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RALEIGH, N.C. - Science bested history in North Carolina tourism choices last year, with the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences toppling the Biltmore mansion and gardens to become the most popular museum or historic site to visit in the Tar Heel State.

ST. LOUIS - A Learjet with landing gear problems circled an airport outside St. Louis for about an hour and a half Monday before it was diverted to St. Louis-Lambert International Airport, where it safely made an emergency landing.

RALEIGH, N.C. - For decades, a portrait of Queen Elizabeth I hung in a small garden gift shop on North Carolina's Outer Banks. Legend had it that the piece was rare — it depicted the monarch as an old woman — but some art experts disagreed.

WASHINGTON - Washington's famous cherry tree blooms are expected to be at their best between March 26 and March 30. National Park Service cherry tree expert James Perry made the prediction Monday.

WASHINGTON - Washington's famous cherry tree blooms are expected to be at their best between March 26 and March 30. National Park Service cherry tree expert James Perry made the prediction for the peak bloom time at a press conference Monday.

NEW YORK, N.Y. - When Amy Eisen originally booked a weeklong vacation to celebrate her 30th anniversary, she was looking at a $3,749 hotel bill.

CANCUN, Mexico - Tens of thousands of U.S. college students are flooding into the Mexican city of Cancun, where officials have stepped up patrols of marines, soldiers and special tourist police in zones packed with hotels and bars.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - It's 1 a.m. and the sprawling airport in this desert city is bustling. Enough languages fill the air to make a United Nations translator's head spin.

SAN FRANCISCO - After more than 75 years in the shadow of its glamorous cousin, San Francisco's "other" bridge is getting a chance to shine.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Panda habitats, tea gardens and red pagodas have never been part of the visual vocabulary of the Las Vegas Strip.