Hampton Inn & Suites Outer Banks Family Activities

The highlight of this hotel, and where we bet you'll spend most of your time, is on the private beach just a few yards from the front door. If you're up for activities beyond walking, swimming and building sand castles, the hotel concierge can arrange for a number of activities through local outfitters including jet skis, parasailing, fishing and sailing.

The hotel features three pools; one outdoor pool, one outdoor lazy river pool (which is also shallow enough for young children) and an indoor heated pool. The indoor heated pool is open year round and is next to a game room and indoor workout room with treadmills.

Corolla is known around the country for its wild horse preserves and people come from all over to see the wild mustangs grazing near the beach and galloping between beach houses. Be sure to visit the Corolla wild horse preserve.

Guests of the Hampton Inn also have access to the Pine Island Racquet and Fitness club at discounted rates. Contact guest services for court reservations. Guests can also take advantage of the biking and jogging trails that run along the beach—bike rentals are obtained through the front desk.

If you're up for a drive, two noteworthy nearby sites are the Wright Brothers Monument and Jockey Ridge State Park. In Kitty Hawk, about 25 miles away, you can see the site of the original Wright Brothers' flight. Also good for a daytrip with kids, about 30 miles away, is Jockey Ridge State Park—the largest natural sand dune formation on the East Coast. Let the kids run free and then be prepared for some backseat snoozing on the way home.