Outer Banks...where to stay?

I haven't been there since I was a kid and don't know much about it. I'm looking for a place with 4 bedrooms for adult couples (I've seen a lot of places with a bedroom with bunk beds, no thanks).

Are there places available where you can walk out the door and get on the beach? We were looking to go toward the end of September.

Any reason to go to one island over another?

Any suggestions?

Outer Banks vacations are so relaxing.
I've stayed in Rodanthe. You can get a place right next to Pea Island National Seashore, you can walk to the beach and the crowd will be nil.
Other times, I have stayed on Ocracoke. It's more of a neighborhood, family friendly, but you have to drive to the beach.
If I recall, every house I've stayed in has a "kids" room. Double bunk beds and Nintendo!
Enjoy yourself.

Something walking distance would be great, but having stuff to do close by would be nice as well. My wife and I are doing a family trip with her parents, sister and her boyfriend, and her brother and his girlfriend.

We'll be taking our daughter who will be around 19 months old.