The city does a good job of trying to keep it clean since it borders the Yale campus, but it can be seedy with street people and beggers. Just be careful!
Here's a chance to experience village greens, which go way back in English history. You really get a sense of what New Haven was like centuries ago.
..check in summer time for free summer concerts and different activities they city does! :-)(And do look into the history of the green it is specifical and would hate for it to be lost)
The Green in the center of New Haven is loaded with historical importance, and it tells us a lot about early Colonial planning and life. The grand green square--sadly divided by one street--boasts three old churches--that in itself tells us a lot! Center Church has a fantastic crypt underneath it that is only open Thursdays and Saturdays, 11-1, but fit it in if you can. A piece of the Green used to be a graveyard--many of the old markers have been moved up the street to Grove Street Cemetery where the gate assures us, "The Dead Shall Be Raised." "Yes, when Yale needs the land," my mother used to mutter. The buildings around the huge green provide a history of architecture. One half of the old City Hall was--unbelievably--torn down, but half remains, thank heavens. Banks, Courthouses, the Library, Yale University, and some modern office towers ring the green Green. It's seen more spruced-up days, but then so has everything in virtually all the great old New England cities whose industry fled south or overseas. The great Progressive fights, for civil and union and human rights, have all been fought out on the Green. Summer concerts bring a city together the way Washington's football team can. Slow down, walk around, and you'll learn about a world that was not entirely controlled by Mr. Dollar.
This very historic town center I'd beautiful to visit and to just sit and relax. It is also the place for many concerts and activities throughout the year.
I was there at the time of Fall foliage and it is a beautiful area with historical buildings, and wide open spaces to be able to sit. It is surrounded by shopping and restaurants so when you have had enough relaxation, you can certainly stay occupied. Parking was a little difficult, so you might have to walk some, but it was worth it.
The New Haven Green, particularly in the Spring and Summer, is a beautiful part of the city. Bounded by Yale University on one side, classic municipal buildings another and containing three historical churches as well as a large expanse of open space. The placement of bus stops in the middle of the Green with accompanying milling crowds as well as men loitering on the Green, diminishes the experience for visitors.
It's the center of our little city, steeped in history and where you can see all walks of life throughout the day. I walk across it twice every day to and from work, and enjoy seeing others out walking their dogs, playing with their kids, soaking up some sun. In the summer it becomes the heart of the city, as it hosts a farmer's market every Wednesday, not to mention the annual Festival of Arts and Ideas, and various pop and jazz concerts. The three churches in the center add a lovely touch, and particularly the Center Church houses a lot of the city's early history within. Town greens were designed to be the center of everything. In New Haven, our green is just that.
Many a happy summer evening has been spent on this green. This visit was just happy to relax on a bench and watch the people go by. I have never visited the churches but they certainly add to the scenery.
First thing I work in Down Town New Haven, so I see the Green all the time. Being an adult I now appreciate the Green more than when I was a kid. The Green is the center of the original nine squares that made up Colonial New Haven and still is the center of the city in many respects. It's 16 acres have paths for walking or jogging, sometimes high school kids that want to join the military do physical training and drills with recruiters. The Green in New Haven is unique because it has three churches who's congregations date back to colonial times. The Center Church has a crypt in its basement. The one downside is that the Green is used as a transit hub, so there are lot loitering. During the summer there is the Art & Ideas Festival as well as, concerts and movies nights. My favorite time is on Sundays,me hen the Center Church's bells ring in hyms. Overall the New Haven Green is great place to take a stroll, jog, and site see, so bring a camera and walking shoes.