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

Should you visit New Bern or Nashville?

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

Should I visit New Bern or Nashville? 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. It offers plenty of small town charm along with sights and activities, too. Other reasons to visit include food, shopping, and museums. See New Bern travel costs.

Nashville

Nashville is a eclectic, southern, and country music lovers city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. It's also known for food, museums, and nightlife. See Nashville travel costs.

New Bern and Nashville: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in New Bern or Nashville?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Nashville. Although New Bern and Nashville are both popular with visitors, Nashville has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Nashville is more popular for its food, nightlife, music, resorts, and big city activities, while New Bern is known for its shopping and small town charm. New Bern is popular for being the birthplace of Pepsi. Nashville is popular for its influence in country music and its many live music venues. It is also home to The Grand Ole Opry.

How is New Bern different from Nashville?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Both New Bern and Nashville have good landmarks and museums for visitors.

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.

Nashville offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. It is famous as the home of the Grand Ole Opry. It's also where you'll find the Country Music Hall of Fame and the unique Johnny Cash Museum.

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

Nashville is well known for its restaurant scene. Also, New Bern is still popular, but not quite as popular for its local flavors and cuisine.

With its innovative style combined with traditional elements, Nashville makes for a great culinary experience. The city is known for some southern favorites including southern barbecue, mac and cheese, and biscuits and gravy.

New Bern has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. 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.

Is New Bern or Nashville Better for Nightlife?

Nashville is well known for nightlife. However, New Bern is not particularly known for nightlife and partying.

Nashville is a popular destination for visitors looking to party into the night. The city is popular for it's music scene, particularly the country music scene. You can take in one of the free Honky Tonks or head to a rooftop bar. It's also a popular destination for bachelor and bachelorette parties.

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

Is New Bern or Nashville Better for Music?

Nashville is an unbeatable place for live music. However, New Bern is not a live music destination.

Nashville is a world class music destination. The city is famous for country music, blues, and rock and roll. Popular venues include The Basement, The 5 Spot, and The Cannery Complex.

New Bern is not a live music destination.

Is New Bern or Nashville Better for Resorts?

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

Nashville has a handful of resorts to choose from. There are a couple of famous resorts in the area including the Gaylord Opryland Resort, the Hermitage Hotel, and the Omni Nashville Hotel.

New Bern is not a resort destination.

Is the Shopping Better in New Bern or Nashville?

New Bern is a town with good options for shopping. However, Nashville is lacking in good options for its shopping opportunities.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in New Bern. There are local shops and boutiques that sell clothing, antiques, and gifts.

If you're looking to go shopping, Nashville has some nice offerings. The town has a number of boutique shops as well as major department stores. You'll find all of the major American chains around town.

Is New Bern or Nashville Better for Families?

Nashville 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 Nashville. The city has a handful of kid-friendly activities like a science center and kid-friendly music venues.

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 Nashville Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both New Bern and Nashville 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.

Nashville makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. For music lovers, this is the ultimate couple's destination. There are also a number of romantic activities around town including horse drawn carriage rides through the downtown. To enjoy the beautiful weather, head to Centennial Park or take a hike in Forest Hills.

Is New Bern or Nashville Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Nashville is a popular place for backpackers. However, New Bern is not particularly known for backpackers and budget travelers.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Nashville. There are one or two hostels around town and there's a great live music scene that attracts a young crowd.

New Bern is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. It's not popular with backpackers in part because it's a small town that most people breeze through on their way to the beach.

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

Neither New Bern or Nashville offer decent public transit.

Public transit is limited or non-existant in New Bern. There's no real public transit in the area.

Public transit is quite limited in Nashville. Public transportation is very limited and you really need a car to explore the city in depth.

Is New Bern or Nashville a more walkable city?

New Bern is a town with good options for its walkability. However, Nashville is lacking in good options for its high level of walkability.

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

Nashville is not a walkable town. There aren't many parts of the city that are pedestrian-friendly.

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

Should I spend more time in Nashville or New Bern?

How long in New Bern or Nashville?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both New Bern and Nashville. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Nashville 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 Nashville.

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

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

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

One day in New Bern or Nashville?

Even though New Bern is a small town, it has plenty of activities to choose from. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that New Bern has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

The city of Nashville offers live music and food. 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 Nashville?

New Bern is a small town where visitors enjoy the museums and food. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this town has to offer. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Nashville 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 Nashville, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in New Bern or Nashville?

New Bern is a small town, so it's a great destination if you're short on time. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Nashville is a popular choice for travelers. It's no surprise that live music is why people visit. 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 Nashville?

New Bern is a popular choice for travelers. 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. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

Nashville is a great place to explore. It's no surprise that live music is why people visit. 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 Nashville, we can see that Nashville 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 Nashville would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nashville 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 Nashville Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, New Bern or Nashville?

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

When is the best time to visit New Bern or Nashville?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit New Bern or Nashville in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to New Bern as well as Nashville. Many visitors come to New Bern in the summer for the small town charm and the family-friendly experiences. Additionally, most visitors come to Nashville for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.

New Bern is around the same temperature as Nashville in the summer. The daily temperature in New Bern averages around 80°F (27°C) in July, and Nashville fluctuates around 81°F (27°C).

New Bern receives a lot of rain in the summer. New Bern usually gets more rain in July than Nashville. New Bern gets 6.6 inches (169 mm) of rain, while Nashville receives 3.9 inches (99 mm) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit New Bern or Nashville in the Autumn?

Both Nashville and New Bern are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to New Bern for the shopping scene and the small town atmosphere during these months. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Nashville because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene.

In the autumn, New Bern is around the same temperature as Nashville. Typically, the autumn temperatures in New Bern in October average around 65°F (18°C), and Nashville averages at about 62°F (17°C).

In October, New Bern usually receives more rain than Nashville. New Bern gets 3.4 inches (85 mm) of rain, while Nashville receives 2.6 inches (67 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit New Bern or Nashville in the Winter?

Both Nashville and New Bern during the winter are popular places to visit. The winter months attract visitors to New Bern because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Also, the museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Nashville this time of year.

It's quite cold in Nashville in the winter. In January, New Bern is generally much warmer than Nashville. Daily temperatures in New Bern average around 44°F (7°C), and Nashville fluctuates around 38°F (4°C).

It rains a lot this time of the year in New Bern. New Bern usually gets more rain in January than Nashville. New Bern gets 4.1 inches (105 mm) of rain, while Nashville receives 3.4 inches (87 mm) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit New Bern or Nashville in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both New Bern and Nashville. The small town charm are the main draw to New Bern this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Nashville for the activities around the city.

New Bern is around the same temperature as Nashville in the spring. The daily temperature in New Bern averages around 62°F (16°C) in April, and Nashville fluctuates around 62°F (16°C).

Nashville receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, New Bern usually receives less rain than Nashville. New Bern gets 2.9 inches (74 mm) of rain, while Nashville receives 4.3 inches (110 mm) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Nashville and New Bern