Birthplace of Pepsi First time visitors should note not to ask for a Coke in the Inner Banks town of New Bern. The community has a proud history as the Birthplace of Pepsi Cola, and this claim to fame is celebrated at a number of locales around downtown, including the newly built Pepsi Family Center at the North Carolina History Center, (an interactive museum that takes patrons back in time to the year 1835), the innumerable antique stores which showcase pristine old Pepsi bottles, and the signature Pepsi Store.Any of these attractions are worth a look, and visitors should not be surprised that Pepsi is the star of local memorabilia, local menus, and drug store soda shops all around the town. New Bern Map it
Lawson Creek Park Lawson Creek Park is an active destination that's suitable for nature lovers and outdoors fans of all genres. Encompassing a massive 140 acre site surrounded by the waters of Lawson Creek and Trent River, this park is a perfectly scenic locale that feels worlds away from the rest of Eastern North Carolina, but still has ample amenities to keep its more active visitors hard at play. New Bern Map it
Lou Mac Park The Lou Mac Park, although easily one of Oriental's smallest parks, is also one of its prettiest and most inviting for water lovers of all varieties, locals and visitors alike. Located on the corner of Freemason St. and South Avenue, this park has undergone several renovations over the past couple of years, thanks to damage from 2011's Hurricane Irene. Luckily, the waterfront structures and amenities that make this destination one of Oriental's favorites is back up and running, and is open to anyone who want a front row seat to one of Eastern North Carolina's most scenic waterfronts. Oriental Map it