The Best NH Beaches From a Local
Although mostly landlocked, New Hampshire has 13 (or 18 depending on the source) incredible precious miles of coastline that is worth the visit. I adore our best NH beaches, and there are many reasons why.
Although NH doesn’t have many sandy beaches, that just makes the few we have more special!
The NH Seacoast area (as it is affectionately referred to) is a popular place to travel to for scenic trails, historic locations, and beaches!
Below are the best NH beaches that will not disappoint you on your next visit through!
Hampton Beach State Park
Not far north over the Massachusetts border is Hampton Beach State Park, not to be confused with Hampton Beach.
This is an oasis amidst a highly concentrated tourist area. There are beautiful sand dunes, beach grass, and a beautiful soft sandy beach.
There is a large parking lot that charges a fee if within peak hours during the busy season, otherwise it is free.
Wallis Sands / Jenness Beach
I lumped these two together because they are very similar.
The only major difference, in my opinion, is that Wallis Sands has way more parking available than Jenness. However, it could take up to $25 to park in the Wallis Sands parking lot in peak season whereas parking at Jenness is always by meter.
These two beaches get bigger waves than the rest.
Great Island Commons
At the literal end of our coastline, right across from Maine. This is the perfect beach for young kids because it is not on open ocean, it is sheltered a bit and therefore has less waves.
I absolutely love this beach because the water is crystal clear and we can usually find tons of hermit crabs to put into our buckets.
There are also some really cold rocks to climb on, just be careful they can be slippery! There is lots of parking but they do charge a fee if within peak hours during the busy season, otherwise it is free!
Odiorne Point State Park
This beautiful state park has a lot to offer, but one thing that I love is it’s rock beaches! Rock beaches are quintessential New England and a must visit if you are planning a trip to the NH Seacoast!
We love tide pooling here because once the tide goes out there are so many pools left with crabs, hermit crabs, fish, snails, and other fun marine life that you can explore.
My kids don’t mind the rocks on their feet, but if you have little ones you might want to bring water shoes. There is lots of parking but they do charge a fee if within peak hours during the busy season, otherwise it is free to enter.
There are also trails, a museum, a playground, and historic fort remnants.
Final Thoughts
I hope this post was helpful in planning your trip to one of the best NH beaches!
We love these beaches and we hope that you will too! If you visit at least one beach on this list, whether it’s on your next vacation or just a short drive during the summer, then we know that you will not be disappointed.
If you have any additional recommendations for things to do at NH beaches on your trip, please let us know in the comments below!
More Resources:
9 Favorite Kid Friendly Seacoast NH Hiking Trails
5 Beginner Kid Friendly Mountains in NH
Top 7 Things To Do in Downtown Portsmouth
