A Carolina charmer with a deference to the past and a nod to the future.
By Katie and Gene Hamilton
North Carolina boaters and ICW cruisers enjoy the changing face of New Bern, a charming little harbor town where the Neuse River meets the Trent River about 15 miles upriver from Oriental. It's that same appeal of small-town Carolina charm with a cosmopolitan flair that draws convention-goers to New Bern with just the right mix of old and new.
The New Bern Grand Marina sits on the Trent River at the foot of downtown, so it's a popular destination for cruisers and the live-aboards who call it home. As part of the new Hilton, the marina offers the same services as the hotel, including Wi-Fi connection, a spa, room service delivered to the boat and golf packages for nearby courses.
Galley Stores is another in-town marina just a bit farther upriver on the Neuse and around the point. You'll find a complete market on the premises. "It's designed for provisioning," says Mark Mangum, the manager. With Wi-Fi and the only fuel (high-speed) docks in town, the marina sits at the corner of East Front and Pollack Streets near the Comfort Suites.
Harbor Pointe Marina sits across the river on the other side of the bridge. It has a pool and Wi-Fi for transients.
A boardwalk connects the town's riverfront with a park and band shell at Union Point, where a convention center and hotels are all nicely scaled to the cityscape. Here, there's a panoramic view of the Neuse River where it joins the Trent. At any time of day the park is typically busy with people — joggers and bikers in the morning, strollers in the evening. The downtown area is a few blocks from the marinas, so after you tie up you can check out the specialty stores, restaurants and farmers' market.
New Bern is the second-oldest town in North Carolina and the site of Tryon Palace, an elegant, Georgian-style mansion furnished with an impressive collection of antiques and artwork. The palace, with its lavish grounds and gardens, served as the royal capital for the British crown before the Revolutionary War and became North Carolina's first permanent capital. Today, the massive estate lures visitors through its iron gates to tour its rooms, period craft demonstrations and heirloom gardens.
To take a tour of New Bern you have several options. Ride in a horse-drawn carriage, jump on a trolley car, glide on a Segway or tag along on a walking ghost tour at night. Some favorite stops are the New Bern Firemans Museum and the New Bern Academy Museum, which served as a hospital during the Civil War.
The well-heeled, tree-lined city streets, as well as the size of the original storefronts, are evidence of the importance of New Bern as a major historical port and trading center. Today, there are shops for antiques, art, clothing and nautical items. New Bern is the sister city of Bern, Switzerland, where many of its original settlers hailed from; the connection is evident today, since the town's coat of arms shares the same Swiss black bear symbol. (There's a bit of bear mania here, with retailers like Bear City Fudge and a dog bakery in Bear Plaza.)
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Plan a stop at the corner drug store filled with Pepsi Cola memorabilia, where the soft drink was invented. Pharmacist Caleb Bradham was developing a tonic for people with digestive problems that happened to taste pretty good; it later became the popular soft drink. The woman behind the counter explained to us the recipe was based on the enzyme pepsin, which is where it got its name. Then she pointed across the street and said, "But some folks say Caleb was inspired by that church because if you take the letters of the word Episcopal and jumble them, you get Pepsi Cola."
It's easy to see why snowbirds veer off the beaten path of the ICW en route to New Bern. It's a charmer of a harbor town that gets better with age.
Where to Stay
The New Bern Grand Marina (newberngrandmarina.com, $1.75 per foot) at the Hilton is at the confluence of the Neuse and Trent Rivers. To approach the marina as you come up the Neuse, follow the wide and well-marked channel in until you're in the protected waters of the harbor. An anchorage lies off the high-rise highway bridge near the train trestle and new condos, but keep clear of the charted cable areas. The Galley Stores Market & Marina (galleystores.com, $1.35 per foot) is just beyond Union Point Park. There are plans for a new seafood restaurant this summer and the executive chef will cater to cruising groups. From this marina, you also can rent bikes to get around town. Harbor Pointe Marina (252-637-7372; $1.50 per foot) is across the river from downtown at the foot of the new bridge, which is to be completed this fall.
What to Do
For food and sustenance, you'll find a host of restaurant choices — raw bars, seafood, steakhouses — all within easy walking distance from the major marinas near downtown. Eat breakfast or lunch at the Almond Tree Cafe and Ice Cream Parlor on Middle Street. (All breakfasts include a warm, homemade sweet potato biscuit. We also suggest you try dinner at Morgan's Tavern & Grill on Craven Street, with its high-beamed ceilings and brick walls.
Touring options include Segway tours from Tarheel Adventures (800-979-3370); an evening walking expedition called Ghosts of New Bern (252-571-4766); horse-drawn excursions with Carolina Carriage Tours (252-675-5360); and trolley tours with New Bern Tours (800-849-7316). For general visitor information, go to the New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce on South Front Street in town. visitnewbern.com.
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