The leaves are turning, the air is crisp, and Gilmore Girls is playing non-stop on the TV. With its fall title, this early 2000s series remains a seasonal hit thanks to its snappy dialogue, heartwarming melodrama, and small-town charm.
If you want to experience something beyond the television screen, consider a trip to New Haven, Connecticut.
While the show was primarily filmed on the Warner Bros. Studios backlot in Burbank, California, its fictional town drew inspiration from Washington, Connecticut. Drive about an hour southeast and you'll reach New Haven, which Rory called home while attending Yale University.
Downtown New Haven's marketing team recently invited me to spend a weekend checking out all the Gilmore Girls -esque activities there, from walking around the school grounds to exploring the town over pizza with Lorelei's name written all over it. This town is more than just an Ivy League enclave and surprisingly gave me a stellar starry sky heart vibe.
Here are five ways to enjoy a Gilmore-sanctioned weekend in New Haven.
1. “More coffee, please”
It almost goes without saying, but you have to caffeinate before starting a busy day of sightseeing. New Haven has enough cafes to satisfy Lorelai's endless "More coffee please!" needs: G Cafe Bakery, Book Trader Cafe, Atticus Bookstore Cafe, Common Grounds, even Zeneli's.
2. Take a walk around Rory’s alma mater
Since New Haven is home to Yale University, booking a free campus tour will take you to many familiar places from the show. You can tour the first-year dormitory, where Rory's dormitory is located, or stop outside the Yale Daily News building, where the budding reporter began her career.
3. Marvel at (or smell) some books
Of course, no trip to Yale is complete without books. One of Rory's favorite places on campus is Sterling Memorial Library, where she stopped to smell a book in a scene from "Gilmore Girls." While Rory is passionate about the library's vast collection (2.5 million books!), the stunning Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, home to 1 million books, is also a must-visit for any book lover at.
Of course, there are plenty of bookstores around town if you need to stock up on your TBR collection.
4. Enjoy a pizza trip
Pizza is one of Lorelei's four major food groups, and New Haven is famous for its Italian calzones (aka apizza). There are several locations to choose from, and the best way to experience them all is to take a Little Italy Pizza Tour. You'll learn about the history of the city's Italian community while enjoying 8-10 slices of pizza, from Sally's famous original tomato pie to Frank Pepe's white clam pizza.
If pizza isn't your thing, New Haven has a variety of restaurants to choose from, whether you want something a little more upscale (Emily Gilmore-approved) in Heirloom, a neighborhood beloved by locals like Villa Lulu ) at night, or just want to eat a cheeseburger late at night. Louis Lunch claims that this is the "birthplace of the hamburger sandwich."
5. Don’t forget the art scene
Now, if you love art (and who could forget Lorelai and Rory attending Stars Hollow's Living Art Festival), add Yale's impressive art gallery to your itinerary, which showcases the likes of Monet and Van Gogh s work. and the Yale Center for British Art. Currently closed due to building conservation, the museum still hosts off-site exhibitions throughout campus.
For evenings, consider catching a show at a local theater. Rory may be notorious for her arts reviews in the Yale Daily News , but the plays on the rotation at Yale Repertory Theater are sure to win her recognition.
