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

Should you visit New Bern or Williamsburg?

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

Should I visit New Bern or Williamsburg? 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 charming, laid back, and quaint town. As this is a charming small town, visitors also come to explore the sights and local activities. Other popular activities here include museums, food, and shopping.

Williamsburg

Williamsburg is a quaint, well-preserved, and historic town. It's a gorgeous place to visit. It's also known for food, shopping, and museums.

New Bern and Williamsburg: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in New Bern or Williamsburg?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Williamsburg than New Bern, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Williamsburg is better known for its museums, food, historical sights, shopping, and impressive beauty, while New Bern is more popular for its small town charm. Williamsburg is more touristy than New Bern and is known for its historic and colonial charm, its award winning amusement parks, and its historical reenactments. Also, Williamsburg is famous for Colonial Williamsburg. New Bern is well known for being the birthplace of Pepsi.

How is New Bern different from Williamsburg?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Williamsburg 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 Williamsburg?

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

Williamsburg offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. Colonial Williamsburg is like a living museum with reenactments and historic buildings that date back to the colonial days. In addition to the historic area, there are folk art museums and other historic sights in the area.

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 Williamsburg? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Williamsburg is well known for its restaurant scene. Also, New Bern is still popular, but not quite as popular for its local flavors and cuisine.

With its innovative style combined with traditional elements, Williamsburg makes for a great culinary experience. Head to Historic Williamsburg if you want to try some colonial classics. There are historic taverns that maintain their old world charm and serve dishes such as peanut soup and stewed beef. Around town you'll also find casual restaurants with pizza, macaroni and cheese, and burgers.

New Bern has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. 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.

Is New Bern or Williamsburg Better for Nightlife?

Party-goers will find similar levels of energy in New Bern and Williamsburg.

New Bern is generally a quiet destination but there are options around. There are a couple of pubs and breweries around town.

Williamsburg doesn't have the most active nightlife scene. Despite its student population, there isn't much of a nightlife scene in town. There are restaurants where you can enjoy fine wine or cocktails, but nightclubs and bars are limited.

Is New Bern or Williamsburg Better for its Old Town?

Williamsburg is an unbeatable place for its historic old town. However, New Bern does not have a historic old town.

With a famous historical old-town, Williamsburg offers plenty to see. Colonial Williamsburg is an impressively maintained area with museums, shops, and taverns. There are live reenactments of historic events as well as blacksmiths, wig shops, and carriage rides. You can wander around without a ticket, but for access to many parts of the historic area you'll need to purchase a pass.

New Bern does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in New Bern or Williamsburg?

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

Williamsburg is an extremely popular place for shoppers. Charming shops both in the historic area and just outside sell unique items that reflect the city's past. There are souvenirs, food items, cookbooks, and home decor to choose from.

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 Williamsburg Better for Families?

Williamsburg is an unbeatable place for its family-friendly activities. However, New Bern is not particularly known for its kid-friendly activities.

As it has a large number of activities for kids, Williamsburg is a very family-friendly destination. Older kids will appreciate the history in the area. For kids of all ages there are a number of amusement parks and water parks such as Great Wolf Lodge, Busch Gardens, and the award winning Water Country USA.

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 Williamsburg Better for Couples?

Williamsburg is well known for romance. Also, New Bern is still popular, but not quite as popular for its romantic activities.

Couples visit Williamsburg frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. Historic Williamsburg is filled with inns and charming restaurants that make this a beautiful destination for couples. There are quaint restaurants that serve colonial food and interesting southern shops with unique trinkets. You can also wander around the campus of William and Mary College.

New Bern makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. 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.

Is New Bern or Williamsburg Better for Students?

Williamsburg is an unbeatable place for students. However, New Bern is not popular with students.

Many students frequent Williamsburg. The College of William and Mary has a beautiful campus and students enjoy the charming atmosphere with colonial architecture around town. There are also good restaurants and a great collegiate vibe.

New Bern is not popular with students.

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

Williamsburg is a town with a few options for its public transit. However, New Bern is not particularly known for times when you don't have a car.

Public transit is generally limited in Williamsburg. There are buses around town, and they offer access to Historic Williamsburg, but for most places you'll need to have your own car.

Public transit is quite limited in New Bern. There's no real public transit in the area.

Is New Bern or Williamsburg a more walkable city?

New Bern is a good destination for its ease of walking around. However, Williamsburg is a town with minimal options for its walkability.

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

Williamsburg is generally not a very walkable town. Historic Williamsburg and the neighborhoods around the College of William and Mary are all walkable, but if you plan to visit the amusement parks then you'll absolutely need a car.

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

Should I spend more time in Williamsburg or New Bern?

How long in New Bern or Williamsburg?

It's fun to spend time in either New Bern or Williamsburg. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Williamsburg due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for New Bern, and 2-4 days is enough time in Williamsburg.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Williamsburg 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 Williamsburg.

One day in New Bern or Williamsburg?

New Bern is a small town where visitors enjoy the shopping and museums. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. In one day, you should have a good grasp of this town.

The town of Williamsburg offers food and shopping. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. 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 Williamsburg?

New Bern is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. It will give you the chance to have new experiences. So, a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.

Williamsburg 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. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Williamsburg, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in New Bern or Williamsburg?

New Bern is a small town, so you can explore the area with less time. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days.

Williamsburg 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 Williamsburg?

New Bern is a popular place to visit. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Williamsburg is a great place to explore. Visiting the old town is also a must. 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 Williamsburg, we can see that New Bern is more expensive. And not only is Williamsburg much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Williamsburg would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Williamsburg 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 New Bern would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in New Bern than you might in Williamsburg.

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 Williamsburg Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, New Bern or Williamsburg?

New Bern has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Williamsburg. When comparing the sizes of New Bern and Williamsburg, 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 Williamsburg?

Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit New Bern or Williamsburg in the Summer?

Both Williamsburg and New Bern are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. 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 Williamsburg because of the family-friendly experiences.

In July, New Bern is generally around the same temperature as Williamsburg. Daily temperatures in New Bern average around 80°F (27°C), and Williamsburg fluctuates around 78°F (26°C).

It rains a lot this time of the year in Williamsburg. It's quite rainy in New Bern. In July, New Bern usually receives more rain than Williamsburg. New Bern gets 6.6 inches (169 mm) of rain, while Williamsburg receives 4.7 inches (120 mm) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit New Bern or Williamsburg in the Autumn?

Both Williamsburg and New Bern during the autumn are popular places to visit. The autumn months attract visitors to New Bern because of the shopping scene and the small town atmosphere. Furthermore, the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Williamsburg this time of year.

New Bern is a little warmer than Williamsburg in the autumn. The daily temperature in New Bern averages around 65°F (18°C) in October, and Williamsburg fluctuates around 61°F (16°C).

New Bern usually gets more rain in October than Williamsburg. New Bern gets 3.4 inches (85 mm) of rain, while Williamsburg receives 2.8 inches (71 mm) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit New Bern or Williamsburg in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both New Bern and Williamsburg. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to New Bern this time of year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Williamsburg for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Williamsburg. In the winter, New Bern is much warmer than Williamsburg. Typically, the winter temperatures in New Bern in January average around 44°F (7°C), and Williamsburg averages at about 38°F (4°C).

New Bern gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, New Bern usually receives more rain than Williamsburg. New Bern gets 4.1 inches (105 mm) of rain, while Williamsburg receives 3.6 inches (93 mm) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit New Bern or Williamsburg in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to New Bern as well as Williamsburg. Many travelers come to New Bern for the small town charm. Additionally, many visitors come to Williamsburg in the spring for the natural beauty.

In April, New Bern is generally a little warmer than Williamsburg. Daily temperatures in New Bern average around 62°F (16°C), and Williamsburg fluctuates around 57°F (14°C).

New Bern usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Williamsburg. New Bern gets 2.9 inches (74 mm) of rain, while Williamsburg receives 3 inches (76 mm) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Williamsburg and New Bern