A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America New Bern vs. Durango for Families, Attractions, Food, and Couples

Should you visit New Bern or Durango?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit New Bern or Durango? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

New Bern

New Bern is a laid back, quaint, and charming town. It offers plenty of small town charm along with sights and activities, too. Other reasons to visit include food, shopping, and museums.

Durango

Durango is a historic, charming, and quaint small town. This is also a fantastic small town with plenty of charm and local activities. It's a gorgeous place to visit. With a quaint atmosphere, it also offers a unique feeling. It's also known for hiking and museums.

New Bern and Durango: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in New Bern or Durango?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Durango. Although New Bern and Durango are both popular with visitors, Durango has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Durango is more popular for its skiing, historical sights, hiking, small town charm, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while New Bern is known for its food, nightlife, and shopping. New Bern is popular for being the birthplace of Pepsi. Durango is popular for its historic narrow gauge railroad, its charming small town atmosphere, and its many family-friendly activities. It is also home to The Silverton & Durango Narrow Gauge Railroad.

How is New Bern different from Durango?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Durango and New Bern. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Is New Bern or Durango Better for Skiing?

Durango is a small town with a few options for winter skiing. However, New Bern is not a skiing destination.

Locals like to visit Durango to take advantage of their winter sports. Purgatory Ski Resort is about 20 minutes from town and it's a family-friendly mountain with beginner and intermediate runs. It's small, and geared specifically to the beginner and younger crowd.

New Bern is not a skiing destination.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in New Bern or Durango?

Both New Bern and Durango have good landmarks and museums for visitors.

New Bern is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. Many visitors check out the Tryon Palace while they're in town. Other museums include the New Bern Fireman's Museum, the Carolina Creations Fine Art & Contemporary Craft Gallery, and the New Bern Academy Museum.

Durango offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. Most visitors come to town specifically to ride the Silverton & Durango Narrow Gauge Railroad. There's also the D&SNGRR Railroad Museum, and the Fish Hatchery and Wildlife Museum.

Is the Food Better in New Bern or Durango? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

New Bern is a good destination for its restaurants. However, Durango is lacking in good options for its restaurant scene.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around New Bern. There are a number of local eateries, bistros, and cafes in town. You can sample southern favorites or something international. Popular dishes include fresh caught fish, crab cakes, and even tacos.

You'll find the standard options when it comes to food in Durango. Most of the restaurants are casual and family-friendly, serving up burgers or sandwiches for a reasonable price. You'll also find some coffeeshops and even a few food trucks and international restaurants.

Is New Bern or Durango Better for Nightlife?

New Bern is a decent place to visit for nightlife. However, Durango is lacking in good options for nightlife and partying.

Those looking for nightlife will find a few places to hang out in New Bern. There are a couple of pubs and breweries around town.

Things get quiet in the evenings in Durango. It's a small town that attracts tourists mainly for its train, so you won't find much in the way of a nightlife scene.

Is New Bern or Durango Better for its Old Town?

Durango is a popular place for its historic old town. However, New Bern does not have a historic old town.

Many visitors go to Durango to see the historical old town. Filled with character, the downtown feels like you've stepped into a Western. The town has a long history as a mining and railroad community, which you can see throughout the historic area. It really feels like you're in the "Wild West."

New Bern does not have a historic old town.

Is New Bern or Durango Better for Hiking?

Durango is well known for its hiking experiences. However, New Bern is not a hiking destination.

You'll find a nice variety of hiking trails around Durango. It's surrounded by plenty of natural beautiful and there is an endless supply of hikes in the region. Popular nearby hikes include Animas Mountain Trail, Falls Creek Trail, and Purgatory Trail.

New Bern is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in New Bern or Durango?

New Bern is a good destination for shopping. However, Durango is lacking in good options for its shopping opportunities.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in New Bern. There are local shops and boutiques that sell clothing, antiques, and gifts.

If you're looking to go shopping, Durango has some nice offerings. The charming town has some boutiques that sell beautifully made Native American jewelry and other interesting items. There are also souvenir shops and other venues that target tourists specifically.

Is New Bern or Durango Better for Christmas?

Durango is a popular place for its Christmas activities. However, New Bern does not offer Christmas activities.

Durango is a fun destination over Christmas. It is a great Christmas town where you can meet Santa, go skiing, and even take the Polar Express.

New Bern does not offer Christmas activities.

Is New Bern or Durango Better for Families?

Durango is well known for its family-friendly activities. However, New Bern is not particularly known for its kid-friendly activities.

Durango is a very family-friendly place to visit. In the area you'll find ziplining, alpine slides, and plenty of outdoor areas to explore - and of course there's the railroad.

For families, New Bern is not always the best place to visit. Stand up paddle boarding and other outdoor activities are a fun way to experience the area with kids. You could also visit the New Bern Fireman's Museum, the Tryon Palace, or one of the parks around town.

Is New Bern or Durango Better for Couples?

New Bern is a good destination for romance. However, Durango is lacking in good options for its romantic activities.

New Bern is a nice destination for couples. The town's charm and quaint parks make this a nice weekend getaway. There are outdoor activities and the Tryon Palace which is nice to visit. There are also local restaurants around town.

Most people don't think of Durango as a couple's destination. The town may not be the first romantic destination that comes to mind, but the railroad combined with wandering the downtown can make for a great couple's getaway.

Is New Bern or Durango Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Durango is a popular place for backpackers. However, New Bern is not particularly known for backpackers and budget travelers.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Durango. With plenty of parks and outdoor areas nearby, backpackers will have plenty of places to explore.

New Bern is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. It's not popular with backpackers in part because it's a small town that most people breeze through on their way to the beach.

Is New Bern or Durango Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Neither New Bern or Durango offer decent public transit.

Public transit is limited or non-existant in New Bern. There's no real public transit in the area.

Public transit is quite limited in Durango. It's a small town with no real public transit options so a car is a must.

Is New Bern or Durango a more walkable city?

New Bern is a good destination for its walkability. However, Durango is lacking in good options for its high level of walkability.

New Bern is somewhat walkable. The downtown area is walkable and nice to explore on foot.

Durango is generally not very walkable. While the Main Street through town is walkable, it's not as pedestrian-friendly as some small towns.

For even more information, also check out Is New Bern Worth Visiting? and Is Durango Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Durango or New Bern?

How long in New Bern or Durango?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both New Bern and Durango. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Durango than in New Bern. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for New Bern, and 2-3 days is enough time in Durango.

Families should spend more time in Durango than New Bern. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Durango, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in New Bern than Durango. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in New Bern that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Durango than New Bern if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Durango.

One day in New Bern or Durango?

New Bern is a small town with plenty to do. This town offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

The small town of Durango offers museums. Many visitors also spend a good bit of time hiking. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in New Bern or Durango?

New Bern might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that New Bern has to offer.

Durango is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this small town makes for a great vacation. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Durango, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in New Bern or Durango?

New Bern is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

Durango is a popular choice for travelers. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in New Bern or Durango?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in New Bern. Since New Bern is a small town, it's easily explored when your time is limited. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

Durango is a great place to explore. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This small town offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best Bicycle Tours in United States of America, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in United States of America.

When comparing the travel costs between New Bern and Durango, we can see that Durango is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is New Bern Expensive? and Is Durango Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, New Bern or Durango?

New Bern has a larger population, and is about 57% larger than the population of Durango. When comparing the sizes of New Bern and Durango, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.