Last weekend, my daughter Maddie and I jumped on a quick flight to New Bern, North Carolina. If you’re not familiar with the area, it’s in the coastal Carolina region, home of Pepsi and the iconic setting from the book The Notebook. I love exploring new areas that are so convenient to get to — it’s just an hour flight from the D.C. area. We totally fell in love with this cutest coastal town because it offered so much to do!
Not only is New Bern a quaint destination, but it’s also rich with history. For those of you wanting to know more about Black History or about New Bern, the Trolly Tour and Tyron Palace Tour are both must-do’s. As for our accommodations, our Bed & Breakfast was the most special place. We stayed at The Aerie Bed & Breakfast, which is located in the downtown historic district.
I honestly had the best weekend with my daughter and I’m so grateful that we got some one-on-one time here — it was a trip I won’t ever forget. We truly had a blast capturing all of our moments together (you can catch up on our trip in my Instagram highlights).
If you’re looking for summer vacation ideas, consider this your go-to guide on where to stay, eat, and drink along the Carolina Coast.
WHERE TO STAY IN NEW BERN, NC
When traveling to a small, coastal town, the hotel options are often limited, but don’t let that deter you from making the trip. One of my favorite parts of our trip to New Bern was our cute and cozy bed and breakfast. I loved the fact that Maddie thought staying in a B&B meant we would get breakfast in bed every morning — ha!
The Aerie Bed & Breakfast hosted our stay and it was the perfect spot for our mother-daughter getaway. It was just steps from Middle Street, and it was centrally located near a bunch of shops, museums, historical landmarks, delicious food, and the water.
The best part is that between now and August 30, you can save 10% on your stay at The Aerie with code VNBAerie — a special code given just to my readers! I highly recommend booking your stay with them before summer is over.
During our trip, we decided to take a drive to Beaufort, NC. Maddie and I both agreed that we need an entire trip dedicated to Beaufort, but we especially loved The Beaufort Hotel and look forward to a trip there soon. They hosted us for the afternoon and let us see some of their beautiful suites. Built in 2019, the hotel had all the amenities you could imagine and the rooms were just beautiful.
THINGS TO DO IN NEW BERN, NC
One nice part about the coastal Carolina region is that it’s so easy to get to different cities. Although there was so much for us to do right in New Bern, we took a day to drive to Beaufort and plan to do an entire trip there one day. However, if you want to explore just in New Bern, here were some of our highlights.
Pepsi Products in New Bern, NC
New Bern is the home of Pepsi! Maddie got to try her first Pepsi product in the birthplace of the brand. As for me, I got to relive some of my best memories and commercials from the 90s. If you make it out to New Bern, be sure to stop at the Pepsi Store to learn more about where the home offices of Pepsi-Cola once stood.
History of New Bern, NC
Coming to New Bern knowing it was the book setting from The Notebook, I had an idea of what it would be like. However, I never imagined it would be rich with so much history.
Maddie and I went on several tours that I would highly recommend to visitors. Our first tour was the New Bern Historic Trolly Tour where we got to see the architectural beauty of this city. We learned so much from our amazing tour guide!
After our quick trip to Beaufort, we stopped by the Tyron Palace, which we learned was the original capital of North Carolina (crazy, right?) The Gardens at Tyron Palace were filled with art and were so beautiful.
Other Activities in New Bern, NC
Food, Food, and More Food
If I had to summarize my trip to New Bern in one sentence, it would be: So much to do, so much to see, and so much to eat! There are a ton of great food options in New Bern, from an amazing breakfast at The Aerie to dinner with a view, you have endless options to choose from. Plus, because we were so close to the water, the seafood was fresh and delicious. All of the food and drinks we enjoyed on our trip can be found here, but I’m also highlighting some of the standouts below.
Boat Tour
Want to get out on the water? My daughter and I started one of our days with a boat tour of New Bern, courtesy of Anchors Up Marine. The weather was absolutely perfect and it was so nice to explore a new part of the city. We had such a great experience with Anchors Up Marine and I’d highly recommend it to anyone visiting with kids!
Go Biking
After a morning on the water, Maddie and I loved using Coastal Cycle Share to get around town. While biking around, we learned that New Bern is home of the Bern Bears — there are over 80 bear statues all over town, and they all are different! It was great to bike along the river walk, and we even stumbled upon the cutest antique shop (which I could have spent hours in).
Take a Day trip to Beaufort, NC
Even though we could have filled all our days with shopping, eating, and biking the streets of New Bern, we decided to take a day trip to Beaufort. The coastal town is about 15 minutes from the beach and just 45 minutes outside of New Bern.
As I mentioned above, we were hosted by The Beaufort Hotel and got to take a look at their beautiful suites. Maddie and I already decided the whole family will be coming back and staying here (hopefully soon!)
While visiting, we learned that Black Beard’s ship sank there and they have pulled up various treasure and items — there are lots of pirate souvenirs in town, which is great for the kids.
Maddie and I loved our day in Beaufort which also included a Tiki Boat Ride, shopping at Loved Island Proper Boutique and Isla Boutique, and delicious meals at 34 Degrees North and Beaufort Grocery.
Where to Eat and Drink in New Bern, NC
I have a full list of my New Bern restaurant recommendations here, but these are some standouts from our most recent trip.
Persimmons Waterfront Restaurant
This was one of my favorite spots we went to on our trip. Not only were the views amazing, but the creative menu really showcased the chef’s attention to detail. The atmosphere by the water was so relaxing and the tuna tartar was hands down the best I’ve ever had. I’d consider this an absolute must if you’re visiting.
Kuma Sushi Bar
Wow — just wow! I have to give this a 10 out of 10. The food was amazing and so was the service. It makes such a big impact when you have an exceptionally good dining experience. The food was so fresh. Don’t leave without trying the crunchy tuna volcano roll.
Bella’s Cafe & Catering
I love a good breakfast spot, and this one certainly didn’t disappoint. It’s the perfect place to stop for a quick bite or a family brunch. I had the quiche and thought the coffee was really good.
Baxter’s 1892
Although we came just for drinks and dessert, Baxter’s 1892 had a great atmosphere. All of the food looked amazing and I will definitely want to come give it a try the next time I’m in town.
more photos from our trip
Regardless of where you live, you can easily book a flight to New Bern, NC here!
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