Avelo Airlines' first destination from Lakeland International Airport was New Haven, CT, and it's still one of the only routes offered year-round. Prepare for takeoff with some help from our jet-setting readers and recommendations from Visit New Haven.

✈️ Fast facts

Flight time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Est. population: 139,000
Avg. high in October: 54º

The Beinecke Library includes a public exhibition hall in addition to its reading room for researchers. | Photo by Melissa Gilmore

🗺️ Things to do

One of New Haven's biggest draws is Yale University, the third-oldest college in the US. Take a tour of its architecture, stroll through campus to see the public art, or learn something new at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Water lovers will feel right at home in New Haven. Head to the beach or walk the piers of the Long Island Sound, Mill River, and Quinnipiac River.

For autumn events, check out Visit New Haven's suggestions, from a Dragon Boat Festival to the citywide Restaurant Week.

You can't go wrong with a piece of apizza — this reader recommends Sally's. | Photo by Melissa Gilmore

🍽️ What to eat

Several of our Instagram followers told us you have to visit Little Italy in Wooster Square. The number one recommendation is "apizza," a thin-crust pizza that's coal-fired. Readers recommend a slice from:

Searching for something savory? Visit Louis' Lunch, the birthplace of the burger, for a hand-rolled hamburger. If you have a sweet tooth, the PEZ Visitor Center is located nearby and offers daily self-guided tours.

🏨 Where to stay

Yale Studio
Stay in style, just a short walk away from both Yale University and Sally's Apizza.

Hotel Marcel
This Hilton hotel is an architectural marvel designed by Bauhaus + Brutalist architect Marcel Breuer.

Scranton Seahorse Inn
Travel just outside of town to this quiet bed-and-breakfast in an 1830s coastal home.

Already thinking about your next trip? We've also got guides to Avelo's other destinations out of LAL, with more on the way.