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    Rye Harbor State Park

    4.3 (3 reviews)

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    Odiorne Point State Park - Pilot whale skeleton

    Odiorne Point State Park

    (29 reviews)

    Odiorne Point State Park is a public recreation area that opened in Rye, New Hampshire in July…read more1972. It is administered by the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation. The park is located along the Atlantic seacoast in Rye, not far from Portsmouth. The area is the site of the Pannaway Plantation: the first European settlement in New Hampshire. Settled in 1622, the plantation was completely abandoned by the 1630s when the settlers moved to nearby Strawberry Banke. The land was settled in the mid-1660s by the Odiorne Family, whom the park is now named after. From 1942 to 1947, the park was the home of Fort Dearborn. The ruins of the deactivated World War II-era fort can still be seen today. Today the park is home to hiking trails, bike paths, a playground, picnic areas, pavilions, and a Seacoast Science Center which opened in 1992. My family and I visited Odiorne Point State Park this summer while we were heading to Maine for a summer getaway. We had some time to kill before we could check in to our AirBnb, so we decided to stop at the park. We had fun exploring the grounds and my two sons especially enjoyed playing on the nautical-themed playground. The highlight of the park is the Seacoast Science Center. There are all sorts of exhibits devoted to the conservation of marine and coastal environments. My two sons loved learning about whales, local shellfish populations, the local fishing industry, the fight against ocean pollution, and underwater exploration. There was even a cool gift shop where we picked up a few things. Whether you live in the area or you're just passing through like us, Odiorne Point State Park is a fun place for the whole family!

    I feel the need to preface all of my nature reviews with this: being 90% forested and having around…read more3500 miles of coastline, Maine (and NH) has a tremendous amount of spaces, walkways, paths, and trails of all kinds and of all levels. There's something for everyone. What I'm reviewing is how a spot compares to similar outdoor spots in my personal opinion. Being in nature - and remembering to carry in, carry out - is always five stars! :) Parking? Yes. Loop trail? Yes. Well marked signs? Yes. Element of surprise? Yes. I was looking for state parks in New Hampshire and this one caught my eye because of the name, if we're being honest. It sounded magical! So was the way it was advertised: "picnickers can enjoy sweeping views of the ocean and rocky shore, and explorers can uncover evidence of past military occupation. An extensive network of trails wind through the dense vegetation and traverse the park. [t]he property is also renowned for its... seven distinct habitats that can be visited within an hour's walk. Although the spectacular rocky shore is the one of the most notable, the woodlands, uplands, salt marsh, freshwater and salt ponds, and sandy beach (non-swimming) combine to create one of the region's most diverse nature walks." I like a little bit of everything, and this sounded like it had just that! The first time I came I bought a pass online; when we arrived it was a freak snowstorm and we were the only ones there. So we had a literal winter wonderland to play around it. The views from the coast were lovely and offer plenty of picnic tables to sit and enjoy yourself at, but exploring the woods that day was even more amazing - we spent a lot of time with a big buck who kept finding himself lazily meandering on the same trail as us. Thank goodness for binoculars! And the element of surprise! There was also some tremendously graffitied old batteries, a breakwater (that becomes nearly inaccessible when the tide is high; reversely when the tide is low that same area exposes a Sandy beach), there's an area called Pirate's Cove, an old cemetery, and Dolphin Fountain (which looks like it belongs in France, not NH). This became an immediate favorite! I can't wait to come back and see it in Spring and Summer! (SIDE NOTE: There's also the Seacoast Science Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit, that provides educational exhibits related to the seacoast area for a separate fee; but, I haven't been able to check that out yet!)

    Wallis Sands State Beach - Wallis Sands State Beach

    Wallis Sands State Beach

    (23 reviews)

    Do you like relaxation -- maybe with a lil sand snuggled between ur toesy-wozies? If yes, grab your…read morecrockpot + maracas, lather ur bod in dat SPF protectant, and get over to Wallis Sands State Beach for a little R&R&RT (rest & relaxation & rad times). Yes, yes -- get to dat beach + plop ur dump truck down in that flimsy Walgreens beach chair that has been rotting in your garage for, like, 9+ months now. Breathe it in: yes, yes dat fresh salt air. Salt! Mmm, yes... Also politely ask that person on the beach blanket next to you to crank up "Daisies" by Justin Bieber from their portable JBL speaker just a smidge louder. That's right -- set the mood for ur ultimate New Hampshiran beach day. Smack a beachball, David. Slurp a wine cooler, Darlene. Hold a hermit crab captive (they don't have feelings, silly). And go on and say things like "ew, seaweed!" and "wow, look at that kite!" and "Ed Sheeran is one of my favorite artists!" Yay! Enjoy your day, Freddie + Barbara -- hopefully you trekked to Wallis Sands State Beach without the kids...ya know? They are, like, so annoying. Brutal. R&R&RT is best without juice boxes and bad attitudes. Children belong in front of YouTube. You belong in front of the Atlantic -- alone + unbothered -- left to simply worry about ur sun exposure. It's cute. Soak up the sun, Sheryl Crow! Enjoy da beach + ur yacht rock playlist, also. Cheers! Seashells! Toes! Crockpots!

    Reporting live from 2025!!…read more I love this little beach. It's right down the road from my fave seafood shack and for years on my jaunts to NH I've passed it right on by. Welp not this year. I got my fried scallop plate and caught a brilliant sunset from a bench right at the sand's edge. I went around 730pm in early June so there were only like 4 cars and no parking fees. Your mileage is sure to vary now that summer is officially underway. The water looked beautiful and inviting but as you know Ms. Mands does not like walking on sand without a really good reason. And considering it was cool enough to wear a wool hat, there were no good reasons. There's a huge bathhouse in the lot as well as a relatively short distance from sand to water. I bet this place is a real hit during the peak of summer. I legit only came to sit, eat, listen to the waves, and watch the sunset - beyond that can't say much. But my 45 minutes or so here were 5-star all the way!

    Prescott Park - Great place to sit and play a game!

    Prescott Park

    (39 reviews)

    Prescott Park is a quiet little park on the river side of Portsmouth. There are great views of the…read moreMemorial Bridge and boats from the pier in the park. The fence along the pier is covered with locks placed by visitors over the years. The river has a unique current that changes as the tide moves in and out, just off the pier, making the water rough. There is a beautiful whimsical fountain in the park that memorizes a local Naval Ensign who died over a hundred years ago. Several benches are scattered throughout the park to sit and relax. People sat drinking their morning coffee. A stone marks the site of where St. John's Lodge first met in 1736. Worth a visit if you are in the area. It was a little chilly, during my visit. A sweatshirt is helpful.

    Walked from Strawbery Banke to this park and saw their beautiful gardens first. However there was a…read morewedding photoshoot going on so we couldnt really enjoy that part of the park. So we headed further to the waters and saw the Sheafe Warehouse and even a beautiful view of Memorial Bridge. My favorite part must be watching the harbors and the relaxing clear waters on a beautiful afternoon. Im not sure if Ive seen all parts of the park or not but Ive observed its more "sitting-on-a-bench" kind-of park rather than "sitting or picnicking on the grass" type lol im so bad at describing it lol Its beautiful in its own way though and kept fairly clean. Loved looking over at the waters there really. Great spot for a lazy day and to just enjoy some waterfront views.

    Seacoast Science Center - Pilot whale skeleton

    Seacoast Science Center

    (60 reviews)

    Odiorne Point State Park is a public recreation area that opened in Rye, New Hampshire in July…read more1972. It is administered by the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation. The park is located along the Atlantic seacoast in Rye, not far from Portsmouth. The area is the site of the Pannaway Plantation: the first European settlement in New Hampshire. Settled in 1622, the plantation was completely abandoned by the 1630s when the settlers moved to nearby Strawberry Banke. The land was settled in the mid-1660s by the Odiorne Family, whom the park is now named after. From 1942 to 1947, the park was the home of Fort Dearborn. The ruins of the deactivated World War II-era fort can still be seen today. Today the park is home to hiking trails, bike paths, a playground, picnic areas, pavilions, and a Seacoast Science Center which opened in 1992. My family and I visited Odiorne Point State Park this summer while we were heading to Maine for a summer getaway. We had some time to kill before we could check in to our AirBnb, so we decided to stop at the park. We had fun exploring the grounds and my two sons especially enjoyed playing on the nautical-themed playground. The highlight of the park is the Seacoast Science Center. There are all sorts of exhibits devoted to the conservation of marine and coastal environments. My two sons loved learning about whales, local shellfish populations, the local fishing industry, the fight against ocean pollution, and underwater exploration. There was even a cool gift shop where we picked up a few things. Whether you live in the area or you're just passing through like us, Odiorne Point State Park is a fun place for the whole family!

    Located in Rye Nh at a state park on the ocean with a view of the harbor and you can walk along the…read morewalkway there's also a park for the kids to play in climbing, and swings the park is a good size and then you can walk over to the science center and enjoy there fun activities like learning about nature and the New England coast sharks whales and other wildlife species it's not that big but it's really nice to explore they have a old fort that you can climb on. The state park has a lot of trails and other fun stuff to explore worth a trip to go to but make sure that the weather is nice.

    Great Island Common - Sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean from Great Island Common

    Great Island Common

    (16 reviews)

    The way to Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse was closed for renovation so we ended up just checking…read moreGreat Island Common. It's actually a large enough place with plenty of parking and had some good amount of spots for gatherings/picnics/BBQ. I didnt feel like it was the most beautiful place although the view of the harbor was. I enjoyed the little painter decor that they have and that wide open feel of just standing by the waters. However i felt like the place needed some TLC. Idk. The gentleman by the entrance was very kind and sweet though and allowed us to just check the area for some quick pics for free as we didnt stay too long for this visit.

    I'll tell you it was almost surreal. It was a litle like…read morebeing the only person in the world, just staring out at the wild ocean at sunset. Especially in january when there wasn't another soul in this tiny park, at the edge of this picturesque town of Portsmouth. I was of course struck by the wild beauity that makes up the NH/Maine Coastline and the crashing of the waves but the place itself was absolutely adorable. I could see the vibrant scenes of warmer months even though my face and lips were equally chapped in the brisk wind. Very clean, very organized and well layed out little park. There is a long walk on the rocks out to the sea and some sandy beach area for walking but I can't imagine it would be a fun place to swim with all those rocks and rocky shallow areas. I'd love to do a day trip or 3 day weekend up here just so I can bring my dogs here to enjoy this relaxed little area. There is a sweet little bench beneath a tree straight ahead when you pull in, and it would be probably the cutest place to get a kiss, enjoy a quiet moment or even a proposal. Le sigh. Can I live here and build a little hut beside the large sprawling waterfront mansions? I promise I won't be a bother. The trees in bloom here must be a sight in the fall,but no matter what season it was so worth stumbling upon.

    Rye Harbor State Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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