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

Should you visit New Bern or Mystic?

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

Should I visit New Bern or Mystic? 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.

Mystic

Mystic is a charming, quaint, and laid back town. It's also known for beaches, shopping, and museums.

New Bern and Mystic: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in New Bern or Mystic?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Mystic. Although New Bern and Mystic are both popular with visitors, Mystic has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Mystic is more popular for its museums, nightlife, beaches, and shopping, while New Bern is known for its small town charm. Mystic is more touristy than New Bern and is popular for its New England charm and local character. It is also home to the Mystic Seaport Museum. New Bern is popular for being the birthplace of Pepsi.

How is New Bern different from Mystic?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Mystic is well known for its museums and landmarks. Also, New Bern is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historical sights.

Mystic offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. There's a decent selection of museums around town with some of the favorites being the Mystic Seaport Museum, the Mystic Museum of Art, the Denison Homestead Museum, and the Old Lighthouse Museum, The Mystic Aquarium is also a popular destination.

New Bern offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. 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.

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

Dining out at restaurants in both New Bern and Mystic can be an enjoyable experience.

New Bern offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. 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.

Mystic has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. As a coastal town, you'll find no shortage of seafood at many restaurants. Popular dishes include oysters, shrimp, or fish. There are also many casual restaurants that serve comfort food for classic American favorites like mac and cheese, pasta, or burgers.

Is New Bern or Mystic Better for Nightlife?

Mystic is a popular place for nightlife. However, New Bern is not particularly known for nightlife and partying.

Mystic has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. Head downtown for the most interesting bars and breweries. You can sip wine or enjoy a cocktail at a laid back pub with friends or family.

New Bern doesn't have the most active nightlife scene. There are a couple of pubs and breweries around town.

Is New Bern or Mystic Better for Beaches?

Mystic is well known for its beaches. However, New Bern is not a beach destination.

Mystic is considered a top beach destination. The beaches are accessible from town and offer a laid back setting that's not overly developed. Families will like Ocean Beach Park but Williams Beach Park is one of the easiest beaches to access. If you're willing to drive a bit out of town, you should check out Misquamicut State Beach.

New Bern is not a beach destination.

Is the Shopping Better in New Bern or Mystic?

Mystic is well known for shopping. Also, New Bern is still popular, but not quite as popular for its shopping opportunities.

Mystic is an extremely popular place for shoppers. Head downtown for scenic shopping streets with boutiques, artisan craft shops, and jewelry stores.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting New Bern. There are local shops and boutiques that sell clothing, antiques, and gifts.

Is New Bern or Mystic Better for Families?

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

Mystic is a very family-friendly place to visit. Animal lovers will enjoy wandering around the many trails at Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center or visiting the famous Mystic Aquarium. You can also visit the shops around Olde Mistick Village or dine at one of the many kid-friendly restaurants.

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 Mystic Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both New Bern and Mystic make for a good place to visit.

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.

Mystic makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Check out Mystic Seaport or drive down the coastline and visit the lighthouses. You'll also find breweries around town as well as many fun or romantic restaurants.

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

Neither New Bern or Mystic 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 Mystic. There is a bus but it has limited stops and only runs on weekdays.

Is New Bern or Mystic a more walkable city?

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

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

Mystic is generally not very walkable. While parts of town are very walkable, you'll need a car if you want to see the sights that are a bit further away.

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

Should I spend more time in Mystic or New Bern?

How long in New Bern or Mystic?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both New Bern and Mystic. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Mystic 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 Mystic.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in New Bern than Mystic 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 New Bern.

One day in New Bern or Mystic?

New Bern might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

The town of Mystic offers food and shopping. Most people come for the beaches. 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 Mystic?

New Bern is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Mystic is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this town makes for a great vacation. Many visitors spend time at the beach while visiting the area. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Mystic, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in New Bern or Mystic?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in New Bern. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Mystic 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 Mystic?

New Bern is a small town, so it's a great destination if you're short on time. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

Mystic is a great place to explore. It's also a great beach destination, too. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This 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 we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between New Bern and Mystic, we can see that Mystic is more expensive. And not only is New Bern much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to New Bern would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in New Bern and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Mystic would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mystic than you might in New Bern.

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 Mystic Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, New Bern or Mystic?

New Bern has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Mystic. When comparing the sizes of New Bern and Mystic, 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.

When is the best time to visit New Bern or Mystic?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit New Bern or Mystic in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to New Bern as well as Mystic. Most visitors come to New Bern for the small town charm and the family-friendly experiences during these months. Also, the summer months attract visitors to Mystic because of the beaches and the family-friendly experiences.

New Bern is a little warmer than Mystic in the summer. The daily temperature in New Bern averages around 80°F (27°C) in July, and Mystic fluctuates around 73°F (23°C).

New Bern receives a lot of rain in the summer. New Bern usually gets more rain in July than Mystic. New Bern gets 6.6 inches (169 mm) of rain, while Mystic receives 2.8 inches (72 mm) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit New Bern or Mystic in the Autumn?

Both Mystic and New Bern are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to New Bern because of the shopping scene and the small town atmosphere. Also, the shopping scene are the main draw to Mystic this time of year.

In the autumn, New Bern is much warmer than Mystic. Typically, the autumn temperatures in New Bern in October average around 65°F (18°C), and Mystic averages at about 53°F (12°C).

In October, New Bern usually receives around the same amount of rain as Mystic. New Bern gets 3.4 inches (85 mm) of rain, while Mystic receives 3.3 inches (83 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit New Bern or Mystic in the Winter?

Both Mystic and New Bern during the winter are popular places to visit. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to New Bern this time of year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Mystic for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Mystic. In January, New Bern is generally much warmer than Mystic. Daily temperatures in New Bern average around 44°F (7°C), and Mystic fluctuates around 28°F (-2°C).

It rains a lot this time of the year in New Bern. New Bern usually gets more rain in January than Mystic. New Bern gets 4.1 inches (105 mm) of rain, while Mystic receives 3.5 inches (89 mm) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit New Bern or Mystic in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both New Bern and Mystic. Many travelers come to New Bern for the small town charm. Furthermore, many visitors come to Mystic in the spring for the beaches.

New Bern is much warmer than Mystic in the spring. The daily temperature in New Bern averages around 62°F (16°C) in April, and Mystic fluctuates around 48°F (9°C).

In April, New Bern usually receives less rain than Mystic. New Bern gets 2.9 inches (74 mm) of rain, while Mystic receives 3.7 inches (94 mm) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Mystic and New Bern