New Bern, NC

A few of our NC days were spent visiting one of my oldest childhood friends, Leigh Anne, in New Bern.  We typically see each other when I'm back home but usually meet halfway (she lives about 2 hours away).  This year I decided to take the kids on a little road trip and drive down to see her and spend some time there.  Our first day was spent in the historic town of New Bern...you know I love history!  After lunch in this cute farm themed restaurant, we toured the city...

We stopped at a playground right next to the oldest church in New Bern.  The tombstones run throughout the playground.  This was the kids first experience with a cemetery so, of course, Timo was full of questions about what it was.

We stopped at the birthplace of Pepsi!  I got myself a $.35 Pepsi inside...

Then on to the Tryon Center for the NC History Museum for Children.  It was a fun interactive museum with different "stations" for kids to complete activities, learning as they go.  The first was sailing a ship...following a map, manning the captain's wheel and whacking the rats in the crates and

The turpentine station was next...they had to extract it from the trees, fill the barrels, roll them and load them on the docks, then run over and cook it.  All so very exciting to a bunch of 4 year olds!

Printing press, where we made our own daily paper and in the kitchen where we learned how to make a real 1835 meal...complete with salt cod and boiled peanuts!  There was also a general store and a quilting room.  I was so into making a quilt, I forgot to take pictures!

A little tram tour around the Palace (would love to come back without kids and tour the Palace), played on the pirate ship and walked around the preserved wetlands.  We loved New Bern!