 |
 |
Around New Bern, Edenton and Eastern North Carolina...
|
|
|
Antiques shopping, historical tours and, of course, watersports are major interests for many golfers during their extra time in eastern North Carolina. New Bern invites you to wear walking shoes or hop on the trolley and enjoy art galleries, gardens in bloom and especially the restored homes, churches and stores reflecting internationally flavored 18th-century architectural influences. The three distinct historic districts include the downtown and the Ghent and Riverside neighborhoods. More than 200 homes here are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the 2,000 crape myrtles surrounding them are an attraction themselves. In New Bern, browse through the Firemen's Museum, 410 Hancock Street, (252) 636-4087, or the Civil War Museum, 301 Metcalf Street, (252) 633-2818. The early fire-fighting equipment includes steam pumpers and a variety of photographs and Civil War relics, plus the mounted head of the fire horse who died in his tracks. The Civil War Museum showcases an important private collection of weapons, uniforms and battlefield artifacts. There's also a gift shop here. Be sure to leave an afternoon to amble through the Tryon Palace Historic Site and Gardens, Pollock and George streets; call (252) 638-1560 for information about tour options and hours. It's open daily year-round and is the setting for summer re-enactments of historical events. The Georgian brick mansion was reconstructed from the remains of one originally built on the site in 1770 by William Tryon, the British colonial governor. Delegates gathered in this palace for the first state legislature meeting in 1777. As part of the palace tour, visit the New Bern Academy Museum, the oldest public school in North Carolina, founded in 1764. Exhibits here feature education and architecture as well as the history of New Bern, which was a Union city within the Confederate states. We suggest you plan a golfing vacation here each April so you can also attend the Home and Garden Show. This event is a must for garden lovers--the quiet, self-guided stroll through some of the town's most beautiful homes is enchanting, and you can get great decorating ideas for your own home. An important stop if your children accompany you is Kidsville, a playground at 1225 Pine Tree Drive. This isn't just your regular playground. It's a planned interactive site with an extensive grouping of creative equipment including a slide and a maze in a fort-like setting. Spend some quiet time in this small town. You won't hear the sounds of a big city. Talk to the people here--folks aren't shy about sharing their life stories with new friends who are here to enjoy local golf courses. You also might enjoy the Croatan National Forest, where deer, bears, alligators and Venus' flytraps are preserved. You can access the forest at 141 E. Fisher Avenue, just a few miles south of New Bern. Pick up a map at the forest headquarters here before venturing into an undeveloped area unprepared. Call (252) 638-5628 for more information. Swimming, boating, fishing, hunting, hiking and picnicking are popular activities during most of the year. Overnight camping is ideal. However, the park is sometimes closed in winter, so be sure to call ahead. Saltwater fishing in the park is popular, as are flounder gigging, crabbing and oystering along the river shoreline. Fishing tournaments and sailing competitions are other major events for enthusiasts, spectators and even photographers. Visit Eastern North Carolina during any festival, and you'll absorb some real flavor of the region and its people as well as be entertained and fed like royalty. Call (800) 437-5767 for general tourist information and a listing of events that span the calendar. Call (252) 482-2637 for information about Edenton or (800) 775-0111 for the Tourism Development Authority. And when you arrive here go straight to the Visitors Center, 108 N. Broad Street, for a genuinely warm welcome by the knowledgeable and courteous staff. Watch the introductory film, then take a guided tour of the more than 50 historic buildings along the tree-lined downtown streets. If you enjoy celebrations, visit Edenton during the September shrimp festival, the October peanut festival or the Christmas candlelight tour of private homes. The 1730 Newbold-White House, North Carolina's oldest surviving home, is on N.C. Highway 1336 near Hertford, one of the state's oldest towns. Its medieval English architecture has been modified by Colonial touches. Call (252) 426-7567 for tour information. Nearby in Bath, the state's first town, you can tour three restored house museums. Go to the Historic Bath Visitor Center on Carteret Street (N.C. 92), (252) 923-3971, for information on tours of the Palmer-Marsh House, the Van DerVeer House and the Bonner House. Here you can also get directions to St. Thomas Episcopal, the state's oldest church. Call (252) 923-3971 for more information. The prestigious Albemarle Craftsman's Fair at Knobbs Creek Recreation Center on Ward Street in Elizabeth City, one of the oldest demonstrating shows in the country, has been celebrated in October for 39 years. This event showcases myriad crafts of exquisite design and workmanship. Call the Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce, (252) 335-4365, for information on events and nearby attractions. Also, make time for a walking tour through the historic district. Lake Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, on N.C. 94 a mile north of U.S. 264 and east of Washington, encompasses 50,000 acres of marsh, lake, timber and cropland. The shallow lake provides a winter refuge for various waterfowl, including more than 45,000 tundra swans and 150,000 birds. Also, thousands of snow and Canadian geese and 22 species of ducks arrive for the season. Fishing, including herring dipping and blue crabbing, and boating are popular here. For information about the refuge, call (252) 926-4021. Pettigrew State Park, just off U.S. Highway 64 outside Creswell (follow signs once you've entered town), features 5 miles of trails through virgin forests and displays Native American dugout canoes along the trail. A fishing pier and boat launch along the west side of the 16,600-acre lake make great starting points, as do the hiking trail and the biking trail. Fishing, camping and nature programs are available. Call (252) 797-4475 for information. Somerset Place in Pettigrew State Park, (252) 797-4560, presents hands-on educational programs about the plantation system and daily life during the antebellum period. The main house, a restored early Greek Revival-style coastal plantation home, is furnished with period pieces. Its outbuildings include a smokehouse, dairy, kitchen and the original Colony House where the family lived while the mansion was being built in the 1830s. This state historic site is open for tours year-round, and admission is free, but groups planning to visit should call in advance for reservations. The Great Dismal Swamp Canal is the oldest continually operating man-made canal in the country. You can view the National Civil Engineering Landmark from the visitors center here; call (252) 771-8333. The Dismal Swamp Wetlands Boardwalk in northern Currituck County measures a half-mile long and leads to 639 acres in the Dismal Swamp. An observation tower provides panoramic views of the area. Admission is free, but you must ask permission to go on the boardwalk or tower, both of which are owned by Elizabeth City State University. For information call (252) 335-3375. Hope Plantation, near Windsor, is the Federal plantation home of Gov. David Stone. You can tour the entire complex for a glimpse of a statesman's life on a self-sustaining plantation in the early 1800s. Call (252) 794-3140 for information. The historic district of the small town of Washington (a.k.a. "Little Washington") is the site of 30 noteworthy structures dating from the late 1700s. This town is replete with restaurants and accommodations. Self-guided walking tours near the Pamlico River make for a full afternoon's activity. Call the Washington-Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce, (252) 946-9168, or drop by the chamber offices, 102 W. Stewart Parkway, for information.
|
|
|
Fresh seafood abounds in eastern North Carolina restaurants and is prepared in a variety of ways: fried, blackened, grilled, baked, broiled or steamed. Country cooking with homegrown vegetables and homemade meat loaf, pork chops or fried chicken is also prevalent, and you won't go home hungry. Barbecue is a North Carolina specialty--usually pork but sometimes beef, seafood or chicken--and you can expect French fries and cold slaw to round out the meal. We believe in eating well when we're on golf trips; actually, we promote eating well all of the time. We'll recommend a few favorite spots offering variety, and you'll find others featuring local specialties and international cuisine. Unless otherwise indicated, the following restaurants accept most major credit cards. Refer to our Preface for an explanation of the price code. Annabelle's Restaurant & Pub Here you'll find a variety of food served in a casual atmosphere. The lunch and dinner menus are the same and include something for almost any taste. Chicken, ribs, beef and seafood entrees are featured. Mexican dishes also are available. It's a great place to enjoy a quick soup, salad and a beer before an afternoon tee time. Desserts are plentiful too--we recommend the hot fudge cake to finish any meal. The Berne Restaurant Menu selections include fried or broiled shellfish, trout, flounder and oysters (in season). We think the always-full parking lot at this easy-to-find eatery (it's at a major intersection) is a sign of the good food served within. The Berne offers down-home country and seafood meals. Pork barbecue, a regional specialty, is featured; if that doesn't appeal to you, choose steak or seafood. Don't miss the breakfast buffet served each Saturday and Sunday. A traditional country breakfast is featured every day. The Chelsea - A Restaurant & Shellfish, steaks or sandwiches are good choices for lunch or dinner at The Chelsea. Regional cuisine sports a contemporary flair here. Watch for the daily specials listed on the chalkboard and enjoy the healthy house salad, vegetable, potato or rice and fresh bread that accompany every entree. The large bar is popular with locals and offers domestic and imported beers and mixed drinks. Live entertainers perform many nights. Caleb Bradham, founder of Brad's Drink (the original Pepsi-Cola), once used this building as his drugstore. The colorful wall mural tells the story. The Harvey Mansion This restaurant and lounge with a water view are housed in a beautifully restored building constructed by John Harvey in the 1790s. Before it became a restaurant in 1979, the building went through various incarnations--home, mercantile establishment, boarding house, military academy and community college. Chef Beat Züttel and his wife Carolyn now own and operate the mansion and live there with their children. Gourmet dinners, served here nightly, include fresh seasonal offerings of grilled, poached or sauteed seafood. The menu changes frequently and reflects the chef's heritage and influences from his native Bern, Switzerland. Homemade desserts are delicious. Downstairs, the cellar lounge boasts a copper bar, an informal menu and an inviting atmosphere in which to relax before or after dinner. This acclaimed establishment, with linens and candlelight, encourages guests to enjoy a dressy and leisurely evening. Henderson House Restaurant This award-winning restaurant in a restored historic home is perfect for candlelight dining on a special occasion. Original art adorns the walls--a nice complement to your meal. And exquisite menu selections--creatively prepared veal, duck, lamb and pheasant--match the decor. The shrimp almondine is one of our favorites. The international wine list is extensive. Henderson House is open Wednesday through Sunday evenings. Kress Café '50s Rock & Roll
Diner In the Kress Building--formerly home of the S.H. Kress & Co. Diner--this diner's menu has a large selection of breakfast specials including eggs Benedict and French toast. Lunch and dinner items include a variety of delicious salads, sandwiches and burgers. Beer, wine and cocktails are available. It's open daily. Latitude 35 This restaurant in the Sheraton Hotel and Marina showcases fine dining, but you need not avoid it when you're wearing golf attire. Come as you are and enjoy the views of the Neuse River and the marina. Locals enjoy the breakfast buffet, which includes eggs, grits, breakfast meat, waffles, muffins, fabulous biscuits, fresh fruit and cereal. Try a tasty salad or sandwich for lunch and seafood specialties in the evening. You won't be disappointed with the shellfish or other seafood, served broiled, baked, fried, grilled or blackened. If sea fare is not to your taste, order pasta, chicken or beef. A full salad bar is included with each entree. Moore's Barbecue No trip to North Carolina is complete without barbecue, and this is a good place to sample some. Pork, seafood or chicken and all the trimmings make for a fine Carolina-style lunch or dinner feast to eat in or carry out. Call for hours, which vary on weekends. If you're planning a big party, consider Moore's to cater a pig pickin'. You've not eaten real Southern food until you've tried this. Pollock Street Delicatessenand
Restaurant If you are visiting and homesick for food from a New York deli, Pollock Street serves breakfast, lunch or dinner to please any Yankee palate--and Carolinians love it too. Salads, bagels, quiche, pasta, sandwiches and other entrees are delicious and followed by great desserts. Call for hours, which vary daily. Sandpiper Restaurant As soon as you sit down at Sandpiper, your hot hush puppies and butter will arrive. This gets your meal off to a good start, but don't fill up yet. You have many fried seafood platters from which to choose: fish, shrimp, oysters, deviled crab, scallops. We recommend the trout fillets or fried shrimp. Get a baked potato or fries and a hearty serving of cole slaw. Oyster stew, clam chowder, shrimp and oyster cocktails are specialties. The same menu is available for lunch and dinner. Scalzo's Scalzo's huge variety of pastas with a choice of 18 sauces plus fresh lamb, seafood, beef, veal or chicken selections should please any palate. One of the best and most unusual sauces is the black olive and caper creation. Others include mixed seafood, red or white clam sauce or a standard marinara. Not a typical Carolina eatery, this place is more typical of an Italian restaurant. Choose a complementary wine and an Italian dessert and spend a memorable evening here. Dinner is served Monday through Saturday. Yana's Ye Olde Drugstore
Restaurant of New Bern Styled after a 1950s luncheonette, this restaurant offers a typical breakfast and lunch bill of fare. From the massive pancakes to chocolate nut sundaes, there is something to please every taste. It's closed on Tuesday. No. 1 Chinese Restaurant Whether you prefer Cantonese, Szechwan or Hunan cuisine, you're in luck here, because this restaurant features in all three. We recommend the General Tso chicken, but be sure to ask for extra beverage to accompany this hot and spicy dish. This small restaurant in this equally small town offers one of the most extensive Chinese menus we have ever seen. Many items can be ordered as a combination plate, such as chicken with garlic sauce, roast pork egg foo young or pepper steak. Combination plates include pork fried rice and egg roll. Other special dishes include spare rib tips, fried shrimp, chicken wings or half a fried chicken. We also recommend Cantonese special No. 110 (a.k.a. subgum won ton), a combination of won ton, lobster, chicken and pork with vegetables and white rice. No. 1 Chinese Restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily. PJ's Creekside Restaurant Whether outside in the gazebo or in one of the dining rooms (Patty's Porch, The Solarium or Grandpappy's Bedroom), you can enjoy good food from an entertaining menu at this restaurant near the Pamlico River. Featured menu items include the Annette Spinachello (spinach salad with tomatoes, eggs and bacon bits) and the Hugh Heffer (roast beef with cheddar cheese, onions and barbecue sauce on a honey wheat roll). Sweets for My Sweet desserts change daily. Patty Lovely's vision of 35 years became a reality here. It's A Small World children's menu includes sandwiches dubbed by entrants in a sandwich-naming contest: That's A Bunch of Bologna, Nutter Butter Jelly Jubilee, Mexican Puppy. For the adults, sandwich choices include several varieties of Fowl Play, Ham It Up, Beef Encounters and Chicken of the Sea. For dinner, try an Italian chicken or prime rib entree. The Dram Tree Restaurant Next door to the lovely bed and breakfast inn of the same name, this restaurant features beef, veal, lamb, poultry, pasta and seafood entrees. A tasty beginning is the Dram Tree coconut shrimp or the seafood crepes. One of our favorite entrees is chicken colliers, a fricasseed breast of chicken over fettuccine topped by a sherry Dijon sauce with almonds. The vegetable ravioli combines our favorite eggplant and spinach with tomato and a roasted red pepper marinara sauce. Desserts are made fresh every day. The restaurant and inn take their shared name from the dram tree where the English captains of outgoing vessels during the 17th and 18th centuries partook of a dram of rum as a token of a safe voyage. Lane's Family BBQ and Seafood Authentic North Carolina barbecue with all the proper trimmings is served here. In case you don't know, the main accompaniments to a chicken or pork barbecue (sliced or chopped) sandwich or plate are slaw and French fries or onion rings. Take home a pound or two of barbecue for another meal. You can also choose clam strips or a basic delicious hamburger. Daily specials include such offerings as chicken pot pie on Mondays or ham and collards on Wednesday. Don't miss the banana pudding or lemon meringue pie for dessert.
|
|
|
The few major hotels in this part of the state are dependable, and the modest local motels are fine for a short stay. But, to sample the real flavor of eastern North Carolina, we suggest a bed and breakfast inn in a Victorian or Greek Revival-style restored home. The fine selection of accommodations throughout these historic towns presents a tough choice. If you're here for golf only, you'll want to consider an accommodation that offers a package and helps you book a tee time at your chosen course. Refer to our Preface for an explanation of the price code. The Aerie This is a good place to talk to the locals at the on-site Tea Room, serving tea and coffee, scones and jam Wednesday through Saturday afternoons. A block from Tryon Palace, this 1880s Victorian home includes seven rooms with twin, queen- or king-size beds. Each room has a private bath and cable television. Complimentary wine, beer, soft drinks and light refreshments are provided, and a full gourmet breakfast is served daily. Comfort Suites & Marina Golf packages are a specialty at this motel, within walking distance of New Bern's downtown and historic area. Many of the 100 suites have waterfront balconies overlooking the beautiful Neuse River--a perfect setting to reflect on your golf round. All suites have refrigerators, microwaves and coffee makers. Golfers can enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast prior to their daily round. Fairfield Harbour Timeshare units are available for twosomes or several foursomes, including small condominiums (for two) and two- to three-story houses. In addition to golf privileges at two on-site courses, amenities include tennis, pools, an exercise room, game room and miniature golf to practice your putting. Although the 237 units are timeshares, they're available for rent to the public. Hampton Inn This hotel off U.S. Highway 17 at the U.S. Highway 70 bypass has 101 clean and comfortable rooms (maintaining this chain's national standards for quality). Guests have convenient access to golf courses and attractions. A continental breakfast is served daily; heartier breakfasts can be had at any of a number of nearby restaurants. Golf and historic district tour packages are available. Harmony House Inn Enjoy the interesting architecture, the antiques and the hospitality, including a delicious breakfast and afternoon social hour, at this bed and breakfast inn in the downtown historic district. Golf courses and historic tours are nearby. The house was built in 1809. Around 1900, it was cut in half and the west side shifted to allow for an addition and a staircase; new porches also were added. Harmony House Inn has nine guest rooms and one suite, each furnished with antiques or reproductions and including private baths and decorative fireplaces. A full breakfast is served daily in the dining room, and beverages are offered in the evening. The Magnolia House You'll think you're in Charleston, South Carolina, when you see this pink-painted bed and breakfast inn, just a short distance from Tryon Palace. Don and Kim Trudo's home sits within walking distance of the town center and waterfront. The three guest rooms are cozy, and all have private baths. Family heirlooms, locally gathered antiques and local art adorn each room. Fresh-baked breads and muffins, seasonal fruits and fresh-ground coffee await guests each morning. Guests are invited to lounge and enjoy refreshments daily at 4 PM. New Bern House Inn You can enjoy the porch swing and forget about your day if you didn't have a good golf round. The seven guest rooms in this bed and breakfast inn are air-conditioned; all have private baths and either twin, king or queen beds. You can't miss this Colonial-style home, just a block from the Tryon Palace complex. In case you didn't get enough exercise on the golf course, this inn provides a bicycle built for two to spin around historic New Bern. When you call for reservations, ask about the monthly mystery weekends. They are great fun for guests as well as the innkeeper. The Sheraton Grand Comfortable rooms overlook the Trent River and on-site marina. Packages include golf at your favorite course. A covered walkway leads guests to rooms, suites and minisuites (reminiscent of grand Southern hotels) with waterfront and city views. The hotel and inn have two restaurants for dinner and two lounges for relaxing. This is a one-stop choice if you don't want to venture any farther than the golf course and the hotel. Vacation Resorts International Condominiums at Fairfield Harbour (see entry above) overlook one of the golf courses, and rental packages for one- to three-bedroom units include golf, a pool, marina and other amenities. Units will accommodate six to 18 people. A three-day minimum stay is required year-round. Acadian House Bed & Breakfast Leonard and Johanna Huber renovated this 1902 house and furnished it with antiques and local crafts, some of which are for sale. Each of the four lovely guest rooms has a private bath. Acadian House is a block from the Pamlico River and a pleasant walk to the historic sites. It's also near good golf courses. True to their New Orleans roots, the innkeepers serve southern Louisiana specialties as well as traditional North Carolina eggs and meats for breakfast. Pamlico House Bed & Breakfast In the center of the historic district, this large turn-of-the-century home exudes the warmth and friendliness found so often in small Southern towns. The Colonial-style house, once the rectory of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, is appointed with period antiques and modern creature comforts such as air conditioning and color TV. Four spacious guest rooms include private baths and king, queen or twin beds. Guests awaken to a delicious breakfast each morning. Captain's Quarters Inn Phyllis Pepper offers golf-and-snooze or sail-and-snooze two-night packages. Hors d'oeuvres are served the first night, followed the next morning by an in-room continental breakfast and then a three-course gourmet breakfast served in the dining room. After breakfast, go sailing or golfing for a few hours, then hurry back to Captain's Quarters for a two-hour guided tour of Edenton's historic district. Next, enjoy afternoon refreshments back at the inn. A four-course gourmet dinner rounds out the evening. A continental breakfast followed by a breakfast buffet is served the second morning. Sailing or golf at Chowan Country Club or The Sound at Albemarle Plantation (see previous entries), the aforementioned meals and refreshments all are included in the package. Captain's Quarters Inn features eight spacious and comfortable rooms with private baths. Governor Eden Inn Governor Eden Inn is just 1½ blocks from the visitors center in the historic district and seven blocks from the downtown shopping district. It's near Chowan Country Club, and The Sound at Albemarle Plantation is about 20 miles away. (See entries above for each.) The turn-of-the-century Victorian inn includes four rooms with private baths. The wraparound porch and the upstairs balcony are inviting places to relax. As an added enticement, owner and operator Ruth Shackelford serves a hearty breakfast each morning. The Granville Queen Themed Inn Nine guest rooms with private baths are individually designed to carry out unique themes ranging from Egyptian to Italian, and furnishings, art and accessories are actually imported from Italy, China, Holland, Thailand and England. This inn in the heart of historic Edenton is a good place for a leisurely visit in an elegant setting. It is nonsmoking and not suitable for children or pets. Along with lodging the visit includes a five-course gourmet breakfast based around grilled chicken breast or filet mignon and accompanied by eggs folded with fresh basil and diced tomatoes. Weekend evening wine tastings also are available. Don't be in a rush for a morning tee time when staying here. Spend the morning lounging over breakfast and then touring the historic district. Lords Proprietors' Inn Three restored homes offering a total of 20 rooms spread over an acre of ground make up this inn in the historic district. Each room includes private bath, cable television, VCR and use of porches, parlors and the library. Gourmet dinner and a hearty breakfast are included with the price Tuesday through Saturday nights, and rates are adjusted (lowered) to exclude dinner Sunday and Monday nights. Special historic preservation weekends during February and March include a reception Friday night before an elegant dinner. On Saturday afternoon private historic homes are opened for touring. Then enjoy another wonderful dinner and entertainment. Trestle House Inn Bed &
Breakfast This secluded inn is a wonderful hideaway just about 4 miles outside historic Edenton. The owners will even pick you up from the Edenton Municipal Airport if you want to arrive on your private or corporate jet. This is an ideal setting for business meetings, with outstanding golf courses nearby. The inn was built in 1972 as a private estate. It features massive exposed redwood beams milled from abandoned railroad trestle timbers, which came from trees estimated at 450 years old. Guest rooms are spacious, and each includes a private tiled bath, remote color TV with cable and HBO, ceiling fan and air conditioning. The delicious complimentary breakfast is accompanied by a view of the pasture and the private lake. Also, the exercise room, billiard table, shuffleboard and sun deck are suggested for a few relaxing hours.
|
|
|
Wild Bill's Golf Shop, 3817A U.S. Highway 17 S., (252) 633-9820 is the only golf equipment shop in New Bern. Custom clubs are available as well as same-day service for regripping. For additional golf-equipment options, we have noted in the respective course entries those pro shops in the area that are especially well-stocked. |
|
|