Looking for your next day trip that includes a healthy amount of shopping, sightseeing, eating & sipping?! We’ve got that fun day for you! The Shops at Yale is a group of over 65 local boutiques, national brands, cafes, and restaurants all within walking distance in beautiful & historic downtown New Haven. AND, parking is convenient 🙌.
Follow us around on our day trip!
Post sponsored by The Shops at Yale
First stop, coffee. Always!
Blue State Coffee
We have to fuel up for our day ahead, so our first stop was Blue State Coffee. Lattes and baked goods – that’s what we’re talking about! Not only does this coffee shop serve up great coffee and people watching, but Blue State Coffee is also a business based on making a difference. They’ve donated over $1M to local non-profits since they opened in 2004!
When at Yale…soak up some lit
Grey Matter Books
It’s hard to resist the Ivy League vibes while in this part of town. We wondered if just by standing in Grey Matter Books and holding some classics, we’d get smarter by osmosis. We guess not… 😆
Anyway, this store is packed with awesome used books.
Already hungry? Us too.
Harvest Wine Bar
Hang onto your taste buds, you’re in for a delicious ride! There are so many restaurants to choose from at The Shops at Yale, but we dug the outside courtyard vibe at Harvest Wine Bar. And the food, omg the food. With an extra mmm for the Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad, the Ricotta Gnocchi, and the Tagliatelle! 💯
Walk it off and take in some views 😍
Yale is home to the oldest collegiate daily newspaper still in existence. The Yale Daily News has been printed five days a week since January 28, 1878!
Yale also claims the oldest and most well-known a cappella group. The Whiffenpoofs have been singing on Monday nights since 1909.
Clothes – the way to our hearts
From fashun to functional (we love it all!) every clothing genre can be found at The Shops at Yale!
Neville Wisdom’s Fashion Design Studio
We’re Neville Wisdom fans, so we were excited to visit his new (very cool) design studio right on the main drag on Broadway. We ran into Dwayne Moore who showed us around the space as well as Neville and Dwayne’s latest collections. The duo sews everything in-house (you can see the design space where the magic happens)!
LL Bean
Summer is coming, so it’s time to refresh your outdoorsy wardrobe! We love a bit of LL Bean when it comes to classic clothes and gear that you’ll enjoy having for years to come! Get kitted out for your next hiking adventure or summer camp!
Time for ice cream you say?
Arethusa Farm Dairy
If there’s an Arethusa Farm Dairy in our radius, we’re there! They serve up massive scoops of the most incredible ice cream made from world-class cow’s milk just up the road in Bantam. And the cheese! Make sure you stock up on some Tapping Reeve and Europa while you’re there!
Head downstairs for a fresh blowout to top off the day (or start it!)
Shiana Hair
Located beneath Arethusa you’ll find Shiana Hair – home of the first Blow Out Bar and Color Bar in New Haven! They offer genderless pricing, a private styling room for religious or medical reasons, a 10% discount for students, and 2 vegan product lines.
And that was just a handful of the places at the Shops at Yale – check out all your shopping, dining, and entertainment options here!
The Shops at Yale – Downtown New Haven