New Bern

New Bern is a city of 31,000 people (2020) in the coastal region of the state of North Carolina. New Bern has three historic districts with homes, stores, and churches dating as far back as the early 18th century.

Understand
New Bern was founded in 1710 by Swiss and German adventurers led by Baron Christoph von Graffenried from Bern, Switzerland. The coat of arms of the Swiss city included a bear, which lead to the New Bern city mascot being a bear. Bears are a recurring motif within the city - from names of businesses, to statues found throughout, to the "Bear City" nickname for the city itself. Royal Governor William Tryon made New Bern the colonial capital. His restored 18th-century capitol and residence, Tryon Palace, dominates a thirteen-acre garden complex that includes several historical landmarks in the heart of the city.

A major port and trading center in the 1800s, New Bern was captured and occupied by the Union Army after a fierce battle on March 14, 1862. In 1898, the pharmacist Caleb Bradham invented Pepsi Cola in his pharmacy at the intersection Middle and Pollock Street. The building still exists.

Get in
Generally, those who come to New Bern come in from Raleigh-Durham International Airport via rental car or through the local airport, Coastal Carolina Regional Airport, with flights on Delta and American Airlines. I-40 and I-95 are interstate highways that run relatively close to New Bern, which is located on US Highway 70, NC 17, and US Highway 17.

Bus service is provided by Greyhound. Buses stop at 4010 Martin Luther King Blvd, nowhere near downtown, so you'll have to figure out some way to get into town from the bus stop.

Get around
The downtown shopping district is walkable. Elsewhere in town a car is necessary. There is no public transportation and taxis are rare and expensive.

Buy
There are lots of quirky little shops in downtown New Bern. A thriving artist's community in town and the surrounding area support a variety of art galleries.