A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America New Bern vs. Avon for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit New Bern or Avon?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit New Bern or Avon? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

New Bern

New Bern is a laid back, quaint, and charming town. This is a great small town that is just waiting to be explored. It's also known for food, shopping, and museums. See New Bern travel costs.

Avon

Avon is a outdoorsy, scenic, and active town. It's also known for food, hiking, and skiing. See Avon travel costs.

New Bern and Avon: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in New Bern or Avon?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Avon. Although New Bern and Avon are both popular with visitors, Avon has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Avon is more popular for its skiing, nightlife, resorts, and hiking, while New Bern is known for its museums and attractions, shopping, and small town charm. Avon is more touristy than New Bern and is known for it's affordable accommodation options and its access to Beaver Creek Ski Resort. It is also home to Avon Recreation Center. New Bern is popular for being the birthplace of Pepsi.

How is New Bern different from Avon?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Avon and New Bern. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Is New Bern or Avon Better for Skiing?

Avon is well known for winter skiing. However, New Bern is not a skiing destination.

Avon is an extremely popular place for snow skiing and other winter sports. Beaver Creek is the main ski area near town and it's about a mile away. The town of Avon is below Beaver Creek and is located beside an interstate.

New Bern is not a skiing destination.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in New Bern or Avon?

New Bern is a good destination for its sights and museums. However, Avon is a mediocre town for its museums and history.

New Bern is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. Many visitors check out the Tryon Palace while they're in town. Other museums include the New Bern Fireman's Museum, the Carolina Creations Fine Art & Contemporary Craft Gallery, and the New Bern Academy Museum.

While most people don't head to Avon specifically for the museums and attractions, it does offer a few options. While there aren't a ton of museums in the area, it's worth checking out the Walking Mountains Science Center.

Is the Food Better in New Bern or Avon? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Dining out at restaurants in both New Bern and Avon can be an enjoyable experience.

New Bern offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. There are a number of local eateries, bistros, and cafes in town. You can sample southern favorites or something international. Popular dishes include fresh caught fish, crab cakes, and even tacos.

Avon has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. There are casual eateries where you can grab a bite to eat, whether you're in the mood for Chinese, pizza, or burgers.

Is New Bern or Avon Better for Nightlife?

Avon is a popular place for nightlife. However, New Bern is not particularly known for nightlife and partying.

Avon has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. It's a small town but there are some bars and lively pubs where you can enjoy cold drinks.

New Bern doesn't have the most active nightlife scene. There are a couple of pubs and breweries around town.

Is New Bern or Avon Better for Resorts?

Avon is a popular place for its resorts. However, New Bern is not a resort destination.

Avon has a handful of resorts to choose from. There are the typical chain resort options, many with beautiful mountain views.

New Bern is not a resort destination.

Is New Bern or Avon Better for Hiking?

Avon is a popular place for its hiking experiences. However, New Bern is not a hiking destination.

Avon is a good destination for hiking. There are paved trails and recreational paths through town that are great for both hiking and biking. The main ones are Eagle Valley Trail and the trails in West Avon Preserve.

New Bern is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in New Bern or Avon?

New Bern is a good destination for shopping. However, Avon is a mediocre town for its shopping opportunities.

New Bern is a great destination for shopping. There are local shops and boutiques that sell clothing, antiques, and gifts.

If you're looking to go shopping, Avon has some nice offerings. There aren't a ton of shopping opportunities in town, but there are enough shops around in case you need to pick up necessities or buy a gift.

Is New Bern or Avon Better for Families?

Avon is a popular place for its family-friendly activities. However, New Bern is not particularly known for its kid-friendly activities.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Avon. There are parks and playgrounds around town and there's easy access to the Beaver Creek Ski Resort. There's also plenty of hiking in the area.

For families, New Bern is not always the best place to visit. Stand up paddle boarding and other outdoor activities are a fun way to experience the area with kids. You could also visit the New Bern Fireman's Museum, the Tryon Palace, or one of the parks around town.

Is New Bern or Avon Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both New Bern and Avon make for a good place to visit.

New Bern is a nice destination for couples. The town's charm and quaint parks make this a nice weekend getaway. There are outdoor activities and the Tryon Palace which is nice to visit. There are also local restaurants around town.

Avon makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. While avid skiers prefer to stay at nearby Beaver Creek, the town of Avon offers a good alternative.

Is New Bern or Avon Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Avon is a popular place for its public transit. However, New Bern is not particularly known for times when you don't have a car.

You'll find some public transit in Avon, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There are shuttles and buses that travel through town and to Beaver Creek.

Public transit is quite limited in New Bern. There's no real public transit in the area.

Is New Bern or Avon a more walkable city?

New Bern and Avon both are good when exploring on foot.

New Bern is somewhat walkable. The downtown area is walkable and nice to explore on foot.

Avon is a somewhat walkable place. The town center is small and there are paved walking trails that you can use. It's possible to walk to restaurants or the recreation center, depending on where you're staying.

For even more information, also check out Is New Bern Worth Visiting? and Is Avon Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Avon or New Bern?

How long in New Bern or Avon?

It's fun to spend time in either New Bern or Avon. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Avon due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for New Bern, and 2-4 days is enough time in Avon.

Families should spend more time in Avon than New Bern. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Avon, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Avon than New Bern. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Avon that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Avon than New Bern if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Avon.

One day in New Bern or Avon?

New Bern is a small town where visitors enjoy the museums and food. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

The town of Avon offers skiing and nightlife. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in New Bern or Avon?

New Bern is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Avon is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this town makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Avon, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in New Bern or Avon?

New Bern is a small town, so you can explore the area with less time. This town offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Avon is a popular choice for travelers. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in New Bern or Avon?

Because New Bern is a small town, it's easy to explore in a short amount of time. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips.

Avon is a great place to explore. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This town offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America, The Best Historical Tours in United States of America, The Best 10-Day Tours in United States of America, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in United States of America.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between New Bern and Avon, we can see that Avon is more expensive. And not only is New Bern much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to New Bern would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in New Bern and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Avon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Avon than you might in New Bern.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is New Bern Expensive? and Is Avon Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, New Bern or Avon?

New Bern has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Avon. When comparing the sizes of New Bern and Avon, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.