Saturday free time · 12:30–3:00 PM
New Bern is more than our meeting place — it is three centuries of history our family has lived alongside. These are the tours worth your afternoon, with a way to book each one.
Saturday afternoon between the cemetery visit and the banquet is the natural window for a tour. Most run about 90 minutes.
Touring as a group →Book a tour
Times, prices, and seasons are what the operators publish and can change. Call or book online to confirm before the weekend.
Narrated trolley · 90 minutes
The classic city tour and the easiest way to see downtown New Bern in one sitting. A guide narrates three centuries of history while the trolley rolls past the landmarks our family has been driving by all weekend.
Toll free (800) 849-7316. Confirm current ticket prices when you book — rates change by season.
Walking tour · about 1 mile, 90 minutes
A small, personal street-level walk through the historic district. Best if you want the storytelling version of New Bern — architecture, waterfront tales, bear folklore, and the corners you would drive right past.
Booking and questions are handled through their website.
Evening walking tour · 90–100 minutes
History with the lights down. Costumed guides walk a rotating route of haunted sites downtown, mixing real New Bern history with the stories the city tells after dark. A good after-dinner outing for a group of cousins.
Space is limited — buy ahead and arrive about 20 minutes early.
Boat tour · 90 minutes
New Bern from the water. A narrated ride out on the Neuse and Trent Rivers with local history along the way, plus a sunset option if you would rather end the day than start it.
Seating is very limited and reservations are required — call early for more than a few people.
If we go together
New Bern Tours books groups of 20 or more at about $18 per person for the 90-minute historic tour, and they will schedule around our itinerary instead of ours around theirs. They also run African American history, Civil War, walking, architectural, and custom tours.
Interested in a family group tour? Let a committee member know so we can gather a headcount and reserve one time for everyone.
“The streets remember us. Walk them once and the family story gets a little longer.
Free and on your own time
Visit New Bern publishes free self-guided routes you can follow at your own pace — good for a short window, a stroller, or an early morning before breakfast.
Visit New Bern self-guided toursTours are optional and booked by each family — the reunion committee does not hold tickets for them.
Back to the weekend guide