A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America New Bern vs. Rapid City for Attractions, Families, Couples, and Backpackers

Should you visit New Bern or Rapid City?

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

Should I visit New Bern or Rapid City? 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. It offers plenty of small town charm along with sights and activities, too. Visitors also love the shopping, museums, and food. See New Bern travel costs.

Rapid City

Rapid City is a fascinating, activity-filled, and friendly city. It's also known for shopping, museums, and food. See Rapid City travel costs.

New Bern and Rapid City: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in New Bern or Rapid City?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Rapid City. Although New Bern and Rapid City are popular destinations, Rapid City has more sights and attractions for tourists. Rapid City is very popular for its museums and attractions and hiking, while New Bern attracts visitors for its small town charm. Rapid City is more touristy than New Bern and is popular for its proximity to Mount Rushmore and many other iconic parks. It is also well known for Mount Rushmore. New Bern is famous for being the birthplace of Pepsi.

How is New Bern different from Rapid City?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Rapid City 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 Rapid City?

Rapid City is an unbeatable place for its museums and landmarks. Also, New Bern is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historical sights.

Visitors will find world class museums and historical sights in Rapid City that are not to be missed. You'll find a wide variety of museums and landmarks nearby. Popular places to visit that aren't far from town include the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, the South Dakota Air & Space Museum, and the Journey Museum & Learning Center. There's also the Museum of Geology and the National Presidential Wax Museum. And of course, there's the iconic Mount Rushmore.

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.

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

Dining out at restaurants in both New Bern and Rapid City 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.

Rapid City has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. You'll find local restaurants in town that serve local specialties such as chislic (grilled meat), fry bread, and walleye (a local fish.

Is New Bern or Rapid City Better for Nightlife?

Party-goers will find similar levels of energy in New Bern and Rapid City.

New Bern is generally a quiet destination but there are options around. There are a couple of pubs and breweries around town.

Rapid City doesn't have the most active nightlife scene. You'll find some places with live music and good drinks, but the city isn't really known for its nightlife scene.

Is New Bern or Rapid City Better for Hiking?

Rapid City is well known for its hiking experiences. However, New Bern is not a hiking destination.

You'll find a nice variety of hiking trails around Rapid City. The region is filled with national parks, state parks, and natural areas with wonderful hiking trails. You don't have to travel far to get into nature and experience some of South Dakota's best natural beauty.

New Bern is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in New Bern or Rapid City?

Shopping is a popular activity in both Rapid City 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 Rapid City. Rapid City has some interesting local shops as well as larger malls and shopping centers.

Is New Bern or Rapid City Better for Families?

Rapid City is an unbeatable place for its family-friendly activities. However, New Bern is not particularly known for its kid-friendly activities.

As it has a large number of activities for kids, Rapid City is a very family-friendly destination. Nearby national parks and outdoor activities, this is the perfect base for exploring the area with kids. Nearby you'll find the Big Thunder Gold Mine, which has tours and lets you pan for gold, and Custer State Park, which is filled with wildlife. Wall Drug is worth a stopoff, as is Dinosaur Park.

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 Rapid City Better for Couples?

Rapid City is well known for romance. Also, New Bern is still popular, but not quite as popular for its romantic activities.

Couples visit Rapid City frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. Couples will enjoy the amazing national parks in the area and the easy access to iconic landmarks like Mount Rushmore. There are many opportunities for wildlife spotting as well as great hiking trails and unique landscapes.

New Bern makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. 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.

Is New Bern or Rapid City Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Rapid City is well known for backpackers. However, New Bern is not particularly known for backpackers and budget travelers.

Backpackers come from all over to visit Rapid City. Backpackers will appreciate the surrounding natural beauty and the nearby national parks.

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 Rapid City Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Rapid City is a city with a few options for its public transit. However, New Bern is not particularly known for times when you don't have a car.

Public transit is generally limited in Rapid City. While there are a few buses, this isn't a realistic option for traveling through the region.

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

Is New Bern or Rapid City a more walkable city?

New Bern is very good for its high level of walkability. However, Rapid City is lacking in good options for its ease of walking around.

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

Rapid City is generally not very walkable. While the downtown is walkable, most visitors use the city as a base for exploring the surrounding areas, and this requires a car.

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

Should I spend more time in Rapid City or New Bern?

How long in New Bern or Rapid City?

It's fun to spend time in either New Bern or Rapid City. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Rapid City 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 Rapid City.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Rapid City 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 Rapid City.

One day in New Bern or Rapid City?

New Bern might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. Anyone can find something fun to do here. While some people choose to spend more or less time in New Bern, one day is sufficent for most.

The city of Rapid City offers food and shopping. Many visitors also spend a good bit of time hiking. 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 Rapid City?

Even though New Bern is a small town, it has plenty of activities to choose from. It offers something for everyone. Many people spend a weekend here. In a weekend, you should have a good grasp of this town.

Rapid City 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. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Rapid City, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in New Bern or Rapid City?

New Bern, a popular town, is full of activities for travelers. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Rapid City is a popular choice for travelers. It's no surprise that museums 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 Rapid City?

New Bern is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Rapid City is a great place to explore. It's no surprise that museums is why people visit. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. 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 Rapid City, we can see that New Bern is more expensive. And not only is Rapid City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Rapid City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rapid City 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 New Bern would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in New Bern than you might in Rapid City.

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 Rapid City Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, New Bern or Rapid City?

Rapid City has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of New Bern. When comparing the sizes of New Bern and Rapid City, 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.