Hampton Beach, New Hampshire

Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, is a beach resort located on the Atlantic Ocean, a popular tourist destination, and the busiest beach community in the state. Ocean Boulevard, which runs along the beach, includes a boardwalk, a multitude of vendors catering to the walkers-by, many seasonal hotels, and the Hampton Beach State Park. The Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom has been the center of attraction here for more than a century, and continues to draw top names from the entertainment world. From what we could gather on our one day visit, you had better arrive early if you want a decent place to park your car, and a spot on the beach to park yourself. We weren't there to hang out at the beach, more to just see what this place was all about, so parking further from the water for a lower price and a better walk didn't bother us at all. People of all ages could be found enjoying the activities - soaking up the sun, playing volleyball or Frisbee, building sand castles, or strolling the boulevard. Our senses were alive with the vibrant colors of beach towels and kitschy trinkets hanging from vendor stalls, smells from the ocean competing with food stand aromas, music playing from cars cruising up and down the street. We walked the mile long strip, up one side, down to the beach for a toe dip into the Atlantic, a stop for lunch at an unlikely Mexican restaurant, and back up the other side before calling it a day. Here are some snaps of the sights.