Connecticut's Gothic Campus Is An Autumn Cloaked Beauty With Vibrant Foliage And Fun Fall Activities

Many of the best U.S. towns for a fall escape are in New England, where a blend of historic architecture, winding trails, and bright foliage colors make for impeccable views. If you're doing a road trip through the region's most charming cities, New Haven, Connecticut, is an essential stop, not only because of its waterfront downtown, but also because it's home to Yale University, which is particularly stunning to visit in the autumn. College students adore the campus in the fall, but you don't need to be a student to walk among the ivy-covered halls or even participate in some special, fall-themed events. Visitors can get a free student-led tour of the university grounds, including its gorgeous Old Campus, rare book library, and historic residential buildings.

Yale's architecture and tree-filled green spaces are especially suited to a fall visit. As one Tripadvisor reviewer wrote, "The University oozes regality and prestige. As we went in the fall, the scene was even more breathtaking than I imagine it would be during the rest of the year." Bundle up and admire the towering elms and splendorous red sugar maples rising up between Gothic spires and cloister-like stone arcades. Plus, after a tour, you can stop by the New Haven Green adjacent to the campus to pick up coffee or soup from the local farmers' market as carillon bells resound from the park's three majestic churches.

Yale's campus has a predominantly Gothic Revival character defined by its towers and spires, vaulted ceilings, and ornamented stone buildings, most of which were built in the 19th century (though some were deliberately made to look older). Its oldest building, however, is the Connecticut Hall, located in the original school's quadrangle called the Old Campus. It's the last survivor of eight Georgian-style structures that were built here in 1750 and has since been designated a National Historic Landmark. The first Gothic Revival building built on campus, the Dwight Chapel, can be found within the same quadrangle, and this courtyard is one of the best areas on campus to see the fall foliage.

Often considered the most striking and romantic area of campus, the Memorial Quadrangle holds some of Yale's finest Gothic structures to match the Gothic feel of fall's weather. It's crowned by the Harkness Tower, the 216-foot elaborate stone tower completed in 1917. The tower houses a carillon instrument of 54 bells, which a student group plays twice a day — you might hear anything from Bach's classical work to a Beyoncé song ringing out over the campus. You can do a free tour to climb up inside the tower and see the bells. Look carefully at its stone carvings, too, and you might notice gargoyles that symbolize the school's student classes and hidden sculptures of Dante and Shakespeare.

Visitors might not realize that much of Yale is an open campus, with libraries and museums, like the free collection of brain specimens at the Cushing Center, that the public can enter at their leisure. With that said, doing a guided tour adds a layer of historical context and access to tucked-away courtyards or architectural details you might otherwise miss. Tours are free and start at the visitor center.

Fall brings numerous events to Yale's campus and immediate surroundings for students and visitors alike. The park right next to campus, New Haven Green, hosts a farmers' market on Wednesdays where you can pick up lunch or fresh produce. Another favorite farmers' market is at Wooster Square, about a 20-minute walk from campus. "The farmer's market is autumn at its peak. ... I go on Saturday mornings to buy the fresh soups and apples just coming from the orchard," one student said in Yale Daily News.

Many of Yale's collegiate art and performance groups begin their programming in the fall. The Yale Schwarzman Center has a vibrant lineup of events that are free to the public, ranging from immersive art exhibitions to experimental dance shows. Meanwhile, the Yale Film Archive has a special fall film series of free, public movie screenings that take place at the Yale Humanities Quadrangle in the lower level.

Yale's campus is about an hour's drive from the Bradley International Airport in Hartford, and you could also reach it in about two hours by train from New York City. Guided tours are offered from Monday through Saturday; you just have to register online in advance.