Jenness State Beach, Rye Beach

New Hampshire’s mere 18 miles of coastline means that saltwater beaching in the Granite State is limited. The picturesque town of Rye, sandwiched between the honky-tonk of Hampton and the crunchy/foodie vibe of Portsmouth, hogs most of the opportunity. But to great effect: The town’s main beach, Jenness, offers easy walk-on, walk-off access to all the beach essentials—a mini-mart, a surf shop, whose staff can be spotted catching waves early morning or as the sun sets, and lots of options for harbor side drinks and snacks when the sun begins to fade.

Good beach itself, but I wish more was done about the surfers. There is a section of the beach for swimmers, and section for surfers, and the surfers keep getting into the non-surfing territory. If there is no life guard, forget it, you won't be able to swim without risking being hit by a surf board.