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

Should you visit New Bern or Denver?

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

Should I visit New Bern or Denver? 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 quaint, charming, and laid back town. This is a great small town that is just waiting to be explored. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and food. See New Bern travel costs.

Denver

Denver is a suburban, accessible, and sprawling city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. It's also known for hiking, shopping, and skiing. See Denver travel costs.

New Bern and Denver: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in New Bern or Denver?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Denver. Although New Bern and Denver are popular destinations, Denver has more sights and attractions for tourists. Denver is very popular for its skiing, nightlife, hiking, and big city activities, while New Bern attracts visitors for its museums and attractions, food, and small town charm. New Bern is more touristy than Denver and is known for being the birthplace of Pepsi. Denver is famous for serving as a gateway to the Rocky Mountains and the many national parks that are in the area. It is also well known for Red Rocks Park.

How is New Bern different from Denver?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Is New Bern or Denver Better for Skiing?

Denver is a popular place for winter skiing. However, New Bern is not a skiing destination.

Denver is a great destination for skiing with plenty areas to explore. Although there's no skiing in the immediate area, there is a huge list of world class ski resorts within an hour or two of town. Two of the closest are Echo Mountain Resort and Loveland Ski Area.

New Bern is not a skiing destination.

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

New Bern is a nice place to visit for its sights and museums. However, Denver is not a good city for its museums and history.

New Bern offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. 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 Denver specifically for the museums and attractions, it does offer a few options. Many people use Denver as a starting or ending point for their mountain and national park trip, but those who linger can visit some of the city's museums and sights. Popular museums include the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the History Colorado Center, and the Forney Museum of Transportation.

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

New Bern is a nice place to visit for its local cuisine and restaurants. However, Denver is not a good city for its restaurants.

Visitors will find a budding food and restaurant scene in New Bern. 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.

Denver may not make the list for most foodies, but you'll find what you need while you're in town. It's a pretty large city, so you'll find some nice local restaurants, but the foodie scene is still emerging in many neighborhoods. A number of restaurants offer outdoor seating, which is nice. You'll also find a growing selection of international restaurants. For something uniquely local, you should try the Bison steak and fried pickles.

Is New Bern or Denver Better for Nightlife?

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

Denver has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. The city has come a long way with its nightlife. There's a great craft beer scene and the downtown area has really come to life. Popular bars and clubs in town include the Grizzly Rose and 54Thirty Rooftop. Many places are concentrated in the Soco Nightlife District.

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

Is New Bern or Denver Better for Hiking?

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

Denver is a good destination for hiking. The city is very close to many beautiful parks and hiking areas in the Rocky Mountains. It's not hard to make a day trip from town and enjoy some great hiking. Nice options include the Trading Post Trail in Red Rocks Mountain Park, Bergen Peak near Evergreen, and Chimney Gulch Trail near the town of Golden.

New Bern is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in New Bern or Denver?

Shopping is a popular activity in both Denver and New Bern.

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

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Denver. The city has many outlet malls that budget shoppers appreciate. There are also weekend farmer's markets, boutique shopping areas, and all of the major chains that you'll find in most larger cities.

Is New Bern or Denver Better for Families?

Denver 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 Denver. It is a family-friendly city with museums, playgrounds, and plenty of outdoor activities. There are also a few ropes courses near town that kids and adults alike will enjoy. Popular activities include the Denver Zoo, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus.

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 Denver Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both New Bern and Denver make for a nice 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.

Denver makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. There are many beautiful and romantic outdoor activities in the area such as parks and botanical gardens. There are also spas, including the impressive Spa at the Brown Palace, as well as upscale restaurants and fun bars and clubs to explore.

Is New Bern or Denver Better for Students?

Denver is a popular place for students. However, New Bern is not popular with students.

Denver is popular with students. There are a few students in the city, but there isn't a college town vibe that you'd get at other nearby university areas.

New Bern is not popular with students.

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

Denver 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 Denver, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. If you're not planning to leave town, the light rail and bus systems offer good access to much of Denver.

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

Is New Bern or Denver a more walkable city?

New Bern is a nice place to visit for its high level of walkability. However, Denver is not a good city for its ease of walking around.

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

Denver is not a very walkable town. While the downtown area is generally walkable, this is still a sprawling city where you'll really want to have a car to access areas outside of town.

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

Should I spend more time in Denver or New Bern?

How long in New Bern or Denver?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both New Bern and Denver. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Denver than in New Bern. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for New Bern, and 2-3 days is enough time in Denver.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Denver 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 Denver.

One day in New Bern or Denver?

New Bern might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

The city of Denver 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 Denver?

New Bern is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

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

Five days in New Bern or Denver?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in New Bern. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Denver 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 Denver?

New Bern is a small town, so it's a great destination if you're short on time. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

Denver 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 city 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 Denver, we can see that Denver 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 Denver would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Denver 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 Denver Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, New Bern or Denver?

Denver has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of New Bern. When comparing the sizes of New Bern and Denver, 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.