• What to know if you go

New Bern/Craven County [N.C.] Convention and Visitor Center (ENLARGE)

New Bern, N.C., is at the confluence of the Trent and Neuse rivers, making it attractive for boating. Several marinas serve New Bern, two of which are steps from downtown and have hotels.

New Bern, N.C. — A palace and a Pepsi. Put those two together, and you'll know what brings many visitors to this one-time capital of North Carolina.

The palace is the restored headquarters of the governor of North Carolina when it was a British colony. Pepsi-Cola is renowned here because New Bern is the birthplace of the popular soft drink.

Those aren't the only reasons to make a stop in this eastern North Carolina town, but they're a good start.

Tryon Palace, built by William Tryon in 1770, evokes the elegance of the lifestyle of a British governor in Colonial America. The governor's mansion was the seat of power — and a showplace.

It was in the mansion's council chamber that Tryon met with his 12-member council to conduct the colony's business. But the mansion also was an elegant home for Tryon's family. There were sitting rooms, dressing rooms, dining rooms, guest rooms and bedrooms for the family, all with fireplaces and furniture brought from England.

The mansion was surrounded by manicured gardens and an expansive back lawn extended to the Trent River. During the summer today, concerts are held on the lawn.

After the Revolutionary War, of course, Tryon Palace became the home of the governor of the new state of North Carolina and was the site of the state Legislature's first session. In 1794, however, the capital was moved to Raleigh, and in 1798, Tryon Palace burned. It was not until 1959 that a replica — the one that visitors see now — was built from the original plans.

Modern in some ways, with electricity and such, the Georgian-style palace still faithfully reflects its parentage. Paintings by such renowned 18th-century artists as Thomas Gainsborough and Charles Willson Peale hang on its walls. Portraits of British monarchs decorate the home, along with 18th-century maps, collections of English and American silverware and bird and botanical prints.

Its library has 85 percent of the book titles present in the original mansion. Next door is the former stable, where President George Washington kept his horse on a visit in 1791.

Much less imposing is the birthplace of Pepsi-Cola — an otherwise nondescript store at the corner of Pollack and Middle streets. In what was then Bradham's Drug Store, owner Caleb Bradham in 1893 concocted a carbonated drink that customers called "Brad's Drink." Five years later, Bradham changed the name to Pepsi-Cola, and in 1902, he applied for a trademark and started expanding the business.

Today, all kinds of Pepsi souvenirs fill the shelves — clocks, glasses, golf balls, yo-yos and tape measures, to name a few.

You can get manager Larry Cook to pour a glass of Pepsi, but not the other popular cola drink. A prominent sign warns, "Friends don't let friends drink Coke." Cook says the store gets 85,000 to 90,000 visitors a year.

New Bern's location at the confluence of the Trent and Neuse rivers makes it a center for water activities. The Neuse River, which widens to four miles as it flows into Pamlico Sound, is a busy spot for sailboats and powerboats, as well as water-skiers and crabbers.

Much beloved by New Bern area residents is the town's Firemen's Museum, whose displays include a 19th-century steam fire engine, fire hatchets, buckets and bells, and the mounted head of fire horse Fred, who pulled fire wagons for 17 years and died answering a false alarm.

In summer, baseball is a comer in New Bern. The local team, the River Rats, plays in the Coastal Plain League, the largest collegiate summer league in the country.

Not far from New Bern, in the town of Havelock, visitors come upon the Marine Corps' largest air station, part of the Marines' Cherry Point complex. Tours of the base can be arranged by calling at least a week in advance. Visitors on tour often see squadrons of Marine planes such as Harriers and helicopters, observe working military dogs, and visit crash fire and rescue services.

IF YOU GO

Getting there

New Bern is about 500 miles from downtown Atlanta, about an eight-hour drive.

Information

New Bern/Craven County Convention and Visitor Center, 1-800-437-5767, 252-637-9400 or www.visitnewbern.com Havelock Visitor Center, 252-444-6402