Welcome to the Tar Heel state. North Carolina is a state of firsts, including the first public university and the first national seashore. From the mountains to the beach, the state has it all and more. It is also an educational mecca with the University of North Carolina, Duke University, N.C. State University and Wake Forest in such close proximity to each other. Though North Carolina is a major tobacco producer, in this case Tobacco Road refers to basketball. Rivalries are important in the state, and you need to know which team you root for. Because of the great education offered in North Carolina, great minds come together, especially in the Research Triangle area (Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill).