any great beach vacation spots/resorts in the northern part of north carolina? looking for great resort beach town for some family/friends vacation. Any suggestions would be great!

There are a LOT of threads about possibilities. Where are they coming from. Sometimes SC beaches are closer than NC beaches. WHEN are they coming.

We are coming from NY and doing this vacation in the beginning of july. We have been going to Ocean Isles Beach NC every august (and will be there this aug as well) for 6 years now and also have done Myrtle Beach SC many times. Just looking not to drive that far in july. Ocean Isles is 12 hours was thinking northern NC might have some nice beach vacation spots?

There is Wrightsville, Kure Beach, Atlantic Beach around Wilmington. Holden Beach. All have their devotees.
I'd drive another hour and a half and go to Litchfield/Pawley's, just south of MB and have relatively uncrowded beaches and the best selection of restaurants on the coast very close by.

I don't know that I call it a resort town but there's Nags Head or Kitty Hawk.

Given your desire to drive less I would definitely look at the Outer Banks. Think beach towns and houses for rent - not resorts.

also Corolla, Duck, etc. on the northern end; Waves, Salvo, Rodanthe, Buxton, Hatteras village...LOTS of possibilities and there are plenty of differences between the towns mentioned, the beaches within each one, etc.