Travel Tuesday: Historic New Bern

I have a thing for running away. Not like a throw-all-of-my-things-in-a-knapsack-and-flee kind of running away. It’s more of a spur of the moment, pack my bags and take off kind of deal. I love seeing new places, meeting new people, and learning new things… someone once said that those three things are THE components of your life that will make you different from everyone else. And I especially love the places part. Traveling is just something I’ve always really tried to make the time to do. If you read my last post, you’d know that I have a few trips planned over the next couple of months… some trips to the beach and some to the countryside. This past weekend, my family and I went down south to the Outer Banks of North Carolina for a few days. While I was sitting in the car going through my camera on our way back, I got an idea for a little blog series I could start on this photoblog called Travel Tuesday. I’m not sure if it will be every week or once a month… but I love sharing my pictures and I hope you as a reader love seeing them, whether they are from a beach weekend, an island getaway, or a week at the county fair. And hopefully… I can help someone decide where they want to take off to next, too! Remember when I said my type of running away is a spur-of-the-moment kinda deal? Well, this mini trip to New Bern, North Carolina was no different! We were on way back from Emerald Isle when we decided to stop by the “main attraction” in one of the town’s we drive through. New Bern is home not only to bestseller romance novel author Nicholas Sparks, but it also prides itself on its quaint & quiet streets, its friendly people, and its patriotic dose of American history. New Bern was THE original capital of North Carolina, and its beautiful houses and historic buildings each have their own unique stories to tell. One of these buildings is a reconstructed government housing complex called Tryon Palace. From its bright red brick exterior to its sweeping grounds full of blooming gardens and stables, Tryon Palace is a breathtaking piece of history. And it’s even bigger and more breathtaking in person. We didn’t get to go inside, but we did buy the $12 Garden & Galleries passes to visit the museum exhibits and wander around the gardens and grounds of the palace. Even the historic center in town that houses the museums is pretty…But the gardens are what really makes Tryon Palace a memorable place. The entire layout looks like something out of a fairytale’s architect. I kept walking around saying how Cinderella could step out from behind one of the marble pillars and I wouldn’t be the least surprised!! Everything is just so enchanting… the entire place is magical.And can we talk about the FLOWERS?! I was trying to remember all of the names of each one I saw and I don’t think I could! All along the streets surrounding the palace grounds and historic houses, flowers lined the sidewalks and stood tall in front of the picket fences. I would come back just to see the flowers this time of year! Gahhh. So pretty. Besides Tryon Palace, this coastal city offers all kinds of riverboat and kayaking tours, ghost walks, and history museums. New Bern, North Carolina… you will definitely be seeing more of me in the future!