Lakeland has finalized its 2026 budget before the next fiscal year begins — let’s take a look at the $815 million bottom line.
From guilty pleasures to unexpected favorites, the “unfortunately do love” social media trend is taking over the internet — and we want your input.
From coffee to baked goods to cocktails, there’s a pumpkin spice or fall-flavored treat for everyone in Lakeland to enjoy this fall.
Directly north, east, south, and west of LAL, cities across the world await.
Whether you’re a weekend warrior or the next Tiger Woods, these 13 golf courses in Lakeland are sure to make for a good round.
Polk Vision published the assessment in June 2025 after 18 months of data collection.
Take a bite of Lakeland’s past at these restaurants that have stood the test of time.
It’s your party and you’ll enjoy these deals if you want to.
Dive into how nearly a century and a half of history is kept alive with historical markers around town.