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Although harsh winters made it impossible for early English colonists to settle North Carolina, success finally came in 1587.

That year, a baby girl, Virginia Dare, became the first child of English parentage born in America.

Colonial North Carolina later became a hotbed of patriot fervor when the women of Edenton swore off their afternoon tea - in protest of unfair taxation by the British - in what became known as the Edenton Tea Party in 1774, several months after the more renowned Boston Tea Party..

A definitely more notable historic association with the state lies near Kitty Hawk at Kill Devil Hill where in 1903 the Wright Brothers made the world's first successful powered flight.

Today, other major North Carolina travel spots include the Great Smoky Mountains, the scenic Blue Ridge National Parkway, Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout, the Carl Sandburg home near Hendersonville, and the Old Salem Restoration in Winston-Salem.

Kid-friendly North Carolina - Asheboro, Charlotte, Raleigh

The Piedmont region of NC offers the biggest cities and - coincidentally - the biggest kid-friendly attractions in the entire state, starting with the North Carolina Zoo, ("the zoo with lots to do") in Asheboro featuring a Kid's Zone, a play area, and a carousel in addition to a large number of animal and educational exhibits.

Head northeast to Raleigh's Marble Kids Museum for wonderful interactive play time, educational fun, a puppet theater with regular performances for children 1-8, and a full-scale IMAX theater for kids of all ages.

More fun for the whole family begins with an entire day trip to Carowinds, North Carolina's largest theme park in Charlotte offering thrill rides for teens, family rides for toddlers and younger children, live entertainment shows, and Boomerang Bay water park.

More information about North Carolina travel & tourism around the Web:

VisitNC.com - Easy, one-stop browsing featuring North Carolina's major attractions, hotels & restaurants statewide, events & festivals, vacation ideas, pictures, travel screensavers, quick facts, maps & weather info.

North Carolina Attractions, Roadside America - The guide devoted exclusively to offbeat attractions throughout the state including the world's largest chest of drawers in High Point, the Aluminum Tree & Ornament Tree in Asheville, and lots more...

Cape Fear Coast - The guide to area and nearby attractions in Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach & Wrightsville Beach with info on hotels & restaurants, vacation packages, event calendar, weather info, interactive map.

Charlotte for Visitors - Practical & searchable guide to the city offering information on shopping, restaurants & hotels, golf courses, art, culture, sports events.

Raleigh Travel Guide - Info on Raleigh and Wake County with major and nearby attractions, hotels & restaurants, travel package discounts, plus an excellent Getting There guide with printable maps, driving directions, links to bus & train schedules, airport info.

Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau - Everything you ever wanted to know about the city including quick facts, travel info, hotels & restaurants, pictures, maps, history, weather info.