Things to Do at Yale University

Yale University spreads across 310 acres in downtown New Haven, where Gothic Revival architecture creates a collegiate atmosphere that has educated American leaders since 1701. The campus centers around Old Campus, where freshman students live in dormitories that surround a green quadrangle while upper-class students occupy residential colleges modeled after Oxford and Cambridge. Walking through Harkness Tower and the Sterling Memorial Library, you can feel centuries of academic tradition while the sound of church bells marks the hours and students hurry between classes with backpacks full of books. Campus tours are free and offered daily by current students who share insider knowledge about Yale traditions and academic programs. Visit during the academic year when the campus is fully active and you can appreciate the energy of 13,000 students pursuing degrees in over 80 undergraduate and graduate programs.

New Haven sits on the Northeast Corridor rail line-90 minutes from New York, 2.5 hours from Boston . The train drops you within walking distance of campus, making it one of the most accessible Ivy League schools in the country. Driving is different. Downtown parking runs expensive and spaces fill fast, though you'll find several university garages nearby. The campus feels massive when you're walking through it. But it is compact and walkable, covering just a few city blocks in downtown New Haven.