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  1. #1
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    hampton beach, nh

    doing a few days there for summer vaca....eating recommendations/things to do with wife and 11 year old son? looks like a waterpark nearby. thanks

  2. #2
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    Apr 2004
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    I don't have real details as I've only driven through for work a few times but be sure to bring your bikes. If you or your son have BMX bikes there's a neat indoor park in the area too that is always filled with kids all day long. It's also cool to just tool along the beach road, probably faster than trying to drive places too.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by cinnepa View Post
    doing a few days there for summer vaca....eating recommendations/things to do with wife and 11 year old son? looks like a waterpark nearby. thanks
    See NSFW thread for the uppity in reference to waterparks.
    You're welcome

  4. #4
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    Dec 2007
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    Surf? Cinnamon rainbows has board rentals and may offer lessons. Hanging at "the wall" is fun for surf, people watching, and biking the boardwalk, but I like Jenness beach just up the road a few minutes for a lazy beach day with the family, As it has a better sandy beach.

    Sometimes there's decent music shows in Hampton, but the strip is always such a scene during the summer. Fat Harley bikers, and southern nh dudes with tribal tattoos and their fake bake wives making the big trip to the ocean for the day kinda scene.

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  5. #5
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    Dec 2012
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    I can still smell Poutine.
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    Drive to Maine?

  6. #6
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    Dec 2002
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    cow hampshire
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    The beach itself is really nice, but the crowds are iffy. I think my kids were 12 before they even knew that part of town existed. We don't go there. Although, hanging at the beach will be fun for a kid with the arcades, fried dough and all the other 'carnival' type stuff going on. Everything just North around the corner is a better place to be.

    Rye airfield is the skate/bmx park. Water Country is the water park in Portsmouth. We do have a bunch of mtn biking around and Stratham Hill Park has a fun pump track for kids and a super short hike to lookout tower. Rent soft top surf boards from Cinnamon Rainbows and Summer Sessions rents SUP's. There's also a place in Portsmouth that rents SUP's and you can cruise around sagamore creek and the piscataqua river area which is more mellow water than open ocean. Fishing/whale watch boating is available. Isle of Shoals tour out of Portsmouth. It can be hard to keep an 11 yr old entertained on vaca. Hopefully you'll have sun so you can chill at the beach.

    Portsmouth is a little port town that people like a lot with good resturants, but it's primarily an adult place and just South is Newburyport MA that is the same deal.

    pm me if you have specific questions.

  7. #7
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    ^^^thanks all

  8. #8
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    Sep 2001
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    water's frickin cold is all I got.

  9. #9
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    Feb 2004
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    driven way past the Stop and Shop
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    Watch out for green flies in July. Actually you won’t have to watch out for them. They’ll find you.
    Damn, we're in a tight spot!

  10. #10
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    Aug 2006
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    I always thought Hampton Beach was filled with folks from Lawrence and Lowell who couldn't afford to make it to the Jersey Shore? Most NH people tend to steer away and head north to Jenness or Wallis which are indeed better beaches for families and are typically less crowded than Hampton in peak summer.

    The Casino can bring in some sweet acts, saw one of my all time favorite shows I've been to there (Bela Flek, Jon Luc Ponty and Stanley Clarke) on a random summer Tuesday in college. I'd check out the lineup. If you are staying near the strip you are going to be up late most likely anyways so might as well catch a show.
    Live Free or Die

  11. #11
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    Feb 2011
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    Quote Originally Posted by AdironRider View Post
    I always thought Hampton Beach was filled with folks from Lawrence and Lowell who couldn't afford to make it to the Jersey Shore? Most NH people tend to steer away and head north to Jenness or Wallis which are indeed better beaches for families and are typically less crowded than Hampton in peak summer.

    The Casino can bring in some sweet acts, saw one of my all time favorite shows I've been to there (Bela Flek, Jon Luc Ponty and Stanley Clarke) on a random summer Tuesday in college. I'd check out the lineup. If you are staying near the strip you are going to be up late most likely anyways so might as well catch a show.
    FTW

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by AdironRider View Post
    I always thought Hampton Beach was filled with folks from Lawrence and Lowell who couldn't afford to make it to the Jersey Shore?
    Why on earth would anyone from New England go to to the Jersey shore? Not cutting it down but it's far and the Cape, Islands and many other equally good beaches are much closer.

    I saw Santana at the Hampton Casino in the day, that was decent.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by iceman View Post
    Why on earth would anyone from New England go to to the Jersey shore? Not cutting it down but it's far and the Cape, Islands and many other equally good beaches are much closer.

    I saw Santana at the Hampton Casino in the day, that was decent.
    Well Hampton Beach has a distinct flavor that you aren't getting on Nantucket ya know?

    I bet that show was pretty rad. I've been appreciating his talent more and more as I get older and further away from ignoring him just because he did a song with Rob Thomas.
    Live Free or Die

  14. #14
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    Yeah it was pretty great, it was before all the Rob Thomas stuff, he was in a bit of a lull in his career and was trying to make a comeback, like '95 or something. He got after it.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by riser3 View Post
    Drive to Maine?
    white trash comes to mind
    but I do love that place, it's been a couple years

  16. #16
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    Dec 2003
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    Nhampshire
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    Yep, live in the region, none of us go to Hampton. Wallis and Rye are nice, depending on what you want. Go further north to Wells/York as well.
    Next to Wallis is the seacoast science center with a. Playground, also a children's museum in Dover and generally cool stuff happening in Prescott park in Portsmouth NH

  17. #17
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    this thread is a trip down memory lane
    thanks guys

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by AdironRider View Post
    I always thought Hampton Beach was filled with folks from Lawrence and Lowell who couldn't afford to make it to the Jersey Shore? Most NH people tend to steer away and head north to Jenness or Wallis which are indeed better beaches for families and are typically less crowded than Hampton in peak summer.
    Definitely full of Lawrence, Lowell, Charlestown, Manchester and the likes doing laps around the strip in their bitchin' camaro's and harleys.

    The Casiono always has a few good shows every summer. DSO back to back ftw. The other venue is Wally's which happens to be the biker bar, but the new'ish owner put a bunch of cash into the stage, sound and lighting system, so they've drawn some good smaller acts in like GLove. Also Blue Ocean in Salisbury has booked a few decent smaller acts recently. The venue is pretty cool as the waves break under the place at high tide.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by jackstraw View Post
    The other venue is Wally's which happens to be the biker bar.
    ha stumbled out of that place more than once mid afternoon, especially back when I was married to an alcoholic

  20. #20
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    this place always delivers.......better than a tour guide.

  21. #21
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    Oct 2013
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    I'm so glad this is a thread. Grew up two towns north (N. Hampton) and can concur with what all is in this thread. The Bill Burr tour is friggin all-time:

    "We're in the eye of a shiticane here Julian, and Ricky's a low shit system!" - Jim Lahey, RIP

    Former Managing Editor @ TGR, forever mag.

  22. #22
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    Mar 2009
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    Skip doing the actual beach at Hampton if at all possible, it gets really busy and is basically Lawrence/Lowell with sand. Head 4 minutes south and go to Seabrook Beach right over the bridge. Walk through the dunes and you have a semi private (compared to Hampton) beach to yourself. Parking can be tough, but doable. May have to spend $10 to park across Rte 1. Nobody used to bother you if you parked outside the big churches parking lot.

    Or like others said, head north to Rye, much more civilized than Hampton. Summer Sessions at Jennes beach rents all kinds of boards and has lessons for the little guy.

    Food - forget about food in Hampton, with the exception of Blink’s Fried Dough...do it.

    Seabrook -
    Tuna Striker Pub, formerly Eastmans, sit on the back deck watch the day fishing trippers come in.
    Ceals for fried clams/scallops
    Browns for all things seafood, BYOB! Markey’s is right across the street, same type if food, a little more formal and no BYOB. You are either a Markey’s guy or a Browns guy, they don’t mix ....I’m a Browns guy.

    Rye -
    Petey’s for all things seafood.
    Beach Plum for over priced lobster roll and ice cream.

    Best food bet it to head to Portsmouth for the evening.

    I can go on. Ask any questions.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by schuss View Post
    Yep, live in the region, none of us go to Hampton. Wallis and Rye are nice, depending on what you want. Go further north to Wells/York as well.
    Next to Wallis is the seacoast science center with a. Playground, also a children's museum in Dover and generally cool stuff happening in Prescott park in Portsmouth NH
    When I was growing up I had family in Ogunquit and would visit various times of the year. They are all long dead. I take my kids to Moody and Wells instead because of the $$$ and the crowds. I miss the "quieter" days. Get off my lawn.

  24. #24
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    Nov 2008
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    Did the Howard Johnson's survive the Playland fire? If so, I recommend the fried clams.

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by WaistDeepGroomers View Post
    I'm so glad this is a thread. Grew up two towns north (N. Hampton) and can concur with what all is in this thread. The Bill Burr tour is friggin all-time:

    christ i may have to reconsider...

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