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Historic Downtown Gem | Walk to Shops & Dining | Fire Pit + Bikes

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Higgins Downtown Depot—Iconic downtown New Bern home with charming daytime train views
Cozy evenings around the fire pit in your private Downtown New Bern backyard
Fully stocked chef’s kitchen for gathering in Downtown New Bern
Relaxing living space with fireplace in your New Bern vacation rental
Spacious king suite with luxury linens in Downtown New Bern

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 82443.4 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Onsite parking available
  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Air conditioning
  • Firepit
  • Balcony

Explore the area

View in a map
New Bern, NC
  • Place, Tryon Palace
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Place, New Bern Grand Marina
    ‪4 min walk‬
  • Place, New Bern Riverfront Convention Center
    ‪6 min walk‬
  • Airport, New Bern, NC (EWN-Coastal Carolina Regional)
    ‪3 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

Bedroom 2

1 King Bed

Bedroom 3

4 Twin Beds

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathroom 2

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Office
Balcony
Separate dining area
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Historic Downtown Gem | Walk to Shops & Dining | Fire Pit + Bikes

🏡 Downtown Gem | Walk Everywhere | Fire Pit & Bikes

Experience the perfect blend of historic charm and modern comfort in this beautifully restored 1895 home right in the heart of downtown New Bern. Higgins Downtown Depot offers exclusive access to the entire house, not a divided property, with a large fenced backyard, chef’s kitchen, and every amenity you need for a relaxing stay.

Step outside and you’re just steps from restaurants, coffee, shops, and Tryon Palace. Watch the slow-moving train pass by out front (a guest favorite!), roast s’mores around the smokeless fire pit, or relax on the porch with river views.

✨ Highlights

🌟 Prime downtown location – walk to everything
🌟 Beautifully decorated 1895 home with modern comforts
🌟 Fully stocked chef’s kitchen – Ninja Air Fryer, KitchenAid Mixer, Keurig & more
🌟 Smokeless fire pit, cornhole, shaded outdoor seating
🌟 Family-friendly – toys, books, movies, BabyQuip baby-gear rentals
🌟 Two king bedrooms + twin room with trundles
🌟 Fast Wi-Fi, monitor + Bluetooth keyboard for remote work
🌟 Four adult bikes with locks for exploring
🌟 24/7 guest support & keyless entry for a seamless stay

🛏️ Bedrooms & Bathrooms

All three spacious bedrooms are upstairs and feature luxury linens, plush bedding, sound machines, and alarm clocks.

🛌 Bedroom 1: King bed, sitting area, vintage (non-working) fireplace
🛌 Bedroom 2: King bed, desk area, vintage (non-working) fireplace
🛌 Bedroom 3: Two twin beds with twin trundles, dresser & large closet

🛁 Bathrooms:
🚿 Downstairs – Full bath with stand-up shower
🛀 Upstairs – Full bath with clawfoot tub & handheld shower with curtain

🪜 All bedrooms are upstairs via the original staircase

🍳 Chef’s Kitchen & Dining

Cook and gather in the fully equipped kitchen:

🍽️ Ninja Air Fryer & Blender
🍽️ KitchenAid Stand Mixer & Food Processor
🍽️ Crockpot, bakeware, cookware, & spices
☕ Keurig with frother + drip coffee maker
🧂 Starter condiments, paper goods, & trash bags

Enjoy meals around the large dining table, or open the vintage double doors to connect the kitchen, dining, and living spaces.

🛋️ Living Spaces

💻 Study with desk, monitor, Bluetooth keyboard & mouse
🔥 Family room with gas fireplace, Smart TV & dry bar
🖼️ Decor filled with antiques, heirlooms, and historic photos — each room tells a story

🧴 Salon-quality toiletries, plush towels, black makeup towels, laundry pods, and thoughtful starter supplies are provided.

🌳 Outdoor Spaces

🌿 Private fenced backyard with smokeless fire pit
🎯 Cornhole, ring toss, and frisbee games
🚲 Four adult bikes with locks and helmets
🪑 Shaded seating & string lights for cozy evenings
🌅 River views from the porch

Walk to Union Point Park, the Neuse River, and nearby attractions.

👶 Family Friendly

👶 Partnered with BabyQuip, the nation’s #1 baby gear rental company — rent clean, modern equipment delivered right to your door.

💬 Guest Experience

When you stay with A Stay Above The Rest, you get more than a home — you get a team that truly cares.

🔐 Keyless entry with your personal door code
📲 24/7 guest support by call, text, or email
📘 Digital guidebook with our favorite local tips

We’re a family-owned, Texas-based company dedicated to making every stay A Stay Above The Rest.

📋 Important Details

🚂 Train passes slowly in front of the home during daytime hours only — guests love watching it!
🚗 Parking for one car in the driveway and Free street parking
📹 Exterior Ring cameras only (no interior recording)
🚫 No pets – owner has severe allergies and a historic home
🚫 No parties or events (small daytime gatherings are ok)
🚭 No smoking or vaping inside or near entries
🌙 Quiet hours 10 PM – 8 AM
🔥 Please follow local burn bans when using the fire pit

🛡️ Property Damage Protection up to $1,500 is included with every stay for peace of mind.

🌟 Summary

Historic elegance meets modern comfort at Higgins Downtown Depot — a one-of-a-kind stay in the heart of New Bern. Walk everywhere, relax by the fire pit, and enjoy a home that’s as beautiful as it is welcoming.

Guests call it:
💬 “110% satisfaction… one of our favorite stays ever!”

Come see why.
*** There is exterior video surveillance for security purposes. There are NO cameras facing the interior

Main Rules:
- Be mindful of neighbors, but make sure to enjoy your stay!
- NO Pets - Owner has severe allergies
- No smoking inside
- Remove trash and wash/ put away dishes or start dishwasher before your departure
- No Parties
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Outdoor Space

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 18
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
*** There is exterior video surveillance for security purposes. There are NO cameras facing the interior Main Rules:

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room

About the neighborhood

New Bern

Located in New Bern, this vacation home is in the city center. New Bern Grand Marina and Carolina Colours Golf Club are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Latham-Whitehurst Nature Park and Union Point Park. Motor boating and fishing offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with cycling nearby.
View more Vacation Homes in New BernOpens in a new window
Map
New Bern, NC

What's nearby

  • New Bern Civic Theatre - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Tryon Palace - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • New Bern Grand Marina - 4 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Pepsi Museum - 4 min walk - 0.4 km
  • New Bern Riverfront Convention Center - 6 min walk - 0.6 km

Getting around

  • New Bern Station - 7 min walk
  • New Bern, NC (EWN-Coastal Carolina Regional) - 7 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Crema Brew - ‬12 min walk
  • ‪Brewery 99 - ‬5 min walk
  • ‪Thirsty Bruin Craft Beer and Wine - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Taco Bell - ‬3 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Historic Downtown Gem | Walk to Shops & Dining | Fire Pit + Bikes pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Historic Downtown Gem | Walk to Shops & Dining | Fire Pit + Bikes?

As of Apr 25, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Historic Downtown Gem | Walk to Shops & Dining | Fire Pit + Bikes on Jun 12, 2026 start from $451, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking?

Onsite parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Historic Downtown Gem | Walk to Shops & Dining | Fire Pit + Bikes?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Historic Downtown Gem | Walk to Shops & Dining | Fire Pit + Bikes?

Check-out is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Historic Downtown Gem | Walk to Shops & Dining | Fire Pit + Bikes located?

Located in New Bern Historic District, this vacation home is steps from North Carolina History Center at Tryon Palace and New Bern Civic Theatre. Pepsi Museum and Christ Church are also within 5 minutes. New Bern Station is 7 minutes by foot.

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labeled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 53 out of 55 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 55 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 55 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 55 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 55 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.8/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Stewart T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great house for our family. Perfect location. Nice to have a good kitchen too!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jeanna H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We were in New Bern for my son’s wedding. Being within walking distance from town was perfect. Linens were lovely. Very clean!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Hunter W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great historic place in a fantastic location
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Becky T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This home is the perfect mix of classy high end and quaint old touches! The location is within walking distance to everything you’d want to see or do in downtown New Bern. The house was immaculate and comfortable. would stay again!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2026
Verified

8/10 Good

Steven B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The host Connie/Cassidy were great and very responsive.
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Katrina

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
This house is so special to us and we will always try to stay here when we visit New Bern! My husband and I were staying here years ago when we got engaged and love it so much. Can’t wait to come back! Perfect for the whole family
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Terry S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a wonderful time and LOVED the house! Friends for 50 years, we were visiting our high school choral teacher. Everything was perfect and the kitchen is amazing...want to go back for a longer stay to cook with family and friends! The train was an added bonus!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

Jeremy M.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great location, plenty of room for the 5 of us.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mary Ann T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Location in Downtown

House was comfortable and well appointed. Located downtown and can walk to many restaurants and shops.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Cory H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Best VRBO we have visited, loved our trip to New Bern

We loved our stay! The house is cozy, charming, and beautifully furnished — everything felt comfortable and welcoming. The historic character gives it great personality, and the kitchen was well-stocked with everything we needed to cook and enjoy meals as a family. The location is ideal: just a short walk to restaurants and close to the heart of a lovely downtown area. Highly recommend!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

jane T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent stay

Great place to stay. Excellent communication with rental agency for any questions we had.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tai C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great! Just smelled a little closed up.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mary A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful Fall Get Away

Had a lovely time in New Bern. Great location , can pretty much walk everywhere :)
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Shannon G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Home away from home! We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in New Bern complete with modern amenities, high end linens and the charm of a home built in 1895. We were able to walk to shops and restaurants with ease and used the bikes to go a bit further. Fire pit in the backyard was a great way to relax in the evening. Watching the train go by directly in front of the home was the main attraction. We will definitely book this home again when we return to New Bern.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Grete Y.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Business trip as a family

Loved the house and its location! Perfect place for our family to settle for a few days.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Burton S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location!

10/10 great spot for a vacation. We walked everywhere!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful

Loved this place, probably my favorite VRBO rental yet
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

shelly h.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location! Excellent service and property!

It was a beautiful old home restored in a location right in the heart of downtown. Well stocked and easy to find. We loved it and would come stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

jill m.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The home is so cute and centrally located to all downtown New Bern has to offer. We especially appreciated being within walking distance to New Bern Coffee Roasters on Middle street--where they make a great cup of lattes, etc. We also would highly recommend The Old Pinnix restaurant/toatery and bar. The folks there are not bartenders--they are mixologists who know what they are doing, always willing to go above and beyond and are enjoyable to talk to. We went there 3 times in 2 days--first time for an espresso martini; second time for a cappuccino and some fabulous toast with procuitto, fig, and brie; and third time for a simple kailua and cream--and they are on the same street as the place we stayed, just a few blocks down. The train actually comes by several times a day, but it is not intrusive at all--just adds to the charm of the town. We had a couple of small snafus--getting the front door to unlock and getting the correct Wi-Fi password, but the Stay Above staff was very responsive.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

jay g.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Super week in the Depot house!! A good place to stay makes the whole trip enjoyable and fun.

Enjoyable, great location and charming house. Very accommodating HOST.. We'll be back to visit again at this same property. Great job 👏
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lyn J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful stay

Our family stayed in this lovely historic home and had a wonderful time. The home was spotless and comfortable, and the hosts had thought of everything. For access to beautiful downtown New Bern, there is no better location. This property has our highest recommendation, and the hosts have our deep appreciation.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lydia B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place

Lovely home! Perfect for gathering and socializing. Lovely backyard with activities for all. Comfortable beds and well kept updated charming house.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Beth N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Exceeded all expectations

Full of character, plenty of space, super comfortable beds, lots of excellent attention to details of the guest experience. We would definitely return!
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Nate T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent!

Excellent house and excellent folks to work with while there. Great and extremely easy access to downtown New Bern. We'll be back!
Stayed 11 nights in Oct 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mary D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Downtown New Bern Gem!

We enjoyed our stay at your home very much. It was beautifully decorated with interesting art work. The beds were very comfortable and the bedrooms nicely appointed. Great kitchen and eating area as well. We loved being able to walk to shops and restaurants right from the house. New Bern is a great little town with friendly people, charm and so much history. Thank you.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024

About the host

Hosted by A Stay Above The Rest

Host profile image
A Stay Above the Rest is all about quality, comfort, and delivering an exceptional guest experience! Come stay with us where you will be treated with urgency to any and all questions and will be spoiled with all of the "extras" we love to provide! Our guest services team is 5 star and we try to think of everything to make your stay truly, "Above The Rest"!

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English

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