Tourism
Charming New Bern a year-round destination for tourists
By Marie Leech
From its rich history as North Carolina’s second-oldest city to the poetic beauty of its pristine waterfront location in the Inner Banks region, it’s easy to see why thousands of visitors flock to the city of New Bern each year.
Located at the confluence of the Neuse and Trent rivers – and just a short 30-mile drive to the Atlantic coast – New Bern offers a bustling restaurant and bar scene, a charming collection of chic downtown shops and is home to several annual events, including October’s MumFest and December’s month-long Beary Merry Christmas.
The city’s storied streets, friendly locals and lovable quirks earned New Bern — which served as the capital of North Carolina from 1770 to 1792 — a spot on Southern Living’s 2021 list of “Top 10 Best Small Towns” of the South.
If it sounds like a setting out of a Nicholas Sparks novel, that’s because it is. Not only does Sparks live in New Bern, but many of his books — including the popular best seller The Notebook — is set there.
It’s also the birthplace of Pepsi, where in 1898, local drug store owner Caleb Bradham created a new carbonated and sugary beverage that originally was coined “Brad’s Drink.” The antique drug store still stands and now serves as a museum, gift shop and soda fountain in the downtown area.
“There are a variety of reasons people visit us: the beautiful riverfront, our history — Tryon Palace (the former governor’s mansion), Pepsi Cola — the walkability of our shops and restaurants, our performing and cultural arts. We have so much to offer,” said Melissa Riggle, executive director of the Craven County Tourism Development Authority.
“But even with all of that, I think one of the things that hits people the most when they visit is how warm and welcoming our residents are — it’s that Southern hospitality. Even some of our merchants who aren’t originally from here moved to New Bern for that reason.”
The tourist-driven town managed to weather the COVID-19 storm of 2020, increasing domestic and international visitor spending by 40% in 2021. That increase brought an overall economic impact of $160 million last year to New Bern and Craven County, Riggle said.
She credits the strong partnership between the area’s lodging, retailer, dining and attraction community for the continued success.
New Bern gets its name from the capital of Switzerland. “Bern” means bear, and you’ll find bear statues throughout town as locals love to share their “bear pride.”
Founded in 1710, the community has one of the largest collections of historic homes and residences in the Coastal North Carolina area. More than 160 homes and buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the 1780 John Wright Stanly House, the 1805 Robert Hay House and the 1830 George W. Dixon House.
The City of New Bern also draws people to the area with its “Footloose on the Neuse” summer concert series, with free live music by the water at Union Point Park and in June the New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce brings The Great Trent River Raft Race to the waterfront at Union Point Park.
One of the area’s biggest attractions is the annual three-day MumFest held the second weekend in October. Attended by more than 100,000 visitors each year, the festival features colorful Chrysanthemums, live music and dining in the streets. MumFest is a partnership between the City of New Bern and Swiss Bear Inc., the Main Street organization responsible for leading downtown’s economic development.
Christmas is also a magical time of the year in New Bern, when the historical downtown area is transformed into a Winter Wonderland. Beary Merry Christmas is a month-long celebration, starting with the city’s signature “Light Up the Season and Santa’s Arrival” event the day after Thanksgiving. A stream of floats don the streets for various Christmas parades, and one evening each year, elaborately decorated boats parade down the river just before sunset in the annual Flotilla at Union Point Park.
Horse-drawn carriage rides, Christmas light tours and live entertainment — including the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra — are other memorable holiday traditions in New Bern. This year, the city will unveil a synthetic ice skating rink at Union Point Park.
On Dec. 31, visitors and residents crowd the streets for the annual New Year’s Eve Block Party, featuring live entertainment, food trucks, a beer garden, a kids zone and a Bear Drop at midnight. For those who can’t stay up that late, the city has a Bear Cub Drop earlier in the evening.
“New Bern is a historic riverfront town that provides wonderful traditions in a beautiful setting,” City Manager Foster Hughes said. “It’s a wonderful place to work, live and play and we encourage anyone who has never been here to come check us out.”