By Land

From the north, U.S. Highway 17 leads directly into the heart of New Bern. From the west, Interstate 95 leads to U.S. Highway 70, which continues straight into New Bern. From the north or south, U.S. 17 is the most direct route to the area. From the east, the drive here is along U.S. 70 from the Morehead City area.

The $93 million Neuse River Bridge, the costliest in North Carolina's history, opened in late 1999. The 1.9-mile, four-lane bridge spans the Neuse River from Bridgeton to James City, connecting U.S. 17 to U.S. 70. At its highest point, the bridge arches 65 feet above the Neuse River. It replaced the two-lane John Lawson drawbridge, which was dismantled shortly after the opening of the new bridge. The Neuse River Bridge allows travelers heading directly to the beaches from the south or north to bypass the heart of New Bern. Exit ramps along U.S. 70 can take you into the downtown historic district, to Trent Woods (Pembroke), to U.S. 17 N. or to Glenburnie Road.

The Alfred Cunningham Bridge, which once spanned  the Trent River and connected the downtown historic district with the Neuse River Bridge and U.S. 70, has been dismantled and construction continues to replace that span by 2009. During the two-year construction period, traffic to the downtown area will be routed through the Trent Woods/Pembroke exit.

There is also construction being done on Broad Street  from the circle on E. Front Street to the fire department on First Street. The approach to downtown is undergoing repaving, curb and guttering, the creation of a tree-lined center island, planting of a grass strip between the curb and sidewalk, extension of pedestrian lights to First Street, parking on both sides of the street and a bike path. This construction has been tagged as part of the 300th anniversary effort to beautify New Bern. Completion date on the contract is December 2010. Your best bet is to take Pollock Street, past Tryon Palace, downtown from First Street after coming off the Trent Woods/Pembroke exit.

Bus Service

Greyhound Lines, Inc.//New Bern
804 Guion St., New Bern
(252) 633-3100, (800) 231-2222  

Greyhound Lines, Inc. provides bus service to and from New Bern. Four buses depart daily. Two buses depart for Raleigh — one at 11:20 AM and one at 7:05 PM. Two other buses are bound for points south: Jacksonville, Wilmington and Myrtle Beach, S.C. The southbound bus leaves at 7:45 AM, and a 4:45 PM bus goes only to Camp LeJeune. Someone is available to handle phone calls and ticket sales from 9 AM to noon and 3 PM until the last bus leaves.

Taxi and Shuttle Services

New Bern offers several professional taxi franchises that run 24 hours a day. The cars are clean, the drivers are courteous and the fares are moderately priced. If you need a cab, try:

Car Rental

You will need a car if you plan to see more of the area than downtown New Bern. A few car rental businesses are based at the Craven County Regional Airport, 200 Terminal Drive in New Bern.

Daily US Airways Express flights to and from Charlotte are available at the Albert J. Ellis Airport, located 30 miles south of New Bern and at Coastal Carolina Regional Airport in New Bern. The Ellis Airport also has Delta flights to Atlanta. Call to make your most advantageous connection. Car rentals are located at both airports. 

Coastal Carolina Regional Airport
200 Terminal Dr., New Bern
(252) 638-8591

New Bern offers the convenience of the Coastal Carolina Regional Airport, 2 miles southeast of downtown New Bern off U.S. 70. The airport offers as many as 12 daily nonstop flights to Atlanta or Charlotte with one-stop connections to more than 300 destinations worldwide via US Airways Express and Delta Connection. Food is available in the terminal, and airport parking is available for 50¢ per half-hour or $6 daily.

Michael J. Smith Airport
N.C. Hwy. 101, Beaufort
(252) 728-1928

Within an hour's drive of New Bern, this airport only offers chartered or private aircraft service. The fixed-base operator is Segrave Aviation, (252) 728-2323, which handles fueling, car rentals, flight instruction, charters, sightseeing flights, pilot supplies and charts, maintenance and more.

Albert J. Ellis Airport
264 Albert J. Ellis Airport Rd., Richlands
(910) 324-1100

Seven daily US Airways Express flights to and from Charlotte are available at the Albert J. Ellis Airport, as are four flights daily to Atlanta on Delta. The airport is located 30 miles south of New Bern. Parking prices range from $1.50 for the first hour in short-term parking to $7 a day for long-term parking. Car rentals are available. A restaurant and gift shop are located on-site. Fixed-base services are available through Jacksonville Flying Service, (910) 324-2500.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport
Aviation Pkwy., Morrisville, 10 miles from Raleigh and Durham, right off I-40, Exits 284B-285
(919) 840-2123

Raleigh-Durham (RDU) is the major international airport serving North Carolina from the Research Triangle Park area. RDU, a two-hour drive from New Bern, is a major hub for domestic and international travelers, serving 36 domestic and international destinations. RDU has 10 major and 17 regional airlines. Car rental services are available at the airport.

By Sea

Boaters arriving on the water come up the Intracoastal Waterway and then travel the Neuse River to New Bern. The Neuse River flows into the Pamlico Sound and has well-marked channels. New Bern also fronts the Trent River, which flows into the Neuse. A complete description of the rivers, bridges, ferry schedules and marinas is offered in our New Bern On the Water chapter.

Once You're Here

If you arrive by air or water and are interested in exploring all that New Bern has to offer, a rental car would be a good investment. There is no public transportation in New Bern.

Bikes are a wonderful way to get around the downtown and waterfront areas. However, because of the narrow shoulders and increasingly heavy traffic, we wouldn't recommend biking along the highways that immediately lead to and from New Bern.

Walking is the most interesting way to travel in the downtown area, so park the car in any of the well-planned downtown parking areas and see New Bern at a slower pace.

Tourism/Relocation Information

New Bern-Craven County
Convention and Visitors Center
203 S. Front St., New Bern
(800) 437-5767

If you are a visitor, here's your first stop — the friendly staff would love to help you prepare for your stay in New Bern and Havelock. Located in the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center, the New Bern-Craven County Convention and Visitors Center staff will equip you with maps, brochures and suggestions that will get your visit off to a fantastic start. You'll be greeted warmly Monday though Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM and Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM. The center is closed on Sundays.

New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce
316-B S. Front St., New Bern
(252) 637-3111

If you are exploring the possibility of opening a new business or relocating to New Bern or the surrounding area, contact the New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce for specific information to help with your considerations. Chamber hours are Monday through Friday 9 AM to 5 PM.
 

New Bern Riverfront Convention Center
203 S. Front St., New Bern
(252) 637-1551, (800) 437-5767

The New Bern Riverfront Convention Center features 28,000 square feet of meeting and special event space, including a 12,000-square-foot ballroom. It is within walking distance of nearly all downtown accommodations and shopping. Businesses and groups can take advantage of the center's many amenities to host successful meetings and conventions. The center offers a large waterfront veranda overlooking the Trent River and in-house kitchen facilities for on-site catering. Handicapped accessible and with ample parking, the center is home to a number of great annual trade shows and special events, many of which are open free to the public. Insiders consider the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center a great asset to the downtown historic district.