City of New Bern!! It has been an honor and a privilege to visit your city and assist with the…read moredisaster relief efforts from Hurricane Florence! Our disaster relief team from Los Angeles, CA (specifically Torrance) arrived on a late Saturday and some of the team was wearing our team shirts from the organization we had worked with. New Bern residents that saw us in a restaurant or other places went out of her way to say thank you to us for being there to help. Love the people, places, and the charming Bear statues everywhere. New Bern was founded in 1710 by a Swiss entrepreneur from Bern, Switzerland. Bern in Swiss means bear which is why there are many bear statues. We thank you so much for the kind hospitality. In the short time we were there, we did did our best and worked hard. We know there is still much work to be done as New Bern is one of the hardest hit cities in NC affected by the hurricane. We believe New Bern is on its way to a make an amazing comeback. We love you, New Bern! #CarolinaStrong

It had been quite awhile since we'd spent any time in this beautiful, historic town snuggled up…read moreagainst the Neuse and Trent Rivers - but I can say without a doubt that we will be back for a visit between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when they go all out to make it a magical wonderland for kids of all age. So much of the architectural integrity of the the central downtown area has been preserved, even highlighted, as the city has grown and spread out in a much more modern fashion. There are over 160 houses and buildings within in walking distance of the waterfront that are on the National Register, and that area contains almost 2000 crape myrtles, the city's official flower. It is a great deal of fun to walk around the downtown area, especially at night when the buildings are all lit up, especially the beautiful City Hall building. New Bern was founded in 1710 by Swiss and Palatine German immigrants, and it is the second oldest city in North Carolina to be settled by Europeans. The town was named for Bern, the capital of Switzerland, and the hometown of many of the initial settlers. The coat of arms of Bern contains the symbol of a bear, and there are brightly painted statues of bears all over the historical area of New Bern, and even an attractive little section named Bear Park.

Mr. Martin was so helpful and polite. All of the staff were kind and efficient. If you need to go…read moreto a Social Security office this is the one to go to

Great service. My wife and I had an appointment. We went in got friendly professional service.read more

A beautiful, well preserved, historic building is the perfect location for the New Bern Historical…read moreSociety. Rumored to be haunted, so tread lightly. We were greeted upon entry by a volunteer in the front office and advised on what the building held and how to properly tour it on our own. We were given a handout that explained the particulars of the building and its history. There are so many artifacts and stories on the walls and in displays. I really enjoyed our time here, and would love to do a tour after dark some night if that was an option. The backyard is accessible as well, which has manicured gardens and a couple of headstones resting under some bushes. I'm sure there's a story behind them, but I'm not familiar with it to share with you. The Ghosts of New Bern tour took us to this location and shared several stories about old ladies, children, and cats.

Pretty much the middle of nowhere along US Highway 17, this marker is not far from Deppe Park and…read morethe Deppe Fire Tower. The marker reads, "Hofmann Forest. Named for J. V. Hofmann. Research forest of 80,000 acres in Jones & Onslow counties. Acquired, 1934, for use by North Carolina State University." Online, there is more information. "Hofmann Forest is located in the coastal region of North Carolina and is a major project of the Forestry School of North Carolina State University, encompassing nearly 80,000 contiguous acres. Dr. Julius V. Hofmann arrived in Raleigh to establish the program in 1929 after working in a similar project in Pennsylvania. Hofmann and the North Carolina Forestry Foundation purchased the property in Onslow County to serve as a field laboratory for forest studies." "Since Hofmann's pioneering work, the work of the NCSU Forestry School has expanded to include several other study forests. Hofmann Forest continues to support academic programs through graduate fellowships, basic and applied research, and outdoor-classroom instruction. Recent research has studied a wide range of topics including fire ecology, wildlife, seed quality of pond pine, survival and growth of the Atlantic white cedar, forest hydrology, bio-diversity, tree spacing, cattle grazing, forest economics, and water quality." I'm not a camper (at least not in a tent) so I'm not going to be exploring the forest. But maybe that's something that appeals to you? [Review 18888 overall - 3373 in North Carolina - 2411 of 2022.]

Craven County is named for William Craven, who was the 1st Earl of Craven and was a Lord Proprietor…read moreof colonial North Carolina. This building is the main courthouse and houses the County Superior Court and the County District Court of the 3rd Judicial District. The rectangular-shaped red-brick building is two stories and faces east. There is a tall square tower with an entrance on the ground floor with a steep roof that rises above the roof line on the east front. At the north and south extremities are one story arched porticos, while the second story windows are arched. The structure's roof is mansard-shaped. The first story's interior has a cross hall layout with a central hallway. The second-story courtroom takes up the entire width of the structure. Street parking and a dedicated lot are nearby. [Review 18899 overall - 3383 in North Carolina - 2422 of 2022.]

We live about an hour from New Bern. My wife and I like to get away for nearby weekend coastal…read moredestinations every couple of months to loosen up the grind of work. New Bern has become a regular favorite out of our visits to Beaufort, Edenton, Oriental and Wilmington (used to live there). All of those places are worth a visit. Don't get me wrong. We have stayed at neighboring B&Bs near The Jarvis. So far, there is no comparison. We have also stayed at the chain hotels there. If you go to New Bern, The Jarvis is a place you should consider first. You'll get extremely personalized service from Ian, the innkeeper. He slightly reprimanded me for fetching my own coffee on our last morning there. The Jarvis is a destination venue for wedding parties. We expected the sleeping hours might get a little loud and we were prepared for it. However, it was remarkably quiet in the wee hours and the bed may be the most comfortable I have ever slept on. We both came home well rested. I won't go into the cool amenities, but you need to check out 'The Cellar Door' in the basement. We spent a couple of fun hours there during the rain storm that hit while we were there. Highly recommended! We will definitely return.

Lovely quiet place very accessible to all the shopping and dining nearby…read more The downside was that there was no one on duty to ask question about the area! No breakfast either!

Being a somewhat coastal city, Kinston experienced both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War…read more This marker points out an extended engagement as Union forces sought to develop a supply line through the area that was guarded by Confederates. In the end, some 1257 Union soldiers were lost and more than 1500 Confederate. It is considered a Union Army victory. There is a lot of information to digest on the marker. The first paragraph reads, "In the late stages of the Civil War Union forces were intent on moving up the rail line from New Bern through Kinston to Goldsboro. Their objective was to unite with Sherman and open a supply route through eastern North Carolina. Confederate troops entrenched on Southwest Creek sought to impede their progress. For three days the opposing armies clashed in the fields and woods south and east of the creek. Union Maj. Gen. Jacob D. Cox commanded over 13,000 soldiers, most belonging to the divisions of Brig. Gen. Innis N. Palmer and Brig. Gen. Samuel P. Carter. Gen. Braxton Bragg led a Confederate force of 12,500 men, organized in divisions led by fellow North Carolinians Gen. Robert F. Hoke and Gen. D. H. Hill. The Junior Reserves, mostly seventeen-year-olds mustered in only months before, came under Hill's command." "The Battle of Wyse Fork (also known as the Battle of Kinston and the Battle of Southwest Creek) involved one of the largest concentrations of troops ever on North Carolina soil." The marker has a small parking area. There are other markers around Kinston that point out some defensive and offensive positions and battles. [Review 278 of 2024 - 3535 in North Carolina - 21313 overall.]