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.

Synopsis - Gorgeous venue with great staff and good vibes…read more Was in town for a powerlifting competition at the Riverfront Convention Center and was blown away by the venue. From the parking lots to the halls, concessions, and bathrooms, this place was beautiful and well taken care of. You can tell the staff take pride in their space. Not only was there enough room for the competition, there was plenty of seating for the crowd, good quality bathrooms for all, and easy to access staff areas to help break everything down at night. Really can't beat the views and location! Great experience all around. 5 Riverfront Stars out of 5!

We walked in just to check out brochures on Labor Day (this is also the tourist office) to see if…read morethere was something we could do around town, since most attractions were closed. We didn't find anything new (we had gotten marketing material in other places the day before) but the attendant was very friendly and it was nice to be able to use their facilities and to just look around this waterfront building. They have a statue of Caleb Bradham, creator of Pepsi Cola, right by the water front entrance and a very beautiful painting of Tryon's Palace in its hay days. A nice convention venue for this little costal town.

I really enjoyed my visit to Tryon Palace! I learned a lot about the history of New Bern, which was…read morevery cool. This house is a very nice reconstruction, as the original one burned down. The guide was very knowledgeable, and they even had fake food set out in the dining room! The gardens were lovely, and you could wander in them for a while (we didn't, just because it was so hot). Definitely a reasonable price to pay for a 45-minute history lesson.

good way to spend a few hours to beat the heat. gardens are gorgeous right by the river. Sahar was…read morea fantastic guide

I really love this library... however, it is now closed for renovations(((…read more waiting for the opening

I LOVE this library! I visit here regularly when i'm in town. They have a great selection, and the…read moreprograms for children are so creative and fun! I can't wait to take my niece here. Great environment and helpful staff.

I'm a disabled veteran who travels extensively across the country. As such, I've had the…read moreopportunity to visit quite a few of our military installations across the country. I'm required to check in with the visitors centers at each base to get access so I've been in at least 20 over the past 3 years. I'm disappointed in Camp Lejeune. As one of the larger bases I've been to, this visitor center is one of the slowest and least friendly. There were 6 staff members there and in the 30+ minutes it took me to get through I only saw 2 doing any apparent work. Fortunately there was only two people ahead of me or I am sure it would have been an hour or more to get the 5 min clearance I needed to get through the gate. I've seen a trend. When visitors centers are staffed by civilians they are never as friendly or welcoming as those staffed by military personnel. They are also always slower. Camp Lejeune keeps that trend alive. At least I'm good for a few years before having to go back.

Yelp review: Mike's Barracks room…read more Overall pretty accommodating with a certain homey feel. Clean and bedding was comfortable. The host also knows all the local bars which helped. Although make sure to bring a towel because I had to use paper towels to dry off. And the bathroom is shared in a Jack and Jill set up. So middle of the night you can possibly have a buddy help shake it off. As I was checking out there was a small power outage so I was able to take advantage of the thick low light curtains to let some light in. Overall would recommend

I was originally directed to this location to update VIN # info for taxes due on a recently…read morepurchased vehicle. They further directed me to the NC DMV office (contrary to the info provided by the clerk manning the NC DMV '800' #). Everyone was friendly & mostly pleasant. In the end, I made my way to the local DMV office. I knew I should've followed my gut instinct & started there...

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge had some of the best wildlife watching I've experienced in…read morethe entire United States. It's a gem, and I can't believe it doesn't get more attention. Check the website or pick up a pamphlet at one of the entrances for a map. There's a scenic driving route that is recommended for wildlife viewing. Come at dawn or dusk and bring binoculars and some patience. You'll see a lot! We came over Memorial Day weekend and spent two hours around sunset one day and then 4 hours around dawn another day. We saw 10 bears, an otter, an alligator, a snapping turtle, a cottonmouth swimming, a raccoon, and approximately 1,000 turtles. You're more likely to see mammals at dawn and dusk, but if you come in the middle of the day on a sunny day you'll see alligators and turtles. Timing is important! Also note that the roads are all gravel. Drive slowly- that's how you'll spot stuff best anyway. You can also walk on a couple trails. One trail went through a cypress swamp and was good for birding, insects, and turtles. Another trail went along a field and is great for seeing alligators and bears. We saw a bear right on the trail! There are kayaking trails as well. You should be an experienced kayaker because you'll have to bring your own equipment. The trails are quiet and isolated, and they would provide some peaceful beautiful kayaking. Bring bug spray if you're going to get out of the car. It's also just a beautiful place! Sunset and sunrise are gorgeous. I can't wait to come back again.

We came through in the evening for an educational program on bears. We then had the opportunity to…read moredrive around as we wished through the refuge. Between our 2 cars we spotted a distant black bear, possible red wolf, a barred owl, lots of turtles and a small gator. Worth taking a drive to see what you find!

Efficient operation if you get there right before opening @ 9AM. Don't be put off by the long line…read more I showed up with 20 people in front of me, but was done in 20 minutes. That's pretty good service on average! The employees are trying their best with non-stop customers until closing, so give 'em a smile and thanks. One star deduction because the State of NC should provide more staff for them, but that's not the fault of the folks working there!

I haven't been to the DMV since my license was issued in 2013 so I was coming to see about a…read morerenewal and I know the process is different with COVID so I wanted to see what the process was now. The man who is working today July 20, 2020 at 1:15pm has a terrible attitude. I simply walked up and asked if you have to have an appointment and do they take walk ups because I didn't know, he shakes his head at me while telling me I suggest you make an appointment. And I told him, "I'm just asking a question." There was absolutely no need for all the attitude, if you hate your job that's not my problem but when I'm asked a question at my job I answer, without the attitude. I just don't understand it, work on the customer service especially when you're asked a question nicely, no need for all that.