I went here with a group of friends on a Saturday. The parking is a little pricey but not too bad. We walked onto the beach to find that it was PACKED! We were scared at first but decided to keep walking in hopes of having a great beach day. After searching and adventuring for a good spot we finally found a perfect spot. Our day was SAVED! Then after we got food and went home. read more

Loved it. The calm waves, sand in my toes. Don't like a lot of people, but the beach itself was amazing. read more

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Been going here since I was in high school... lots of improvements to the boardwalk and beach areas since then. Really enjoy the sand sculpture contests that they hold now. Although they could warm up the water a little bit, still freezing cold! The food selection and shops are still pretty much the same; pizza, french fries, fried dough, ice cream... and still as wicked awesome as I remember them as a kid. read more

I've always thought of Hampton Beach for what it is known for... the arcades, the games, and the trashy scene (sorry to put it bluntly) on the strip. It was a pleasant surprise to go here on a weekday and park at the Hampton Beach State Park. 15$ for the day for parking, and not too far of a walk from the parking lot. Also, there were plenty of bathrooms and a covered picnic table area perfect for getting some shade and dusting off your feet before returning to your vehicle. The beach was not overly crowded and the water was clean. It was a lovely beach day and I'm sure I'll be back again at some point! read more

I love coming to this beach. I gave it only 4 stars because it can be very inconvenient with trying to not spend a boat load of money before you even make it on the beach. The parking is very expensive unless you go like I do, 8am when people are just coming. After 8am you will sit in traffic forever and waste more gas .money to even try to find parking. **On a positive note** The boardwalk Is awesome due to it having all types of places to eat, shop, and drink. They also have clean bathrooms you can go to and they are free! I try to go once every year. If you have never been, it is worth checking out! read more

Hampton Beach State Park - 40 dollars to park!!!!!! - Parks Near Me - Hampton, New Hampshire

Absolutely beautiful beach! Note that this listing is for the state park - the whole beach is not part of the state park, and many ppl are reviewing the non-state park parts of the beach. The state park part is on the south end and is extremely clean and away from all the arcades/restaurants/bars/etc. The state park has their own parking, and right now it's reservation only, which is awesome, because you don't have to worry about whether you'll be able to find parking and they control the # of ppl there, so it's not crowded. The beach is VERY wide and lovely sand dunes separate it from the residential area behind. There are well-kept bathhouses right by the parking lot. The sand is really fine and soft. Truly a perfect New England beach. read more

This is my absolute favorite beach in New England. I've been coming here for over ten years and haven't had a complaint. The traffic gets a little unbearable but that's to be expected. Great food spots, entertainment, and of course the sand castles! Can't wait for next summer! read more

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Very nice clean beach! Police works great! Wish they had more parking space available and more space in RV Park. read more

Not a huge fan of this beach. Coming from Florida and then Rhode Island it's just too crowded, lowd and somewhat dirty. There is always trash on the beach. Traffic is horrible and it's really tough to get a parking spot. I'd rather hang out in Portsmouth or go over to Maine. read more

Misplaced your Def Leppard mirror? Can't find the roach clip with feathers attached to adorn your feathered hair? How about your favorite pink half-shirt with the fringes and beads and an adorable silkscreened kitten? Fret not my fine friend! All can be found here at the boardwalk on Hampton Beach! Throw in some old school arcades, Harley mamas everywhere and don't forget jellos shots at the aptly named bar Guido Murphys! How could you NOT have fun? read more

Lovely little beach. Unfortunately, it is not being taken care of like it should. Along my mid-day Sunday stroll, breathing in the fresh sea air, I enjoyed watching a bull mastif take an enormous dump while its owner covered it in sand and continued walking. Yay. Oh, look... (literally minutes later) Three teenagers watching their pitbull taking a nice #2 right by the water... What's that? Oh-oh... Yep. Covering it with sand and walking away... Can't wait to take my nieces and nephew's here to play in the sand box of crap this summer... How to solve this problem? No dogs allowed or, put signs around the park where inconsiderate people are forced to read them. Seriously dude... Disgusting!! read more

Trapped in time. Thats the best way to describe Hampton Beach. I had some sour childhood experiences here (almost drowning on the waterslides of death...staying at a place with bed bugs....etc) however every time I've been as an adult has been a nice experience. If you go at the end of the summer the shops are running great sales and I love how when you walk around some of the beach goers still think its 1989...or 1969...it really is fun and makes you want to put on that jean jacket with the peace sign patch (which as of last summer you could still buy there). read more

i was chilling at a table near a pizza place with some friends sunday night, when an officer came right next to us and started questioning us. we were all just eating our fried dough, talking between one another, not disturbing anyone. he then proceeded to ask us our names and ages and when he asked me my name, and i told him my real name and age. this officer got up REALLY close to my face, maybe 4-5 inches and starting sarcastically laughing at me, claiming that i was lying to him. i was being nothing but cooperative to this man, and i got nothing but disrespect in return. the hampton beach police department needs to really get fixed up because it's just full of power tripping douche bags read more

I never like coming here because of the type of people it attracts. I only go because it's close by and there happens to be food establishments very close by, even if they're extremely overpriced. Redoing some of the boardwalk and building new side walks and bathroom building has washed some of the grime away, but still not my first choice. read more

I've only been here once, but I could tell a good crowd comes to this beach. Nice sand. Clean. We needed some extra cups and one of the people living here went and walked to their house to get some for us - amazing! read more

I have been there about 5-6 times - All of the reviews here seem to capture it well. Point of clarification : I have never stopped the car and stepped out and experienced this place face to face - I just keep the windows rolled up and coast thru the loop trying to avoid any eye contact with the urchins. Kinda like watching TV - or going to a car safari - you may want to roll down your window a bit - but are afraid of being mauled. 3 stars for the fear and loathing - hard to find places that make you feel so alive. read more

Clean beach. Parking gets tough after 8 on the weekends. Beach gets crowded by 1030 on the weekends. Plenty of public restrooms available. Avoid the main boulevard if you want to get anywhere quickly. Abundance of restaurants, arcades and snack type places all along the strip. read more

Good beach, they keep it pretty clean, and the boardwalk makes you feel like a kid again. Its not high society hanging around there but who comes to NH looking for that in the first place? Get some sun, swim a little, play some skee ball, have a hot dog, and enjoy read more

I don't recommend you come here if your license plate is from Massachusetts. It was my first time to visit and I paid for parking. I was exactly only 2 minutes late because it started to rain hard and we waited under shelter. When I arrived at the car there was a parking ticket. Ridiculous. I'll pay the $25, but I'll never come back again. read more

Gross! We had to leave because the bugs were out of control. If you don't mind going to a teenage hangout, then this beach might be for you. The only thing I like is that they have the boardwalk with shops. Otherwise it blows! read more

It's all about timing with the beach. It's great before the kids get out of school, before the summer tourists get here and during the week. It's peaceful and relaxing then. read more

The sand castle competition, volleyball tournaments, and a few other events (do not fall for the ultimate tourist trap- the flea market/imitation seafood festival that seems to sucker naive tourists every yr the weekend after Labor Day) make it more worth while than some other New England beach infested with trashiness, air-headed tweens blaring dopey pop music, and phony gangsta-wannabe dorks. But it stops there. The boardwalk? Fried dough, greasy pizza....you get the idea- same overpriced, crap food you can find at any run-down venue across the old U.S of A. NH beaches are so underrated beyond this dump, of course- it is possible to pull off free parking and no traffic delays if you know the abundant local access roads- I'm not naming the beaches as I don't want to ruin a good thing! Walkable distances too in terms of restrooms and adequate eateries. Clean water, clean sand, rocky/not rocky (options abound) minus the riffraff. I'm simply stunned any family actually spends big bucks and utilizes precious vacation days to stay at in the vicinity of Hampton Beach when far better options for people of all ages exist in close proximity. read more

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. I love the beach so much and this was honestly one of the best beaches I've ever been to. The boardwalk was so fun and had so many stores and places to eat. The view was amazing and all the people there were so nice. I'll definitely be coming back!!! read more

very very cool place. I was taken on a first date here and i loved the boardwalk, how busy it looked, the vibe, the open restaurants, the views, the stores...i enjoyed everything. Later in the evening there were fireworks and even a band playing. I wish i knew the name of the ba i went to but the view from it was spectacular and the drinks are super cheap. If it wasnt so far away from Boston i would have been a regular here in the summer. read more

Ok, this area was nice but during winter season this area is dead. I wouldn't recommend anybody coming up here thru September thru January. Nice to look at and check out without so much traffic or people but in all very boring. Yeah, I may be biases being I come from the islands of Hawaii. Anyways, if I would have been up here during the summer my review may have been different. read more

Amazing place but yet can get a bit dirty at few spots. Very nice new bathrooms etc! Definitely go there at least 3 to 4 times a week in the summer! read more

I absolutely love Hampton beach. There's always so much to do here in the summer. Although traffic can be a pain in the butt, it's definitely worth coming here. The beach is clean and I enjoy the variety of stores and arcades. read more

A fun beach experience. Not my usual cup of tea but a fun location for an occassional day of fun and sun. I like the strip with its myriad of stores and fast food options, there is ample parking on all but the busiest days and the beach itself is OK for a crowded summertime destination. Blinks fried dough and Boardwalk Fries are great choices for totally bad for you but oh so good summertime treats. read more

I've been a Hampton girl as long as I can remember, now my daughter loves this beach! It's clean, the life guards are not only friendly but know how to do thier job! Hopefully we'll be able to rent a place next year! (I just wish the bathrooms would get updated!) read more

I was pleased with my trip to Hampton Beach! It's huge and there were lots of people out, but we were never really crowded for our own space on the beach... It's definitely nothing "high class" or too fancy, but if you just want to relax, have some drinks, enjoy the sun, this is a great area! The boardwalk is fun, too, if you get burnt out from being the in the sun... Again, nothing too ritzy but it gets the job done. I'll likely be back. :) read more

A great place to spend time with your family. Everything has been updated over the last few years and the entire strip is very clean and pretty. The park department is constantly cleaning, you can tell they really take pride the beach. Great little restaurants on the strip and tons of yummy beach food stands! There is plenty to do and great entertainment between fireworks and the bandstand. I will definitely be returning next year. read more

Hampton Beach is very nice to look at. Clean and well tended. However if you are used to the Pacific you may not agree as the water is freezing! I like Hamton best the last week of the season when the water has warmed up a bit. Also if you ever have any type of out of the norm emergency do not count on Hampton PD. Our car broke down, we had to make expensive repairs and were without a place to stay until money arrived. I am disabled and thank God my son and friend were with me. Otherwise I would be hospitalized from exposure to the elements. As we received no help from Hampton PD we ended up sleeping on the floor of a cheap construction site. of course we were caught and a Buford Pusser Wannabee read us the riot act. An investor was also present and I guess his foreman as well. The investor wanted to take my picture because I refused to give him my license as he was not the police. I also don't even think I am required to show ID unless I was under arrest and at the police station! The PD even checked to see if there were any damages. Good grief I'm too old to be destructive I just wanted to sleep. (we would have slept on the beach but it shuts down at one am) My reason for writing a yelp review is that things happen sometimes that cops like Buford will never understand so be aware of that when you visit Hampton Beach. Also, Hampton Beach will cost you a lot to park. Between 20 and 40 dollars. Bring a few grand extra too in case your brand new car breaks down and you run into the Buford wannabe or large Barney Fife. I will give credit to a Hampton police officer unrelated to this incident. I did not get his name but he checked on me one night when i fell asleep on the beach. He has my heartfelt thanks as do a few of the officers that police the boardwalk. Thanks to the little pizza shop too that gave my cousin and I and my son free pizza. Blessings to you. read more

I live in central Massachusetts, and last weekend a cold front got stuck over Southern New England with rain, which prevented me from going to the most beautiful beach on the face of the Earth. So, I had to head north. Did I stop at Hampton? Are you serious? I drove an extra hour to into Maine... passing the garbage that is Old Orchard, (which is a smaller Hampton), and choosing a beach with sand dunes, sea grass, and peace and quiet. If your looking for the sounds of arcades, and kiddies screaming, Hampton or Old Orchard will fit the bill. If you're looking for the sounds of the waves, keep going NORTH, away from the touristy Ogunquit area, and FAR FAR AWAY from Hampton. read more

The beach itself is huge, sandy, and can have some really nice waves. The water is usually too cold to stay in for long, though I have been there a day or two when the water was a comfortable 70 degrees - a possibility in late August. Usually the water seems to hover around 60 degrees. Yeah - cold. The boardwalk gets crowded. Lots of people, pizza, fried dough. Not upscale, but safe and fun. A few decent sit down restaurants (and a great ice cream place) down at the south end of the boardwalk. The north end of the beach is much quieter. Parking in the lots at $10 or $20 a day can be cheaper than the $2 / hour parking meters. Free (oldies/pop/country) music - live music - outside every night in the summer is fun. All in all, a clean beach, safe, and a nice fun family getaway. Sands Hotel not a bad place to stay. read more

Hampton Beach has a lot of things to do but sometimes people take a lot of parking spaces around Fourth of July and it's so packed that you can't even walk anywhere I would recommend coming here because they have arcades and A lot of scenery and they have shops in everything that you're looking for read more

NH is not pet friendly. Rye beach you can take your pet but only before 9am and after 7pm Hampton and any state park or trails no dogs allowed. Leaving early because of this heading home where pets are allowed. read more

I been here every summer for at least three consecutive years already. I always came here as a field trip along with my youth group and it was always fun. I was never disappointed when i came here, although it was cloudy during the last two summers i been here. However, for some awkward reason, i always get a sun burn whenever i would come here. Even though the sun is hiding for good half of the time i was here. The sun would suddenly come out for 10 minutes... and i would already get a sun burn. I like this beach a lot, especially how this beach is big and not usually crowded whenever i'm here. One thing i dislike about this place is... how the stores around here would jack up the prices. I would come here to have fun, but not to buy their merchandises. If i ever have the chance, i would come back to reminisce the old times. read more

I love a Honky Tonk boardwalk and I am not ashamed! Fried food, tacky clothes, neon bathing suits, arcades, t-shirt shops selling touristy garbage and hermit crabs with decorated shells? Count me in! read more

Any1 have problems with the flies? Little black flea flies. Red bumps the next fee weeks after ??????

took a ride to hampton beach today to scope out their seafood festival. so kitschy. i loved it. this is the kind of thing that you want to end your summer with. a spin down the boardwalk (which curiously lacks boards), rock around the casinos, and just people watch. i'm tellin' you straight, this is not a gap commercial. just breath in the greasy air, and enjoy. as for the seafood festival, it was pretty damn good. lots of arts and crafts, your usual peruvian sweater tent, advertisements for new gutters, signs to adorn puppy's new doghouse, and hot sauces. the food at the festival was exactly what you would expect: all lobster rolls, all the time. steamers, fried anything, shrimp cocktails, chowdah also available. lots of booths and choices, so long as you are looking for any of the above. very enjoyable, and actually not a bad deal. i mean, honestly, isn't a final summer lobster roll ... on a sunny day ... on the beach sort of priceless anyway? read more