■ Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Roa- 

 noke Island. Nowhere is the state's colonial 

 history older than here at Fort Raleigh. The 

 1585 earthen fort has been reconstructed in 

 what experts believe is the original site. A 

 museum and visitor center tell the story of the 

 first English settlers in North America. Free 

 admission. 919/473-5772. 



■ Elizabethan Gardens, Roanoke Island. 

 These 16th-century gardens are a tribute to the 

 Elizabethan men and women sent by Sir Wal- 

 ter Raleigh to colonize the New World. The 

 formal and informal plantings include an herb, 

 rose and wildflower garden. Admission is $2 

 for adults. Group rates are available. 919/473- 

 3234. 



■ Elizabeth II, Manteo. If you've got your sea 

 legs, we're ready to set sail aboard the Eliza- 

 beth II. This 69-foot ship is a replica of the 

 Elizabethan vessels used in Sir Walter Raleigh's 

 voyages 400 years ago. Admission is $3 for 

 adults and $1.50 for children ages 6 to 12. 

 919/473-1144. 



■ Historic Bath Town, Bath. The oldest incor- 

 porated town in the state, Bath was once the 

 site of an Indian town. English settlers arrived 

 in this area in 1695 and incorporated the town 

 in 1705. Today you can tour many of the 18th- 

 and 19th-century buildings, including the 

 state's oldest church. Admission is $1 for adults 

 and 50 cents for children. 919/923-3971. 



■ Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station, Ro- 

 danthe. It's fitting that a bit of coastal life is 

 preserved here at the Chicamacomico Life- 

 saving Station. From 1874 until 1954, lifesaving 

 crews battled the treacherous shoals and surf of 

 Hatteras Island to make daring rescues. Free 

 admission. Call 919/987-2203 for a schedule. 



■ Tryon Palace, New Bern. In colonial times, 

 this was known as the most beautiful building 

 in America. And even now, the most elaborate 

 modern structures can't match the splendor of 

 the home where both royal and colonial gover- 

 nors lived, met with their legislatures and con- 

 ducted official business. Admission for a tour 

 of all buildings and gardens is $9 for adults and 

 $4 for students. 919/638-1560. 



■ While we're stepping back into colonial 

 America, let's take a stroll through the streets of 

 historic New Bern. Founded in 1710 by Ger- 

 man and Swiss settlers who named it after 

 Bern, Switzerland, New Bern was a thriving 

 seaport and government center in colonial 

 times. 919/637-3111. 



■ Ocracoke. This remote village exemplifies 

 coastal life before the condo craze. Ocracoke's 

 history harks back to the days of Blackbeard 

 and the Revolutionary War. The village is 

 accessible by ferry from Swan Quarter, Hat- 

 teras or Cedar Island. 



■ Portsmouth. Just across the inlet from 



Ocracoke lies Portsmouth Island. This village, 

 included in the National Register of Historic 

 Places, is part of the National Park Service's 

 Cape Lookout National Seashore. Once a 

 flourishing shipping point, Portsmouth is de- 

 serted now, but maintained by the park ser- 

 vice. You can reach Portsmouth by way of two 

 concessioners who operate ferries from Ocra- 

 coke and Cedar Island, or you can take your 

 own boat to the island. 919/728-2121. 



■ Fort Macon, Bogue Banks. Attention 

 troops. We're about to enter Fort Macon, a 

 restored pre-Civil War fort. It was completed 

 in 1834 to protect the area around Beaufort 

 from sea attack. Now, the fort is part of the 

 N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. Free 

 admission. 919/726-3775. 



■ Historic Wilmington Tour. Get your walk- 

 ing shoes ready for a tour of this historic port 

 city. You'll take a seven-block stroll through 

 18th- and 19th-century Wilmington. Tours are 

 $5 for adults and $2.50 for children. 919/762- 

 2611. 



■ USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial, 



Wilmington. She's retired now, but her decks 

 are still in service for tourists. In fact, over 

 231 ,000 visitors helped make this seafaring lady 

 the state's premier tourist attraction in 1984. 

 Commissioned in 1941, the USS North Caro- 

 lina was the first of the modern American bat- 

 tleships. Stationed just across the Cape Fear 

 River from downtown Wilmington, the 35,000- 

 ton battleship hosts daily tours of her nine 

 decks and levels. Admission is $3 for visitors 

 over 12 and $1.50 for children ages 6 to 11. 

 919/762-1829. 



■ Orton Plantation, south of Wilmington. It's 

 spring at Orton Plantation, and you're just in 

 time to see the azaleas, camellias, wisteria, 

 dogwood and fruit trees in bloom. This 18th- 

 century plantation features one of America's 

 finest gardens. Admission is $4.50 for adults 

 and $2 for children ages 6 to 12. 919/371-6851. 



Continued on next page 



Wilbur and Orville 

 Wright made this his- 

 toric first flight at 

 Kitty Hawk on 

 December 17, 1903 



