Anywhere on the coast of the Carolinas hurricanes are going to be an issue during "the season", but you understand that, right?  Hurricane season on the Gulf Coast is June 1-November 1, I believe. 

My son goes to school right outside Greensboro, NC and one of my best friends lives right outside Charlotte and it is really nice in that area, too.  The most beautiful place that I have ever been in NC, though, is Montreat---it is built into a mountain and there is one stone archway with an IN road on one side and an OUT road on the other.  Billy Graham lives at the top of the mountain and Montreat Anderson College campus makes up most of the "town" part at the foot of the mountain.  To me, it is almost like stepping straight into heaven when you go there.  The winters are cold and may be snowy/icy----so a cabin with a huge stone fireplace would be UNSPEAKABLY perfect, IMO. 

I enjoyed living in Virginia Beach, VA for years (with my military family, of course) and I've spent many summer vacations in Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle, SC and in Jekyll Island, GA, but the summer we went to Tybee Island, GA (right outside of Savannah) was the best vacation ever.  So, I am certain that you won't be able to find a single location in all of the Carolinas that is not wonderful. 

Oh, and for coffee----try mixing 1/2 cup of hot chocolate with 1/2 cup of a mild brew coffee.  I always order a "Cafe' Au Lait (sp?) with chocolate" and my kids drink it before I get any.  So I make it this way for them at home and they adore it.  You can even use the sugar free cocoa mix and have a delicious WARM diet confection. 

[No offense to Seattle nor Starbucks, heh]