A much over due post, but wanted to share a bit about our short weekend trip out to New Bern this past April.
We headed down Friday morning in route to our destination and accommodations for the weekend – River Dunes in Oriental. With Oriental being “The Sailing Capital of North Carolina”, River Dunes is a destination and community for sailing and boating enthusiasts.
From Raleigh/Durham, it’s an easy three hour drive. On the last leg, you’ll go through some of your typical Eastern North Carolina back roads – fields for miles separated by tall pines. Set back off the road, you’ll come upon the entrance to River Dunes. You’ll wind your way back, reaching closer to the inlet waters and finally opening up to the main resort area. At first sight, you’ll be taken by the dozens of sailboats in the marina slips and the beautiful buildings and homes designed to feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
After checking in, we made our way to our cottage, which felt a bit like an elevated summer camp. Six or so cottages are situated in a horseshoe pattern, each donning a small front porch, rocking chairs, gas lantern, and wood-frame screened door – the quintessential elements of a southern scene. A fire pit sits in the middle of the cottages surrounded by Adirondack chairs – perfect for late night chats and roasting s’mores. The inside of our cottage was quaint and cabin-like with beautiful wide plank wood floors, treated wood walls, and touches of sailing decor.
After settling in, we walked around the area a bit. There is a small chapel on the grounds for weddings and other events, a pool and clubhouse, as well as a small café. After moseying through the marina and checking out the sailboats, we enjoyed dinner at the top of the clubhouse.
The next morning we ate some breakfast at the café and then got in the car to do a little exploring. We made our way to downtown Oriental, which I thought was a bit underwhelming. Not a lot to see (unless we were missing something). We came back, rested a bit, and then headed out to our main destination, New Bern, for the afternoon.
From River Dunes, New Bern is about a 40 minute drive. Our first stop was touring Tryon Palace. The tour of the house was a quick 45 minutes – just right in my opinion. We then walked around the grounds and took in some of the gardens. I think we just missed some of the peak flowers for Spring, but it was nice nonetheless. We then made our way to the New Bern History Center and took in some of the history there.
After, we strolled around town. We perused an antique shop, got a Pepsi at the original store, and took in the grounds of the historic Christ Episcopal Church. I especially loved the Spanish moss hanging from the trees.
We ended with dinner at Persimmons. It was a bit windy, but we still enjoyed sitting outdoors and taking in the waterfront view. The food was also great, especially the pimento hushpuppies!
After dinner we made our way back to River Dunes and settled in for the evening. The next morning, we ate breakfast again at the cafe, packed up our things, sat by the pool for a bit to watch some of the boats head out of the marina, and then headed out.
Overall Thoughts
River Dunes is a unique place. I really like the details they put into the buildings, and all of the different sailboats were a sight to see. I will say that it felt a bit “unfinished”, in that there still seems to be much more to build out in the community’s master plan. But, nonetheless, it was a relaxing get-away and I think it would be even more enjoyable with the use of the pool. (It was a bit to chilly for us to take advantage of during our stay.) Summertime would definitely be the best time to visit if you’re looking for a weekend away in short distance to New Bern. I should also mention that there are a variety of paved roads that wind back within the community perfect for bike riding. River Dunes supplies bikes for you to use, but if you are willing to bring your own it might not be a bad idea.
Our State Magazine did a feature on the community, which you can read about here.
If you enjoy history and old historic towns, you will also enjoy New Bern. The town was vibrant with folks strolling the streets, buzzing open-air restaurants, and inviting quaint shops. And if you prefer to stay within town, there are a few Bed and Breakfasts that look very charming.
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