Tryon Palace Tour

I have always been a fan of historic sights, especially colonial-era time periods. One of my favorite trips as a kid was to Williamsburg, VA. So I was very excited to visit and tour Tryon Palace in New Bern, NC. Tryon Palace was formerly known as the Governor’s Palace from 1770 to 1775 before the North Carolina capital was moved to Raleigh.

In April 1791, George Washington stayed two nights in New Bern and attended a ball at Tryon Palace. The 8th Governor of NC (the last Governor to be inaugurated at Tryon Palace) had the state capital moved to Raleigh, NC, in 1794.

In 1798, a fire that started in the cellar of Tryon Palace burned the main house to the ground. It was rebuilt in the 1950s based on the original plans, keeping it a historical landmark.

Tryon Palace now features the main house, kitchen, office, horse stables, cellar, and 16 acres of beautiful gardens and landscapes. There are also four other historical houses and buildings near the Palace.

Tryon Palace is located at 529 South Front Street, New Bern, NC 28562. You can learn more about Tryon Palace, its seasonal events, tickets, hours, etc., on its website here.

Quick facts:

• Capital for 2 governments
• 18 galleries & exhibits
• 250 years of history (to explore)
• Dixon House, Stanly House, Hay House & New Bern Academy Museum, other historic houses to explore near the Palace
• More than 16 acres of gardens & landscapes
• Yearly/seasonal events such as Christmas candlelit celebration
• Named after William Tryon, who was the Governor of NC from 1765-1771
• The Palace overlooks the Neuse River right along the water and is gorgeous

Begin at the North Carolina History Center (529 S. Front St.) in New Bern, NC. Purchase tickets, find maps & info, view an orientation film, visit gallery exhibits, and begin the Tryon Palace tour. There is also a museum store and food at Lawson’s Cafe.

You can tour the interior palace, cellar, kitchen office, stables, and outer grounds with 16 acres of gardens. Tours of the palace and kitchen office are guided, but the outdoors is self-guided.

Note:

Photos are allowed with no flash.

Tryon Palace

Dixon House

Tryon Palace is full of history and is just gorgeous! I want to go again myself. If you’re in Eastern North Carolina, you should stop by. You won’t regret visiting this historic gem!

Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center

In honor of the Winter Olympics coming up, I wanted to highlight one of my favorite bucket list adventures at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. Back in the day, when I was like 13 years old, my family went to Denver for a wedding, and we visited the Olympic Training Center. I don’t remember many details of it, but I just remember that I loved it.

My husband and I had also visited the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA, while living in San Diego. I always knew I wanted to stop by the one in Colorado again…which we did on our cross-country move from California to North Carolina in 2015.

The training center is so awesome to see. It has a beautiful backdrop of the Colorado mountains. You can take a tour of the facilities, courtyard, and Olympic Hall of Fame, and get a little keepsake at the gift shop. There are many cute statues and picture-worthy spots throughout the training center. My favorite is the Olympic rings you can pose with and climb into.

Quick Facts

• It covers 35 acres
• It has 242 dorm rooms
• It is a U.S. Olympic & Paralympic training site
• It is home to USA Boxing, USA Cycling, USA Para-Cycling, USA Figure Skating, USA Gymnastics, USA Para Judo, USA Pentathlon, USA Shooting, USA Para Shooting, USA Swimming, USA Wrestling
• USA Swimming & USA Shooting have their national headquarters on the complex
• The Center can provide housing, dining, training facilities, recreational facilities, and other services for more than 500 athletes and coaches at one time on the complex

According to their website, public tours are available year-round, Monday-Saturday, for a variety of pricing, about $15/per person. Each tour is about an hour long, with a video presentation and a walking tour. After the tour, you can visit the US Olympic Hall of Fame, shop at the Team USA shop, and explore art exhibits throughout the park.

Make sure to check the tour schedule online prior to planning a trip. According to the website, tours are temporarily closed due to COVID-19 safety guidelines. There is a new U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum in downtown Colorado Springs, CO, that you can still visit. Check out that site here.

If you are an athlete or just an Olympic fan, this center is a must-see! I would love to visit one day again and see the changes that have taken place since my last visit. Have you visited any of the US Olympic Training Centers? Let me know in the comments below!