We did live in NC for those 4 years--1 year in Winston-Salem and 3 in Raleigh. We liked it alright...I was really HOT and I didn't care for that. And the humidity is bad too...summers were miserable. But, the plus side is that everywhere has AC. The state is absolutely beautiful though. We did like that. As for things to do, I guess it depends on what you like to do. We much prefer living in Seattle (which is where we are now) for activities, etc. On of the downsides of the heat is that it restricts what outdoor activities you can do.
The cost of living is really good there. That is something that we definitely miss! Housing prices are very reasonable.