Station/Boat Location~
ANT Long Island Sound, New Haven
Date there~
July 2007 to July 2011
Weather~
New Haven area gets all four seasons and each one is gorgeous. Winter can be snowy, but while we were there, the most snow we got at one time was 14". I was expecting feet upon feet of snow, but we normally only received less than a foot with each storm, and only had 4 or 5 storms per winter. Temps are lows in the single digits and highs in the 20s/30s. Spring is beautiful, but it takes a while to warm up. Summer is short, and it can get hot. It's not as bad as the southern states, unless you are stuck inside with no air conditioning. Fall is amazing - gorgeous colors and cool to cold breezes. Winter seems to be the longest season of the four.
Military facilities~
Groton Subase about 1 hour away has a Commissary and Exchange, MWR and ITT office. The Coast Guard Academy has a nice newly renovated CG Exchange, MWR and ITT office. Try to get on the mailing lists for both MWR offices because they send out discounts and event information constantly. There is a small exchange on the base here.
Medical~
The area is Tricare Prime Remote unless you opt out for Tricare Standard. We lived in a condo in Derby and used Griffin Hospital in Derby for my DD's birth, for emergency care, and for blood work. It's smaller, easy free parking, very warm and friendly. LOVED it! However, very few of the Griffin doctors are in the Tricare Network. There are an abundance of doctors that are in the Tricare Network. DD saw Dr. Diana Lopusny, a pediatrician in Milford. DH and I used Back to Health in Branford for quite some time - they are VERY good with Tricare issues. Most doctors in the are are affiliated with Yale Hospital. There are several United Concordia in-network dentists in the area as well. I used Dr. Jack M. Levine in New Haven. There were practically no pediatric dentists in-network, so we ended up driving to Pediatric Dental Associates in Southbury for DD's visits.
Housing~
The housing in Milford and Ansonia is gone. The new housing is located in New Guilford and is made up of very nice and new big houses. It's too far from things for me, but I've heard good things about it. It's fairly easy to find something to rent within BAH, but you have to consider the exorbitant heating costs. Ours is included in our rent, but we hear from friends it can be $1500 to $2000 per year. We are not huge fans of old houses, which there are an abundance of in the New Haven area, so we chose to rent in Derby and love it. It's within a 15 minute drive of everything (and only a 25 to 30 minute drive for DH to the base). We chose a condo so we didn't have to do the snow shoveling.
Shopping~
There is Connecticut Post Mall in Milford with lots of stores and a large food court. There are also similar malls in Trumbull and Meriden. There is more upscale shopping only 45 minutes away in Hartford or an hour away in White Plains, NY. There is everything you could want in New Haven: IKEA, Wal-mart, Target, Joann, AC Moore, Michaels, Christmas Tree Shops, Best Buy, Staples, Children's Place, Gymboree, etc. If you have young kids, be sure to check out the Once Upon a Child consignment shops in Milford and Hamden. You can find some really great deals and help your paycheck stretch even farther. Grocery prices were a big shock to us (even coming from Santa Barbara, CA). I shopped the sales and used coupons and WIC to get us through those first transition months.
Child Care/Schools~
There are several small towns here each having very different feels and schools. We live in Derby, the schools are not the greatest, but we don't have school-age kids. I hear that Milford has good schools, and Fairfield County. DD attended a wonderful Christian preschool at Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Woodbridge. I cannot say enough good things about this place. If you want your 1 to 5 year old in a very warm, loving, and Christian environment, check it out!
Adult Schools~
There are several schools in the area, most notably Yale.
Fun Activities~
There are lots of things to do here, you just have to keep your eyes peeled. Towns will put out signs advertising upcoming events and festivals. Get on the email lists for the MWR offices in Groton and the CG Academy. If you have kids, check local libraries for free programs (for all ages) and pick up a Connecticut Kids booklet when you see one. There is ice skating, movies, bowling, Ansonia Nature Center, Yale Peabody Museum, Mystic Seaport, Mystic Aquarium (check library websites for free and discounted passes). NYC is only 1.5 hour train ride away and only around $45 for two adult round trip tickets. Boston is only a 3 hour drive away (don't miss the Chocolate Buffet at the Langham Hotel and Mike's Pastry on Hanover St!!). There is great skiing and leaf peeping in VT within a 3 hour drive. There is Coast Guard lodging in Cape Cod.
Additional Info~
We really enjoyed our time in the New Haven area. We didn't particularly care for the area itself, but we loved being so close to so many things to do. We took weekend trips just about every long weekend we had. There really is an abundance of things to do here if you are willing and able to travel around a bit. The trouble was finding the time to do everything we wanted!! And the winters weren't as bad as I thought they'd be (of course, we did have someone else doing all the shoveling!!).
Homeport CT
ANT Long Island Sound, New Haven
Date there~
July 2007 to July 2011
Weather~
New Haven area gets all four seasons and each one is gorgeous. Winter can be snowy, but while we were there, the most snow we got at one time was 14". I was expecting feet upon feet of snow, but we normally only received less than a foot with each storm, and only had 4 or 5 storms per winter. Temps are lows in the single digits and highs in the 20s/30s. Spring is beautiful, but it takes a while to warm up. Summer is short, and it can get hot. It's not as bad as the southern states, unless you are stuck inside with no air conditioning. Fall is amazing - gorgeous colors and cool to cold breezes. Winter seems to be the longest season of the four.
Military facilities~
Groton Subase about 1 hour away has a Commissary and Exchange, MWR and ITT office. The Coast Guard Academy has a nice newly renovated CG Exchange, MWR and ITT office. Try to get on the mailing lists for both MWR offices because they send out discounts and event information constantly. There is a small exchange on the base here.
Medical~
The area is Tricare Prime Remote unless you opt out for Tricare Standard. We lived in a condo in Derby and used Griffin Hospital in Derby for my DD's birth, for emergency care, and for blood work. It's smaller, easy free parking, very warm and friendly. LOVED it! However, very few of the Griffin doctors are in the Tricare Network. There are an abundance of doctors that are in the Tricare Network. DD saw Dr. Diana Lopusny, a pediatrician in Milford. DH and I used Back to Health in Branford for quite some time - they are VERY good with Tricare issues. Most doctors in the are are affiliated with Yale Hospital. There are several United Concordia in-network dentists in the area as well. I used Dr. Jack M. Levine in New Haven. There were practically no pediatric dentists in-network, so we ended up driving to Pediatric Dental Associates in Southbury for DD's visits.
Housing~
The housing in Milford and Ansonia is gone. The new housing is located in New Guilford and is made up of very nice and new big houses. It's too far from things for me, but I've heard good things about it. It's fairly easy to find something to rent within BAH, but you have to consider the exorbitant heating costs. Ours is included in our rent, but we hear from friends it can be $1500 to $2000 per year. We are not huge fans of old houses, which there are an abundance of in the New Haven area, so we chose to rent in Derby and love it. It's within a 15 minute drive of everything (and only a 25 to 30 minute drive for DH to the base). We chose a condo so we didn't have to do the snow shoveling.
Shopping~
There is Connecticut Post Mall in Milford with lots of stores and a large food court. There are also similar malls in Trumbull and Meriden. There is more upscale shopping only 45 minutes away in Hartford or an hour away in White Plains, NY. There is everything you could want in New Haven: IKEA, Wal-mart, Target, Joann, AC Moore, Michaels, Christmas Tree Shops, Best Buy, Staples, Children's Place, Gymboree, etc. If you have young kids, be sure to check out the Once Upon a Child consignment shops in Milford and Hamden. You can find some really great deals and help your paycheck stretch even farther. Grocery prices were a big shock to us (even coming from Santa Barbara, CA). I shopped the sales and used coupons and WIC to get us through those first transition months.
Child Care/Schools~
There are several small towns here each having very different feels and schools. We live in Derby, the schools are not the greatest, but we don't have school-age kids. I hear that Milford has good schools, and Fairfield County. DD attended a wonderful Christian preschool at Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Woodbridge. I cannot say enough good things about this place. If you want your 1 to 5 year old in a very warm, loving, and Christian environment, check it out!
Adult Schools~
There are several schools in the area, most notably Yale.
Fun Activities~
There are lots of things to do here, you just have to keep your eyes peeled. Towns will put out signs advertising upcoming events and festivals. Get on the email lists for the MWR offices in Groton and the CG Academy. If you have kids, check local libraries for free programs (for all ages) and pick up a Connecticut Kids booklet when you see one. There is ice skating, movies, bowling, Ansonia Nature Center, Yale Peabody Museum, Mystic Seaport, Mystic Aquarium (check library websites for free and discounted passes). NYC is only 1.5 hour train ride away and only around $45 for two adult round trip tickets. Boston is only a 3 hour drive away (don't miss the Chocolate Buffet at the Langham Hotel and Mike's Pastry on Hanover St!!). There is great skiing and leaf peeping in VT within a 3 hour drive. There is Coast Guard lodging in Cape Cod.
Additional Info~
We really enjoyed our time in the New Haven area. We didn't particularly care for the area itself, but we loved being so close to so many things to do. We took weekend trips just about every long weekend we had. There really is an abundance of things to do here if you are willing and able to travel around a bit. The trouble was finding the time to do everything we wanted!! And the winters weren't as bad as I thought they'd be (of course, we did have someone else doing all the shoveling!!).
Homeport CT
