Beaver Hills - New Haven, CT

Before the expansion of New Haven's urban center, Beaver Hills represented quintessential suburbia. This idyllic past can still be felt within the Beaver Hills Historic District, a subset of the neighborhood listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district represents a nearly intact example of 20th century suburban-residential subdivision, with most homes built between 1908 and 1936. Architecture enthusiasts marvel at the display of various building styles including Tudor Revival, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival.

For more information on the history of Beaver Hills and the surrounding area, check out the New Haven Museum. Through a rotating collection of photographs, artifacts and literature, the museum explores the rich local history of New Haven, Connecticut.

With Southern Connecticut State University bordering the north side of the neighborhood, cheap eats abound along Beaver Hills' Fitch Street. Among them, Tropical Delights serves some of the area's best Jamaican food. With standards such as beef patties and jerk chicken, the menu truly shines with its homemade soda bread. This savory treat, arguably borrowed from Irish cuisine, replaces yeast with baking soda to form tiny bubbles within the bread. Open for lunch and dinner, this place rates a must for both novices and experts of Jamaican cuisine.

Whalley Avenue constitutes another restaurant hub, with chain favorites including KFC and Dunkin Donuts, and family owned eateries, Mama Mary Soul Food stands out as the go-to restaurant for slow-cooked Southern dishes. While many diners have seen catfish and fried okra, it's a rare menu that serves chitterlings north of the Mason-Dixon. Among the other entrees, pork ribs and fried whiting prove the customer favorites. Most platters come with side options, from mac 'n' cheese and candied yams, to collard greens and string beans.

New Haven remains primarily a driving city, and Beaver Hills makes no exception. By car, the commute downtown takes a mere 10 minutes. Biking ranks a close second with a 12-minute commute via bike-friendly Goffe Street. Cut over to Canal Street for a dedicated bike lane. For those looking for some exercise, the commute takes around 30 minutes by foot. Goffe Street provides a safe and direct route for pedestrians. The public B bus route runs along Whalley Ave. toward downtown, but commuters must transfer routes along the way, bringing total travel time to around 40 minutes.

For shorter in-neighborhood commutes, many residents choose to leave the car at home. Beaver Hills' sidewalk-lined streets prove very walkable, and Ella T. Grasso Boulevard provides cyclists with a north-south dedicated bike lane.

Public parking lots only exist in the downtown area, but street parking abounds. Most of New Haven has metered street parking, with Sundays cost-free. To avoid the potential annoyance of parking, reserve a cab through any area taxi service, or use a smartphone-based app such as Uber to reserve a car in advance.

The abundance of green space sets Beaver Hills apart from the rest of urban New Haven. Among the most popular parks, Beaver Ponds Park sits on two ponds thought to have been created by beavers who built their damns along the brook, causing it to overflow.

Modern-day Beaver Ponds sees visitors enjoy kayaking and canoeing along the water, or taking a stroll along the pond's edge with the dog or a friend. The south end of the park gives way to Bowen Field, a multi-use sports field featuring a football stadium, baseball diamond and running track. Although two high schools use these facilities during the day, visitors are welcome to use the field free of charge during off-hours.

The New Haven Bird Club often hosts field trips in Beaver Ponds Park and elsewhere across the region. Whether a newbie or a seasoned birdwatcher, the NHBC invites any interested residents to join them for guided bird-watching adventures.

Thanks to the abundance of Southern Connecticut State students, Beaver Hills rents remain affordable. Beaver Hills weighs in at an average of $762 for a one-bedroom apartment. When it comes to gas, Connecticut residents pay around 20 percent more per gallon than the national average, and a ride on the local bus costs only $1.50 per one-way trip. Beer prices reflect nationwide trends at around $4 to $6 per bottle.

Beaver Hills' Whalley Avenue houses a vast range of retail options, eliminating the need to go downtown for a good bargain. Lesley Roy Home Couture outfist any new home with elegant dinnerware, vases and candelabras. A great alternative to overwhelming home-decor megastores, Lesley puts a personal touch on all of her collections, providing customers with a one-of-a-kind retail experience.

When it comes to groceries, Super Stop & Shop constitutes the biggest full-service supermarket, while many smaller, specialty markets provide a more low-key shopping experience. Edge of the Woods Market specializes in healthy and organic food items, including a full range of vegan products. The in-house juice bar serves freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices for those who desire a healthy beverage on the go. Another popular option for healthy eats, the Wooster Square Farmers Market takes place every Saturday in downtown Russo Park.