Hampton Beach
Seaside Resort On New Hampshire'S Roughly 18 Mile Atlantic Coast, The Shortest Ocean Coastline Of Any US Coastal State; Hampton Beach State Park Lies At Its Southern End. · Hampton, New Hampshire
New Hampshire's classic summer beach town, a mile or so of wide sand along the state's short Atlantic coast, roughly 18 miles long and the shortest ocean shoreline of any coastal US state. Behind the sand runs Ocean Boulevard, a strip of arcades, fried-dough and pizza stands, T-shirt shops, motels and bars that has changed little in spirit since the trolley days, with the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom booking touring comedians and bands on summer nights. A seawall promenade lets you walk the whole front, and the Seashell stage in the middle hosts free evening concerts in season. The town hosts a sand-sculpting competition in June, fireworks on summer evenings and a large Seafood Festival in September. At the northern end the rocky headland of Great Boar's Head divides it from the quieter North Beach and the Rye shore; at the southern end Hampton Beach State Park faces the harbour inlet. The Gulf of Maine water is cold even in August, parking fills fast on July weekends and the crowds are part of the show.
Ocean Boulevard, Hampton, New Hampshire, 03842, United States
The beach and the seawall walk are open all year, day and night, but the town really runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Most Ocean Boulevard arcades, shops and food stands open on weekends from about April, daily from mid-June to Labor Day, then thin out through September; many close for the winter. Lifeguards cover the main beach and the state park roughly mid-June to Labor Day, with some weekend coverage before and after (confirm). The Casino Ballroom books shows mainly from spring to autumn. Metered parking is enforced for much of the year, not only in summer. The state park's facilities keep daytime hours in season.