If you like a big city... Houston is your place. The weather is milder than you would think, but it does rain a lot. It's similar to New Orleans but not nearly as humid. I'm in the northern burbs so maybe our temps are a few degrees cooler than the city.
I was in the mid west about 8 months, if you want nice four season weather like that you won't find it anywhere in the South.
The two biggest drawbacks are high property taxes, and your commutes could be VERY long distance. I.e. my wife drives 60 miles one way to work, my property taxes are close to $600 per month- and I have the lowest rate around. It's a tax system that keeps people out of homes beyond their means, since you're taxed on your property instead of income.
The good news is my wife's 60 mile drive takes just over an hour (about a quarter way around Greater Houston), so at least traffic is moving! It took her longer to drive 26 miles in New Orleans. I think the Katy area (west) traffic is probably the worst- at least anytime I drive out there, and rush hour has got to be worse.
IMO the Houston area does lack character. It's an endless string of big name cookie cutter shopping centers, deed restricted cookie cutter subdivisions, repeat. Nice malls, but several of them are cookie cutters
If you like Mexican food we have a mex. restaurant next door to every mex. restaurant on every corner
. Good Chinese is very hard to find, and good Pizza is rare- illegals obviously can't cook these foods well
. The barbecue of coarse is good and plentiful.
There are lots of classic, performance and race cars here! It seems like everyone has something, so a car enthusiast is going to be right at home.