New Bern, NC

 

If you’re looking to get out of Raleigh for the weekend, but don’t want to drive to the beach or mountains, head to the river instead! Last fall we took a quick weekend Winnie trip to New Bern, NC. We camped, hiked, explored museums and historical homes and walked around downtown. And, we took our time leaving on Sunday because it’s such an easy drive home!

Camping in New Bern

New Bern is located along the Neuse River about 2 hours east of Raleigh. The Neuse River near New Bern is much wider than near Raleigh and eventually dumps into the Pamlico Sound. We stayed at a fantastic KOA campground on a campsite adjacent to the playground. Though it was a super cold weekend with lows in the lower 40s, the Winnie’s heating system kept up and we slept very comfortably. 

This was our first KOA camping experience and it was crawling with kids and activities. The campground features a big pirate ship playground, miniature golf, a huge jumping pillow, a catch and release pond, and breathtaking waterfront views of the Neuse River. Both evenings we followed the short path to the waterfront and sat on the swings to catch views of the sunsets.

The campground is less than 10 minutes from downtown New Bern so it was super convenient for the price. Other than RV rental sites, they also offer rental cabins and tent sites, which all looked very nice. When we come back to New Bern, we’ll definitely stay at this KOA campground again.

Exploring Downtown New Bern

The first night we headed into downtown New Bern for dinner and to explore the shops during the Art Walk. We enjoyed a delicious seafood dinner of steamed crab legs, oysters, and clams and the girls tried their first alligator bites at MJs Raw Bar & Grille. Then, we walked through some of the nearby shops, which all seemed to be super dog friendly.

As we walked around we noticed the frequency of large life-size fiberglass bears everywhere. The girls loved taking pictures with them, and after a quick Google search we learned the founder of New Bern named the city after his native city of Berne, Switzerland. Bern means “bear” so the bear symbol is shown on the city flag and local artists painted the fiberglass bears in honor of the city’s 300th anniversary in 2010. 

Downtown New Bern is surrounded by the Trent River to the south and the Neuse River to the east. Though we didn’t make it down to the waterfront, we drove by a large waterfront park and several waterfront restaurants that looked fun for a future trip. 

Hiking in Croatan National Forest

The next morning we headed out to Croatan National Forest for a quick hike along the river. We drove about 20 minutes south of New Bern along US-70 to the Flanners Beach/Neuse River Recreation Area located at the end of Flanners Beach Rd. This area features picnic areas, restrooms, ample parking, hiking, biking, and a nearby campground. The campground has about 40 wooded sites (some with electric hook-ups) that accommodate RVs and tents.

The trailhead for Flanners Beach/Neuse River Loop Trail begins near the campground area. The path starts out paved and then transitioned to unpaved dirt and gravel after we hiked further into the forest. Ash and Claire weren’t in a prime hiking mood, so we quickly made a scavenger hunt game with scrap paper in Ash’s hiking backpack. Searching for natural items of different colors definitely cheered them up! 

This 2-mile loop trail features dense hardwoods, pines and ferns. The girls enjoyed picking up downed pieces of pine limbs and using them as sweepers to clear the pathways. The trail signage wasn’t very helpful, but having GPS on our phones helped us stay on the right loop. At one point we crossed a narrow wooden boardwalk over a marshy area before coming to beautiful views of the Neuse River. At the end we arrived back at the open recreation area and walked down the steps to explore the river’s shoreline. Being a cold morning, there weren’t many people out hiking and we had the beach to ourselves. The views from the shoreline were amazing; it’d be fun to explore this beach during the summer months.

Exploring Tryon Palace

Later in the afternoon we headed back to downtown New Bern to explore Tryon Palace. Tryon Palace is a Georgian-style mansion built between 1767 and 1770. It served as the first capitol building of North Carolina and home to Royal Governor Tryon and his family. Tryon moved to New York a year later and a new Royal Governor moved in until the start of the Revolutionary War. Patriots made the palace their capitol and the General Assembly met there to draft North Carolina as a new state. Subsequent NC governors used the palace and even George Washington visited the palace in 1791.

After Raleigh became the capitol in 1794, the palace served as a boarding house, school and for other purposes. A fire broke out in 1798 causing major devastation to the main house. The house stood in disrepair until local residents started a movement in the 1930s to raise money and awareness about potential renovation. In 1959, the palace opened to the public.

We attended a guided tour of the main house, which are held hourly on a first-come, first-serve basis. A lot of the furnishings in the palace are English. The guided tour lasts about 45 minutes and the tour guides wear period dress. After the main house tour, we walked through the kitchen and stables, which showed cooking and stable demonstrations, respectively. Finally, we walked through the English-style gardens behind the main house. The guided tour was the perfect amount of time for our kids (ages 4 and 6 at the time). They really enjoyed seeing the cooking demonstrations and playing old-time games on the front lawn.

After Tryon Palace, we headed over to the Pepsi Family Center to virtually travel back in time to 1835. We learned about New Bern’s history through hands-on activities with sailing a ship, making foods, and sewing a quilt. The girls chose interesting patterns for their quilt squares and the computer “sewed” them together. Their favorite activity involved playing unique roles on the ship to help guide it to its destination. 

Overall, we had such a fun weekend exploring New Bern, but I know we’ve just broken the ice with what the area has to offer. I was impressed with how family-friendly the historical places were and look forward to future excursions at New Bern. Next time, I’d love to explore the waterfront area and generally spend time on the water.

Additional Info:

Thumbs up: unique history center, beautiful river views, great campground amenities and convenience to New Bern, hands-on activities at history center, bustling downtown New Bern, variety of family-friendly places/activities

Thumbs down: poor signage on the hike

Great Smoky Mountains, NC

Like so many people at the end of last summer, we too, jumped on the total eclipse bandwagon and drove out to a remote part of NC to watch the phenomenon. It was a lot of firsts for our family – tailgating for science, visiting the Great Smoky Mountains, and exploring parts of NC west of Asheville. I’m not usually a follow-the-crowd type of gal, but my science lovin’ family wanted to be a part of it, so I was game too! 

Timberlake Campground

We wanted to stay within an easy drive to Andrews, NC (total eclipse central) and be close to the Smoky Mountains for hiking and exploring. So, we booked three nights at Timberlake Campground in Whittier, NC about 3 months ahead of time.  Timberlake Campground is located at 3270 Conleys Creek Rd between Sylva and Bryson City. A sweet couple owns and lives on the campground property, which features 50 sites. We stayed in one of the water/electric sites across from the playground on the stream side. The site was perfect for us – lots of shade and next to a creek where the girls “tubed up” and down for hours! With my birthday being so close to our trip, I brought my new birthday ENO hammock, which was ah-mazing! We felt comfortable letting the girls ride their bikes up and around the loop near our campsite.

When the campground owners aren’t in the camp store they rely on the honest system for people to pay. They even gave us a tour of their farm and let us collect their blue chicken eggs. Bill enjoyed taking the girls fishing in the pond

Oconaluftee Museum

The first day we drove into Great Smoky National Park and visited the super popular Oconaluftee Visitor Center and Museum. The museum is located at the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway just past Cherokee, NC at 1194 Newfound Gap Rd.

The Smoky Mountains get its name from the smoke-like mist coming off the mountains. The water vapor from the conifers mixes with the trees’ natural terpenes to give off the mist. It’s a beautiful site to see, especially early in the morning. We explored the indoor exhibits, which give some history and information about the history and early living conditions in the Smoky Mountains. Then, we spent most of our time exploring the outdoor exhibits. The outdoor exhibits give a glimpse into life on a mountain farm in the 19th century. They feature an old log cabin, spring house, barns, apple house and smoke house. The girls enjoyed walking through the different houses and pondering life before there was live streaming TV, air conditioning, and electricity.

We also walked through the short walking trails down to the river, where we saw people fishing and tubing. The gentle river banks and shallow water allowed the girls to easily wade in and cool off. 

Juney Whank Falls

After leaving Oconaluftee Museum we headed south towards Bryson City to catch some waterfalls in a different section of the Smoky Mountains. As we drove to the park near Deep Creek we passed several tube rental companies. When we arrived at the park we were amazed to learn this park is a tubing mecca for the whole family! Deep Creek feeds from the Tuckasegee River, which runs through Bryson City. Had we realized the tubing option we would’ve planned better with bathing suits and towels. Though the park doesn’t offer tube rentals, there are plenty of places like Deep Creek Tube Center & Campground that rents tubes for $6/day and features camping and other outdoor activities.

Trying to divert our kids’ attention (and ours) away from tubing and back to hiking was no easy feat! But, we promised them a future trip, which we can’t wait to plan! The trailhead for Juney Whank Falls is located towards the back of the park. The trail was a short loop less than a mile long. When we arrived at the falls we were a little disappointed we couldn’t get into the water. We walked over a small footbridge to reach over and touch the falls as they cascaded down. The trail was a bit busy especially near the falls, so we quickly continued on the loop. We hiked the rest of the trail fairly easily except for the downhill ditch-like spot that we tip-toed over.

After the hike we longingly watched the tubers on repeat: float down the creek and walk back. Then, we drove back through Bryson City and stopped at Nantahala Brewery for some much deserved beers. As Bill ordered our beers, I took the girls to the nearby ice cream shop for their dessert. In all my time in NC, I’ve only ever heard Bryson City referred to as the place to go around Christmastime. Though it’d be cool to come back for the train ride, I’m dying to come back and take my kids tubing in summer!

Andrews, NC Total Solar Eclipse

The next day being the big total eclipse day, we awoke early and headed west on 74 through the Nantahala National Forest for Andrews, NC. The drive along 74 was beautiful – the road parallels the Nantahala River and is busting to the seams with outdoor adventure. We passed several ziplining/ropes courses, kayakers, white water rafters, paddleboarders and more. Again, I made a mental note of a family adventure place!

After driving about 1.5 hours we arrived mid-morning in Andrews, NC. For a very small town, this place was bustling on such a big day. We parked in a large farm field designated for the Total Eclipse Festival. Though the total eclipse wasn’t happening for several more hours, we lucked out with one of the last parking spots. Several folks set up their telescopes in the field in preparation – it was like tailgating with science nerds! 

Then we walked to downtown Andrews to explore the pop-up art, food and live music. The girls made some cute candles and snacked on huge italian ices, while Bill and I enjoyed local BBQ. Around 1pm we grabbed some local beers and headed to the big open “eclipse watching” field. We set up our chairs and blankets while the girls ran around with several kids.

Around 1:00pm, the partial eclipse slowly began where we could see small chunks of the sun being eclipsed by the moon. Several people set up cameras with tripods and telescopes in the open field and hopped between taking shelter in the shade and grabbing a quick shot in the sky. Thanks to Bill we came prepared with a special solar filter for my camera. The girls loved wearing their special eclipse glasses and seeing the progression of the sun’s eclipse.

Around 2:30pm when the sun was just a small sliver, everyone descended into the middle of the field. The temperature dropped rapidly and the sky darkened. Suddenly all you could see was the sun’s corona creeping from behind the moon. It was quite a site to see, and it lasted more than 2 minutes! Then, just like that, everything went back to normal and the sun got bigger and bigger. We didn’t stick around to watch the sun’s complete return to normal so we could beat the traffic out of Andrews.

Watching the total solar eclipse was a really cool thing that I hope our kids remember. Planning the trip around the event motivated us to explore the very western parts of NC, for which I’m so thankful. I can’t wait to return to the Great Smoky Mountains and the Nantahala River for fun family outdoor water adventures!

Thumbs up: outdoor recreation activities, friendly campground owners, watching a total solar eclipse, 

Thumbs down: busy and poor signage at Juney Whank Falls, lack of sufficient parking at Oconaluftee Museum

Juney Whank Falls

 

Oconaluftee Museum

 

Timberlake Campground

 

Total Solar Eclipse in Andrews, NC

Tom’s Creek Falls & Roaring Fork Falls

“The mountains are calling and I must go.” – John Muir

Roaring Fork FallsFor our next Winnie adventure we headed to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains near Marion, NC. We stayed at the Mountain Stream RV Resort off Hwy 80 at 6954 Buck Creek Rd. After making a wrong turn down a one-lane gravel road (Little Buck Creek Rd) we drove a white-knuckling 3 miles to the road’s end. This was not how I expected our first big Winnie adventure to begin. After several deep breaths, I jumped out of the car to instruct Bill on turning around. Easy Peasy!

Nothing will test your marriage’s communication skills like trying to make a 3-point turn with a 20-foot trailer. Cue the Austin Power’s 3-point turn parking scene! Luckily, our family has previous experience driving down harrowing gravel roads (see my Yosemite post), so we tried to remain calm and go back on course!

Mountain Stream RV Resort

DSC_0071The Mountain Stream RV Resort was the perfect spot for camping. They have 40 camp sites situated around a loop gravel road with a grassy median. A cool, clear mountain stream runs behind more than half of the campsites. We stayed in one of their prime spots near the back of the campsite with easy kid-friendly access to the stream. We loved splashing in the water, walking upstream, and sitting at the campsite listening to the babbling stream.

Despite some big thunderstorms that came through during the weekend, we really enjoyed our time in the Winnie. The girls made friends with the neighbors, rode bikes around the gravel loop, and played in the stream. During the daytime downpours, the girls also had downtime playing cards and watching movies. We tried to go fishing, but big floods from past years pretty much wiped out the fish habitats.

We grilled yummy steak tips, broccoli, and potato wedges one night and chicken quesadillas the other night in honor of Bill’s birthday weekend. For Father’s Day breakfast, I made homemade biscuits with my new pie irons. Though they didn’t rise completely, they still tasted delicious smothered with steak, eggs and cheese. The girls gobbled down the Bisquick Shake ‘N Pour pancakes. When we weren’t eating, sleeping or playing at the campsite, we were hiking.

Tom’s Creek Falls

DSC_0115We spent all day Saturday hiking waterfalls in the Pisgah National Forest and exploring interesting places off the Blue Ridge Parkway. First, we explored the Tom’s Creek Falls, located about 20 minutes northeast of our campsite. Tom’s Creek Falls trailhead is about 1.3 miles from the intersection of US-221 and Huskins Branch Rd. This trail is about 1-mile roundtrip hike with wide gravel paths, lush green forest, and spots along the way for splashing in the creek. It’s an easy, shaded hike with gentle switchbacks towards the top. It even has benches near a clearing to rest. Along the way we spotted a lot of mica (from old mining days), ferns, and mountain laurel.

We climbed to the overlook area and then followed a narrow path to the right to access the water. Wanting to get a closer look at the falls, both girls scurried up the rocks (with our help) to the bottom of the falls, reaching an elevation of approximately 1800 ft. The water flows at three different levels before dumping into Tom’s Creek. We loved splashing in the water and being so close to the falls. 

Roaring Fork Falls

07402233-DCCE-443C-B72F-47997007596EAfter leaving Tom’s Creek Falls, we drove about 45 minutes northwest to the Roaring Fork Falls trailhead. Roaring Fork Falls trailhead is located near the intersection of S Toe River Rd and State Hwy 80. Follow the signs for about 1/2 mile until the road dead ends into a small parking lot.

Roaring Fork Falls is a 1.5 mile out and back trail, despite the “Falls .5 miles” sign near the parking lot. With the forecast calling for heavy rains, we booked it up this trail. The trail begins on an old logging road in a heavily wooded forest. The trail is slightly uphill and mostly shaded with pockets of sunlight throughout. After crossing a small wooden bridge, we climbed over roots and small stones to reach the falls. The falls cascaded down several levels creating the large roaring effect.

Ashley and Bill climbed down to the bottom of the falls while Claire and I waited on the trail. The heavy rain caused the rocks to become very slick, so we stayed safe on the trail. After a quick dip in the water, they carefully climbed back to the trail and we all rushed to the car. The rain started pouring heavier on our hike back to the car, but carrying Claire on my shoulders kept my back dry! 

The girls changed into dry clothes at the car and we enjoyed a much-deserved picnic lunch. After lunch, we hopped onto the Blue Ridge Parkway and visited the NC Minerals Museum (MP 331) and Linville Caverns. After driving at least 100 miles around mountains all day, we returned to our campsite hungry for food and thankful for nature. Watching, touching and listening to the waterfalls made us appreciate the mountains even more.

Hike Info

Thumbs up: little traffic along hikes, beautiful views, exciting waterfalls, easy family hikes, comfortable campsites

Thumbs down: no cell phone reception (although I’d put this in the thumbs up column)

Jordan Lake State Recreation Area: Poplar Point Campground

For our maiden voyage in the Winnie, we headed to Jordan Lake State Recreation Area for a quick 24-hr overnight trip. We wanted to get a small sample of camping while staying close to home. Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is located about 30 minutes west of Raleigh off US-64. Whether you’re going for a short trip or several days, Jordan Lake has lots of outdoor experiences and recreational activities to offer.

Camping

A few weeks before our trip we reserved a campsite online with electric and water hook-ups at Poplar Point Campground. The entrance for Poplar Point Campground is located at 558 Beaver Creek Rd in Apex. Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is enormous with over 1,000 RV and tent campsites scattered over five different areas. We chose Poplar Point Campground because it has many waterfront campsites available with water and electric hook-ups and a recreation beach at Loop E. We reserved spot 58 at Loop H, which is a back-in spot, like most at the park. The NC State Park registration system is very useful. You can search by amenities, whether you need a pull-through spot, and length of site. Similar to hotel room booking systems, it also shows multiple pictures of each campsite.

We arrived early on a Saturday morning and checked-in at the Poplar Point front gate. The ranger confirmed that we could switch our spot for the more popular first-come, first-serve spots at Loop E if we wanted. Loop E features a beach area, playground and more waterfront sites. But, after driving by our site at Loop H, we decided to stick with our original plan. We were anxious to set-up the Winnie and explore the campground. 

IMG_2418Our partially shaded campsite featured a flat gravel pad, picnic table and grill. There’s a short walk to the water, which we were hoping to use for fishing access, but unfortunately there was more poison ivy than we wanted to dodge. We found another access to the water, but the low-lying trees made casting difficult for the girls. Surprisingly, we didn’t have any neighbors during our entire stay. Though the girls were sad because they couldn’t play with new friends, it also meant they could run around like maniacs without worrying about traffic.

We spent about 45 minutes setting up camp by rolling out the rug, organizing the outdoor food station, hooking up the water and electric, and making sure the party lights hung perfectly. This park (and most state parks) features a dump station near the entrance, which we used on the way out to empty our gray and black tanks. For lunch, we quickly cooked hot dogs and grilled deli sandwiches on the griddle before heading to the beach. 

Recreation Area

4After lunch we headed to the recreation area to cool off in the beach. The recreation area at Loop E features a large sandy shoreline with designated swimming area. The water was refreshing and the boats racing by made fun waves for the girls. The girls loved catching the waves with their inner tubes and building sand castles on the shore. They enjoyed racing into the water and diving into the calm water. Even though the water was a little murky, they didn’t seem to mind.

The recreation area has a narrow forested area near the parking lot with picnic tables and benches. We spotted several fishermen fishing further down the shoreline. We also saw a pontoon boat selling shave ice and snacks on the shoreline. Even though we just missed the shave ice, we watched the boat motor to the recreation area on the opposite side of the lake.

Unfortunately we left several of our beach essentials (beach chairs, umbrellas, sand toys) at home, placing greater attention on our camping items. We bought inner tubes at the convenience store off US-64, which proved crucial beach toys. Despite not having all our regular beach things, we spent over two hours at the lake beach having a fabulous time.

Dinner Camping

IMG_2425After playing at the beach we headed back to our campsite for showers and dinner prep. The girls helped shuck corn for grilling on the fire pit while I made mac n cheese on the trailer range. We grilled chicken sausages, corn on the cob, hot dogs and cinnamon sugar filled apples for dessert. 

After cleaning up dinner we settled in for puzzles and Uno. I also taught the girls how to play the card game, War, which immediately became their favorite game! Once the sun went down, we chased fireflies around the loop and used our campfire to make s’mores. Then, we read a bit of Wind in the Willows around the campfire before tucking the girls into their bunks.  

Though it took the girls a little longer to fall asleep, they slept soundly until morning. Bill and I enjoyed some music around the campfire while listening to insects chirp near the water. Overall, our first overnight trailer trip was a big success! Camping in the trailer was an exciting, but relaxing experience while Jordan Lake offered lots of fun at a quick drive away. 

Thumbs up: campsite space, large beach recreation area, affordable family camping, 

Thumbs down: poison ivy down to the water near campground

2017 Summer Bucket List

Over a decade ago, my mom dubbed Bill and me as the traveling gypsies (she had a unique way with words). Having moved away from home after college, we travelled more weekends than not, and she routinely asked, “Where are the traveling gypsies headed this weekend?” We visited friends and family in VA and MD, and explored exciting new cities across the US and Western Europe. Bill and I still have the traveling gypsy bug (let’s call it wanderlust to sound more romantic) and want our kids to experience it with us. And, we want to create adventures that are more outdoors and immersed in nature.

So, we bought a small pull-behind Winnebago (cue up the Randy Quaid Christmas Vacation quotes) and planned out several weekend family trips around NC this summer. It might sound a little crazy, but the girls seem super excited, and we think we’re in the sweet spot of traveling with them right now – high curiosity, good sleep patterns, and easily distractible. We want to keep things simple, yet comfortable and imaginative – similar to the gypsy caravan from Wind in the Willows:

 

He led the way to the stable-yard and there, drawn out of the coach-house, they saw a gipsy caravan, shining with newness, painted a canary-yellow picked out with green, and red wheels. “There you are!” cried the Toad, straddling and expanding himself. “There’s the real life for you. The open road, the dust highway, the heath, the common, the rolling downs! Here today, and off somewhere else tomorrow! The whole world before you! And mind, this is the finest cart of its sort ever built.” The mole followed him eagerly up the steps and into the caravan. It was very compact and comfortable. Little sleeping-bunks – a table that folded up against the wall – a cooking-stove, lockers, bookshelves and pots, pans, jugs and kettles of every size and variety.

– excerpt from The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Even though our Winnie isn’t a canary-yellow caravan with green and red wheels, we’re excited to hit the open road. Finally, whether we’re out on the open road or back in Raleigh, we still have some summer bucket list items for 2017:

  1. Enjoy a low country boil (Memorial Day weekend)
  2. Survive having two kids on summer swim team
  3. See some waterfalls (Tom’s Creek & Roaring Fork in western NC)
  4. Swim at a lake (Jordan Lake recreation area)
  5. Discover new & easy campfire recipes
  6. Go blueberry picking
  7. Discover new hiking trails on our travels
  8. Catch fireflies (Jordan Lake campsite and backyard)
  9. Try a new ice cream place
  10. Visit a new museum
  11. Perfect my mojito making
  12. Start composting
  13. Have a water balloon fight
  14. Read a long book together as a family
  15. Enjoy Winnebago camping as a family