I'd recommend CLT.
There are those who would disagree but I think it's a nice city. And you don't have to reside in the city limits. There are small towns around Charlotte where you can live and still be within 30 to 40 mins. of the airport.
The city is growing and is having it's fair share of growing pains such as traffic snarls but they are being addressed.
And the schools have made big improvements. A good realtor will of course inform you of the best school districts.
Living in the piedmont area gives you a lot of choices for fun things to do also. You would only be within a few hours drive to the mountains or the beach. And I for one think The Great Smokey Mountains are the most beautiful ranges on the east coast. Carolina beaches are lovely also. Kitty Hawk and the Outer Banks are my favorite. But that's more than a few hrs drive. Any of the beaches here are great. And the nice thing is because the Gulf Stream runs so close to the coast so the water is warm and the fishing is great. ( I like to surf fish )
Boating is really big around here too because we have so many lakes and rivers.
And if you like Nascar, you'll be in hog heaven. ( not my cup of tea )
Come on down. The weather is great.