Guided Lantern Light Walking Tours Through Historic New Bern
About Lantern Light Tours
FIRST TOUR STARTS FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2026 (due to weather forecast)
For this opening season, a special rate of $15 Continental Dollars secures your historic pilgrimage —for those whom first walk by Lantern Light.
Step into the glow and experience one of North Carolina’s oldest towns through the stories that shaped its past. This is not a haunted attraction, but a journey through History, Truth, and Redemption—where Pirates, Revolutionary Heroes, Civil War Soldiers, and the courage of the Underground Railroad come to life beneath the lantern’s light.
Once the Colonial Capital, New Bern still echoes with the footsteps of those who came before—its legacy carried on the quiet waterfront winds and preserved in stories passed down through generations. This is more than a tour—it’s a walk through time, where every step draws you deeper into the soul of New Bern… where some of its most legendary figures are still waiting to be revealed.
Lantern Light Tours was created to offer something different—an experience rooted in history, told with purpose, and brought to life by the quiet glow of lantern light.
In a city as rich as New Bern, the past is not distant. It lives in the streets, the homes, and the stories carried forward through generations. This tour exists to honor those stories—not with theatrics or embellishment, but with clarity, respect, and meaning.
Lantern Light Tours is locally owned and operated in New Bern, built on a commitment to authenticity, thoughtful storytelling, and creating an experience that stays with you long after the walk has ended.
This guided walking experience follows a carefully designed route through the historic heart of New Bern, covering approximately 1.1 miles at a relaxed, comfortable pace.
Along the way, you will visit:
• Christ Episcopal Church
• First Baptist Church
• Centenary United Methodist Church
• First Presbyterian Church
• Stanly–Spaight Duel Site
• St. Cyprian's Episcopal
• Trent Riverside Sea Shanties Sing-a-long
Each stop reveals a story—of courage, conflict, faith, and the lives that shaped New Bern across generations. The experience is engaging, reflective, and immersive, offering a meaningful connection to the past without gimmicks or distraction.
Tour Details
Duration: Approximately 75–90 minutes
Distance: ~1.1 miles
Pace: Easy walking with frequent stops
Family-friendly evening tours
Private & Group Experiences available with notice.
Private tours are available for families, small groups, and special occasions. Whether you’re visiting New Bern or planning a meaningful evening with friends, a private experience offers a more personal, flexible, and immersive way to explore the city’s history. If your group would like to focus on specific topics or themes, additional elements can be incorporated upon request—please contact us in advance to arrange a customized experience.
Before You Go
• Comfortable walking shoes are recommended
• The route covers approximately 1.1 miles and is mostly downhill at a relaxed pace
• Tours take place outdoors—please dress for the weather
• Check-in begins 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time; tours begin promptly
• And the evening concludes alongside the Trent River with a spirited Sea Shanty sing-along—an engaging and memorable finale that brings the stories of the waterfront to life.
Providence Wrote Their Stories...
Walk The Same Streets and Riverside Shore
He crossed an ocean with nothing but debt, hope, and a bold vision… only to be captured, nearly executed, and left with almost nothing. Yet the town he founded still stands. Walk with us and discover the true story of Baron Christoph Von Graffenreid—the man who risked everything to create New Bern.
In the fading light of an early September evening, two of New Bern’s most powerful men, Richard Dobbs Spaight and John Stanly faced each other with pistols…and only one walked away. Step into the shadows where ambition, honor, and a single fatal shot forever changed this town’s history.
Born into slavery yet rising to become one of New Bern’s wealthiest free men of color, John Carruthers Stanly built a fortune, freed his family, and owned more land than most white planters of his day. Walk with us to uncover the remarkable—and complicated—story of the barber who defied every expectation of his time.
Alexander Herritage Newton’s family risked everything on these New Bern waterfront paths to lead others from bondage into freedom—a powerful story of redemption that still echoes today. Walk those same steps and hear how light broke through the darkness on your own Lantern Light Tour.
Hear the story of Clara Eliza Cutter — a young 19 year old nurse who followed the Union army into New Bern and became known as the "Florence Nightingale of the Massachu
sett's 21st" — she became the first woman buried with full military honors in the National Cemetary beside the man she loved.
He escaped slavery by by stowing away among barrels of turpentine, only to return as a fearless Union spy. Discover one of the most remarkable and under-appreciated figures of the Civil War. Abraham Galloway slipped through Confederate Lines time after time— and eventually stood face to face with The Great Emancipator President Lincoln —and demanded full citizenship for all.
In the back of an ordinary New Bern pharmacy, something unexpected was stirred into existence. A tonic meant to aid digestion quietly transformed into one of the most recognizable drinks in the world —yet the man behind the formula would not keep what he created. The truth still lingers on the corner where it all began.
307 Pollock Street
When the Great Fire of 1922 reduced forty blocks of New Bern’s Black community to ashes, one extraordinary woman refused to let the darkness win. Walk with us as we uncover how Charlotte S. Rhone—North Carolina’s first Black registered nurse—rose from the ruins to become a quiet force of healing, dignity, and redemption that still lights the way today.
She was a single mother in New Bern who borrowed a camera, taught herself photography, and became one of the South’s most important image-makers—flying over the Neuse in a Wright Brothers plane to capture some of the first aerial photos ever taken by a woman.
Bayard Wootten saw this town (and the people in it) in ways no one else did.
Walk the streets she knew and discover her remarkable story on the Lantern Light Tour.
All will be revealed — under the soft glow of your own Lantern Light Tour. Forgotten voices of New Bern that still whisper — come and step into the night to illuminate the history of The Bern's secrets, And embrace what the Athens of the South forever guards in it's shadows.
Inclement Weather Policy
At Lantern Light Tours, your experience and safety are our highest priorities.
Tours will proceed in light rain or passing weather conditions. However, in the event of severe or unsafe weather—including heavy downpours, lightning, high winds, or conditions that could impact guest safety—the tour may be canceled or paused at our discretion.
If a tour is canceled due to inclement weather, guests will receive a rain check voucher valid for a future tour date. This allows you to return and experience the full tour under more favorable conditions.
Please note:
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Rain check vouchers may be used on any available future date.
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Refunds are only issued for weather-related cancellations.
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We recommend checking the forecast and dressing appropriately for outdoor conditions.
Our goal is to ensure that every guest experiences Lantern Light Tours as it was intended—comfortably, safely, and with full appreciation of the stories that shape New Bern.
We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming you on a future evening under clearer skies.
Guest Policies
To ensure a respectful and enjoyable experience for all, Lantern Light Tours maintains a family-friendly atmosphere during all standard tour times. This tour is designed to be a fun, engaging, and immersive experience, where respectful interaction and attentive participation are both expected and appreciated. Guests are asked to conduct themselves in a courteous and considerate manner throughout the tour.
Lantern Light Tours reserves the right to remove any guest from a tour, without refund, if their behavior negatively impacts the experience of others.
By booking a tour, guests agree to abide by these conduct guidelines.
Lantern Light Faith Walk
Sunday Faith Walk : COMING SOON
Wednesday Faith Walk : COMING SOON
Sunday and Wednesday evenings will soon offer a unique Lantern Light experience—a reflective walk through New Bern that explores how the Christian faith helped shape the city’s history, its people, and its enduring spirit.
Along the route, stories are paired with carefully selected Scripture (NIV) that illuminate moments of courage, hardship, and hope—presented in a thoughtful, respectful way that invites reflection without presumption.
Whether you come from a place of faith or simple curiosity, this walk offers a deeper look at the role Christian faith has played in the life of New Bern, North Carolina.
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A guided evening walk through historic New Bern
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Stories highlighting the role of Christian faith in local history
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Select Scripture readings (NIV) connected to each location
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A respectful, reflective experience open to all
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Replaces the Pirate Sea-Shanties with songs of Worship alongside the Trent River.
307 Pollock Street, Unit D
New Bern, NC 28560
+1 (252) 350-8823
info@lanternlighttours.com
Everything Comes Together Here
Everything Comes Together Here
307 Pollock Street, Unit D
New Bern, NC 28560
+1-252-350-8823
info@lanternlighttours.com
Introducing your guide for Lantern Light Tours...
Rex : I’m a lifelong history lover—what some might call a history nerd—who’s fallen hard for New Bern’s layered, often overlooked stories. My sister has lived here for 16 years, and through countless visits over those years I always found myself falling in love with this town. From its colonial founding and Revolutionary drama to the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the quiet acts of courage that still shape this waterfront community, I believe the past isn’t just something we study. It’s something we keep alive. When we walk these streets with open eyes and honest hearts, the lantern light doesn’t only illuminate what happened here—it helps light a brighter path forward for all of us.
Clydesdales Event 2026
© 2026 Lantern Light Tours LLC. All rights reserved.
Lantern Light Tours is an independently owned and operated business based in New Bern, North Carolina
Proudly sharing the history and stories of New Bern.
Introducing your guide for Lantern Light Tours...
Rex : I’m a lifelong history lover—what some might call a history nerd—who’s fallen hard for New Bern’s layered, often overlooked stories. My sister has lived here for 16 years, and through countless visits over those years I always found myself falling in love with this town. From its colonial founding and Revolutionary drama to the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the quiet acts of courage that still shape this waterfront community, I believe the past isn’t just something we study. It’s something we keep alive. When we walk these streets with open eyes and honest hearts, the lantern light doesn’t only illuminate what happened here—it helps light a brighter path forward for all of us.
Clydesdales Event 2026
© 2026 Lantern Light Tours LLC. All rights reserved.
Lantern Light Tours is an independently owned and operated business based in New Bern, North Carolina
Proudly sharing the history and stories of New Bern.
Introducing your guide for Lantern Light Tours...
Rex: "I’m a lifelong history lover—whom some might call a history nerd—who’s fallen hard for New Bern’s layered, often overlooked stories. I moved here eight months ago to help My sister Joy with a health concern. She has lived here for 16 years, and through countless visits over those years? I always found myself falling in love with "the Athens of the south", once called Chattoka. From its colonial founding and Revolutionary drama to the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the quiet acts of courage that still shape this waterfront community, I believe the past isn’t just something we study. It’s something we should keep alive. When we walk these streets with open eyes and honest hearts, the lantern light doesn’t only illuminate what happened here—it helps light a brighter path forward for all of us." Desiderata...google it.
Clydesdales Event 2026
New Bern Christmas 2018
© 2026 Lantern Light Tours LLC. All rights reserved.
Lantern Light Tours is an independently owned and operated business based in New Bern, North Carolina
Proudly sharing the history and stories of New Bern.