Meghan + Mike
Meghan + Mike
Flying
NYC airports vs. Bradley
LaGuardia and JFK often have cheaper, direct flights, but transportation to and from the airport can be expensive or slow. Public transportation will add a minimum of three hours to downtown New Haven. Driving is an hour and a half minimum, but can take several hours due to traffic. From LaGuardia, the cheapest option is to take the M60 bus from LGA to 125th St, walk a block to the Metro North Harlem/125 station and take the train to New Haven. $25 train fare during peak hours, $18 off peak.
From JFK, public transportation requires a bit more savvy and several transfers. Google maps is your friend here, as it will give you the transfers, but expect 3+ hours and ~$40.
We prefer the smaller, quieter Bradley International Airport in Hartford, CT. The downside is that there are fewer direct flights and they're often slightly more expensive than NYC, but getting to and from the airport is often cheaper, faster, and easier. Public transportation to/from Bradley is around an hour and a half, and involves a bus/train combo, and driving is usually an hour, with far less traffic or hassle than NYC.
Newark is another option, and has good public transportation options with less hassle, such as a direct Amtrak train to New Haven's Union Station, but you'll want to book this far in advance to get the ~$30-40 fare. (We have no personal experience with this one, but hear good things.) Alternatively, you can take a train from Newark to Penn Station, a subway over to Grand Central, and then Metro North to New Haven Union Station.
Once you're at Union Station in New Haven, there's a free shuttle that will take you downtown.
Driving
From New Haven:
1. Take Route 34 (Derby Ave) west heading toward Derby
2. From the intersection of Derby Ave. and E.T. Grasso Boulevard note your mileage. You will travel west on Route 34 for about 4 miles.
3. Landmarks you will pass along the way will be the Ravens Stadium on the left; a Nissan car dealer on the left; then Maltby Lakes and a Mobil gas station on the right.
4. At the end of these 4 miles, you will come to the intersection with Orange Center Road.
5. There is a gray building on the right hand corner (a flower shop).
6. As you pass through this traffic light, immediately get into the left -hand lane (you will see a green sign on the left-hand side for Route 15).
7. Immediately after this sign you will take a left -hand turn which is Mapledale Road. (If you come to an entrance ramp for the Merritt Parkway, you have gone too far.) You will pass 4 houses on the right.
After the houses, at the bottom of a small hill, on your right is a brown Camp Cedarcrest sign, enter here for campground dropoff, or continue on Mapledale Rd to the parking lot entrance for those who are not staying on the property.
From New York on Route 15:
1. Take Exit 57 (West Haven/Orange) and continue on Route 34 East.
2. Take the second right onto Mapledale Road.
3. You will pass 4 houses on your right.
After the houses, at the bottom of a small hill, on your right is a brown Camp Cedarcrest sign, enter here for campground dropoff, or continue on Mapledale Rd to the parking lot entrance for those who are not staying on the property.