Historic Bath
Historic Bath
4.5
About
Known as the "First Town, First Port" of North Carolina, Historic Bath will be celebrating it's 310th anniversary in 2015/16. You may purchase tickets to take a guided tour through two historic homes, the Palmer-Marsh House (1751) and Bonner House (1830), at the Visitor Center. There is an Orientation Video, exhibit building, gift shop, gardens and a picnic area on the water for you to enjoy too!
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
67 reviews
Excellent
33
Very good
25
Average
9
Poor
0
Terrible
0
hotsauselover
Austin, TX46 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
it could have been so much better, so much potential. It’s almost like the residents downplay their past here, not much information is given. They roll up the sidewalks on sunday, so don’t even think about it. They don’t make much of a deal about blackbeard here, few signs, and the case can be argued either way. But someone who enjoys the history of this country, it was very lackluster. Sad really.
Written July 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jill B
Box Elder, SD200 contributions
Nov 2021 • Couples
Nice to peek at if you are in the area… not worth a long drive unless they have a special event going on at you know of. A few restored buildings, well kept & w/info signs on them. It was during the week & off season at our visit… nothing opened or going on. Just a quiet residential area along the water with a neat history.
Written November 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lee M
Jacksonville, NC115 contributions
Feb 2019
Bath is a quiant area that is beautifully situated on the water. We enjoyed being able to see Blackbeard's birthplace and the chapel is a serene, beautiful building that gives us a glimpse of simpler times in the late 1700s. Aslo the Queen Anne bell is on display for all to see! We were hoping for a local restaurant, but found you need to go over to Washington, NC for that. It won't take you long to tour this area. I highly recommend it!
Written January 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Farrah R
Raleigh, NC11 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
My husband and I visited this quaint town. We parked at the Visitor’s center that closed due to it being Sunday. No worries. We walked to each Historic site. Everyone was friendly that we passed by while working. We even had a nice local jump my battery that died while we were visiting. A small town filled with History.
Written August 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sherry K
Annapolis, MD17 contributions
Apr 2022 • Solo
The town is beautiful. I was a little disappointed that both times during my visit - when I stopped by the visitor center, nobody was there. Building was open and everything. No person at the desk. I was able to grab a few brochures and schleped around the town myself. I had fun but I didn't really get much info.
Written April 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
johnnyquest111
Wilson, NC454 contributions
Feb 2018 • Solo
We've owned a house in the Township of Bath NC since 1972. A lot of people have come from Raleigh with grand ideas to fix Bath.. And every time the locals have stood their ground on these "nutty Yankee ideas"... Being there's nothing wrong with Bath...If someone could come back to Bath from the 1700's they could still recognize Bath!!!
I'm my mind the way it was is the best it could be...
(We used to go to Raleigh a few times a week for dinner or drinks... Now that they have " fixed it" We dont go near Raleigh for nothing and we own property in Wake County) Better as it was before the invasion of Yanks,much better)
I'm my mind the way it was is the best it could be...
(We used to go to Raleigh a few times a week for dinner or drinks... Now that they have " fixed it" We dont go near Raleigh for nothing and we own property in Wake County) Better as it was before the invasion of Yanks,much better)
Written February 23, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
igolfCA
Williamsburg, VA1,688 contributions
Oct 2014 • Couples
I had wanted to see Bath mainly because it is the oldest town in NC, also the oldest port, and has the oldest church. That alone makes it historically significant.
Pick up a brochure at the visitor center for the walking tour. It has a map with numbers and explanations of each. It is an easy walk, and you can stop and look at the houses and markers which also have explanations. Some of the items described are no longer there (disappointing), and many of the houses are not as old as I had assumed they would be considering that this is NC's oldest town.
Most interesting were the Palmer-Marsh house (1751), the Joseph Bonner house (1830), and St. Thomas Episcopal Church (1734). Worth a visit to say you have seen the oldest town in NC.
Pick up a brochure at the visitor center for the walking tour. It has a map with numbers and explanations of each. It is an easy walk, and you can stop and look at the houses and markers which also have explanations. Some of the items described are no longer there (disappointing), and many of the houses are not as old as I had assumed they would be considering that this is NC's oldest town.
Most interesting were the Palmer-Marsh house (1751), the Joseph Bonner house (1830), and St. Thomas Episcopal Church (1734). Worth a visit to say you have seen the oldest town in NC.
Written October 22, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EDDY-H
Greenville, NC407 contributions
Jul 2020
Quaint little town. So much fun to ride around in our golf cart in the evenings. Very soothing. Wish Blackbeards would open back up. Miss the pizza, bar and live music.
Written August 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ncskierguy
NC51 contributions
Jul 2017
Bath is a very small, quite community. There is a walking tour out of the visitor's center to some of the historic houses. The Inn on Bath Creek is a very nice B&B right in town. There are a couple of restaurants and a Dollar General for general items. Activities are a bit limited, so if you want relaxing, this is the place.
Written June 19, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Torte_Sue
Vonore, TN1,431 contributions
Jul 2015 • Couples
This is not a must destination, but we still are glad we came for a visit. The little village is tidy, charming, and the citizens obviously take pride in their history as the first incorporated town in NC.
We started at the Visitor Center and watched a film. Then we crossed a path and spent the few minutes necessary to see the artifacts in the Van Der Veer house. We then returned to the Visitor Center to go on the tour of the Palmer-Marsh House. The cost was $4.27 for the two of us. The excellent young woman guide would not accept a tip, so it went in the donation jar. The guide was knowledgable and fun, and we had a great tour with the 8 in our group, as we were all curious and interested. The young man in the Visitor Center was also very friendly, and the two staff left us with a wonderful impression of Bath. Thank you!
We then drove to Bonner's Point and ate our picnic lunch at the picnic tables there. It was a serene scene over the river and boats.
We made a stop at the Episcoal Church and then, because it was very warm, we drove the few blocks and read the signs rather than walking the tour as outlined on the map we picked up at the Visitor Center. We were more interested in the town's history, but we also enjoyed the Blackbeard stories. I think this visit appeals to adults as there are not interactive exhibits, etc. to hold the attention of children-- maybe on special festival days.
We started at the Visitor Center and watched a film. Then we crossed a path and spent the few minutes necessary to see the artifacts in the Van Der Veer house. We then returned to the Visitor Center to go on the tour of the Palmer-Marsh House. The cost was $4.27 for the two of us. The excellent young woman guide would not accept a tip, so it went in the donation jar. The guide was knowledgable and fun, and we had a great tour with the 8 in our group, as we were all curious and interested. The young man in the Visitor Center was also very friendly, and the two staff left us with a wonderful impression of Bath. Thank you!
We then drove to Bonner's Point and ate our picnic lunch at the picnic tables there. It was a serene scene over the river and boats.
We made a stop at the Episcoal Church and then, because it was very warm, we drove the few blocks and read the signs rather than walking the tour as outlined on the map we picked up at the Visitor Center. We were more interested in the town's history, but we also enjoyed the Blackbeard stories. I think this visit appeals to adults as there are not interactive exhibits, etc. to hold the attention of children-- maybe on special festival days.
Written July 22, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
is there a amtrak station near by and we're is there a hotel
heynavysailor
Bath, NC96 contributions
The closest Amtrak stations are in Rocky Mount and Wilson, both are about an hour and a half drive away from Bath (I believe Rocky Mount is the easier drive). There is the Bath Motel and Marina and the Inn on Bath Creek (a B&B) in the town of Bath. There are two restaurants in town and a waterside grill. Both Belhaven and Washington are about 15 miles from Bath and take about 15-20 minutes to drive to. Both towns have several B&B's and Washington has several hotels (Hampton Inn comes to mind). Hope this helps.
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Claim your listingHistoric Bath - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Frequently Asked Questions about Historic Bath
- Hotels near Historic Bath:
- (0.13 mi) The Inn on Bath Creek
- (0.08 mi) Bath Harbor Marina and Motel
- (0.73 mi) The Bath House-The Best View in Town
- (1.03 mi) Ada's Camp (Historic Bath, NC Cottage- Pet friendly)
- (9.27 mi) Bayfront Blounts Creek Home: Private Beach + Dock!
- Attractions near Historic Bath:
- (0.21 mi) Bonner's Point
- (0.22 mi) St. Thomas Episcopal Church
- (0.38 mi) The pirates treasure
- (4.95 mi) Goose Creek State Park
- (3.22 mi) Oden's Store and Antiques