Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in New Bern?

Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in New Bern?

Most visitors spend one to two days in New Bern when visiting. The charming town offers so many things to see and explore, so you'll want to take full advantage of the limited time you have. Highlights include the small town charm, the museums and landmarks, the food, and the many shops.

New Bern is a charming town that's located on the banks of a river. It has a small town atmosphere with a quaint downtown that is nice to explore on foot. You'll find local restaurants as well as some interesting historical sights.

Do you have one or two days to visit New Bern? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.


Is one day enough time in New Bern?

One day is generally not enough time to soak up the small town charm, browse through museums, taste delicious cuisine, and find the best deals at the shops in New Bern. A shorter schedule may leave you with a sense of urgency to enjoy popular activities such as the small town charm, the museums and landmarks, the food, and the many shops. To genuinely appreciate the highlights of the charming town, a more lengthy visit is typically recommended. Many tourists opt for one to two days here. After all, New Bern is a fun town that is somewhat popular with tourists because of its great list of sights and attractions. However, if you're working with limited time, we have some great ideas for making the most of your stay below.

How to spend a day in New Bern

The small-town atmosphere of New Bern is one of the main reasons that visitors come here. Spend at least part of your day exploring the town to see the many sights and attractions. It's filled with small town atmosphere and southern charm. There's interesting architecture and quaint local restaurants. The town moves at a slow pace, which gives it a local personality.

You can't miss out on tasting the fantastic cuisine at one of the best restaurants in town, so make sure you find somewhere special for lunch or dinner. 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 a weekend (two to three days) enough time in New Bern?

With a variety of sights and attractions, New Bern is a fairly popular choice for tourists. A weekend is just the right amount of time to see pretty much everything in New Bern. Most visitors prefer to spend one to two days here, and we have a few suggestions of things to do while you're visiting. Also, New Bern is popular with which enjoy visiting because the town offers activities specifically for them.

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How to spend 2 days in New Bern

If you have more than a weekend (two to three days) in New Bern, you'll appreciate the added time for everything the town has to offer.

Perhaps the most famous spot in New Bern is the Tryon Palace, so make sure you set aside some time to check it out. It might not be at the top of your list, but it's worth experiencing during your trip.

More Info

If you're looking for more information about New Bern, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.

Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.

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