Wrightsville Beach is very nice. Not a lot of public parking, though.
Try The Bridge Tender at Wrightsville for great food. There's couple more right across the water from that one, but the names escape me right now.
The USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial is there if you like that sort of thing. Most decorated Battleship of WWII.
And if you decide to live there, bring lots of cash.......real estate is not cheap.
edit: Oh, and Carolina Beach is nearby, you can drive on the beach there for a fee, if you have a 4x4.