New Bern, North Carolina
New Bern is a city of 32,734 people in Craven County, North Carolina, founded in October 1710.
Why visit New Bern
Townapedia lists 72 museums and landmarks, 35 parks and trails, 104 places to eat, 13 places to stay and 5 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Neuse Boulevard Cinema, Bear Town Cinema, New Bern National Cemetery and New Bern City Hall.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 90°F; January lows average 34°F.
Weather in New Bern
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About New Bern
New Bern (pronounced /'nu bərn/ NEW-bern, is a city in Craven County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. It had a population of 31,291 at the 2020 census. It is located at the confluence of the Neuse and the Trent Rivers, near the headwaters of Pamlico Sound on the North Carolina coast. It lies 112 miles (180 km) east of Raleigh, 89 miles (143 km) north of Wilmington, and 162 miles (261 km) south of Norfolk, Virginia.
From the Wikipedia article New Bern, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do5
Museums and landmarks72
New Bern National Cemetery
Cemetery · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Historic veterans cemetery in New Bern, North Carolina
1711 National Avenue, New Bern
New Bern City Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Government building in New Bern, North Carolina
300 Pollock Street, New Bern
Baxter Clock
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Historic street clock located in New Bern, North Carolina
Cedar Grove Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Cemetery in New Bern, North Carolina, United States
First Church of Christ, Scientist
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Church building in New Bern, United States of America
408 Middle Street, New Bern
Harvey Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
New Bern, North Carolina, listed on the NRHP in Craven County, North Carolina
221 South Front Street, New Bern
Attmore-Oliver House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Benjamin Smith House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Blades House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Bryan House and Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
New Bern, North Carolina, NRHP-listed
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Centenary Methodist Church
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Church building in New Bern, United States of America
Central Elementary School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Listed on the NRHP in Craven County, North Carolina
60 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds35
Martin Marietta Park
Park · 3.5 mi
Martin Marietta Park is the newest and largest park in the City of New Bern Park System. This park is located on the site of a former...
23 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes104
Beartown Bistro And Pizza
Restaurant · Burger, Italian Pizza, Pizza · 2.6 mi
1200
Mo-Th 11:00-20:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:00
Lawson's On The Creek
Restaurant · Sandwich · 1.8 mi
529 South Front Street, New Bern
Mo-Su 10:00-18:00
Attitudes Pub & Grille
Diner · American · 4.6 mi
32 Shoreline Drive, River Bend
92 more on the map.
History
New Bern was settled in October 1710 by the Palatines and Swiss under the leadership of Christoph von Graffenried. The new colonists named their settlement after the Canton of Bern, home of their patron. Von Graffenried had the original plat of the town laid out in the shape of a cross, though later development and additional streets have obscured this pattern within the regular street grid. The British governor's palace (present-day Tryon Palace) served as the capitol of North Carolina from 1770 until the state government relocated to Raleigh in 1792, after a fire had destroyed much of the capitol. This became the first permanent capital city of North Carolina.
No printer was available in North Carolina until 1749, when the North Carolina Assembly commissioned James Davis from Williamsburg, Virginia, to act as their official printer. Before this time, the laws and legal journals of North Carolina were handwritten and were largely kept in a disorganized manner, prompting them to hire Davis. Davis settled in New Bern and was appointed by colonial postmaster general Benjamin Franklin as North Carolina's first postmaster, who also became active in North Carolina's politics, as a member of the assembly and later as the sheriff. Davis also founded and printed the North-Carolina Gazette in New Bern, North Carolina's first newspaper.
From the History section of New Bern, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay13
Comfort Suites New Bern Near Cherry Point
Motel and hotel · 2.5 mi
1006 Old Cherry Point Road, New Bern
Holiday Inn Express & Suites New Bern - Medical Park
Motel and hotel · 1.4 mi
1020 Newman Road, New Bern
Hannah House Bed & Breakfast
Motel and hotel · 2.2 mi
218 Pollock Street, New Bern
Holiday Inn Express New Bern
Motel and hotel · 1.5 mi
3455 M L King Jr Boulevard, New Bern
Palace Motel
Motel and hotel · 1.2 mi
1901 Dr. M. L. King Jr. Boulevard, New Bern
Churches and places of worship28
Christ Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 2.1 mi
320 Pollock Street, New Bern
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Place of worship · Jehovahs Witness · 1.8 mi
2750 Amhurst Boulevard, New Bern
Shopping47
Gas and EV charging20
Schools, colleges and libraries24
Healthcare10
Dermatology Associates
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.4 mi
2115 Neuse Boulevard, New Bern
Map of New Bern
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55°F | 34°F | 3.9 in |
| Feb | 58°F | 36°F | 3.3 in |
| Mar | 65°F | 42°F | 3.9 in |
| Apr | 74°F | 50°F | 3.2 in |
| May | 80°F | 59°F | 4.2 in |
| Jun | 87°F | 67°F | 4.6 in |
| Jul | 90°F | 71°F | 6.3 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 70°F | 6.8 in |
| Sep | 83°F | 65°F | 6.3 in |
| Oct | 75°F | 54°F | 3.6 in |
| Nov | 66°F | 43°F | 3.3 in |
| Dec | 58°F | 37°F | 3.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for New Bern Craven Co Ap (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Craven County has had 23 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-06: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2020-10-14: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- Trent Woods 1 mi southwest, about 2 min by car
- Brices Creek 4 mi south, about 6 min by car
- Bridgeton 4 mi northeast, about 7 min by car
- River Bend 5 mi west, about 8 min by car
- James City 5 mi southeast, about 9 min by car
- Havelock 16 mi southeast, about 26 min by car
- Jacksonville 31 mi southwest, about 50 min by car
- Kinston 32 mi northwest, about 52 min by car
- Greenville 38 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- Goldsboro 54 mi west, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- New Bern Municipal Building (City Hall), Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Belk - New Bern Mall (7940208262), Mike Kalasnik from Charlotte, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Lowes New Bern, NC (7849002662), Mike Kalasnik from Fort Mill, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Lowes New Bern, NC (7849001162), Mike Kalasnik from Fort Mill, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Lowes New Bern, NC (7848999608), Mike Kalasnik from Fort Mill, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Lowes New Bern, NC (7848998074), Mike Kalasnik from Fort Mill, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- U.S. National Cemetery-New Bern, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- First Church of Christ, Scientist - New Bern, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Harvey Mansion ca. 1798, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Monument in Cedar Grove Cemetery (New Bern, NC), KathyAnn, Public domain
- Baxter Clock, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jerkins-Duffy House, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Smith-Whitford House, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rhem-Waldrop House (John L. Rhem House), Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tisdale-Jones House, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Coor-Bishop House, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- DeGraffenried Park Historic District, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- RiversideHistoricDistrict 5973, Cecouchman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MountShilohMBChurch 5866, Cecouchman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jones-Jarvis House, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ulysses S. Mace, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Benjamin Smith House, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- SloanHouse 5530, Cecouchman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Episcopal Church, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- St Peter's AME Zion Church, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CentenaryMethodist 5440, Cecouchman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Edward R. Stanly House, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Blades House, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Anne Green Lane House, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- First Baptist Church-New Bern NC, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- EbenezerPresbyterian 5429, Cecouchman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Thomas Jerkins House, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- StJohnsMBChurch 5533, Cecouchman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- First Presbyterian Church-New Bern, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Stevenson House, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- NewBernHouse1, Smallbones ( talk ), Public domain
- HawksHouse 5963, Cecouchman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bryan House and Office, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Eli Smallwood House, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Coor-Gaston House, Tradewinds, CC BY-SA 3.0
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