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Now is the best time to visit the New Hampshire Seashore
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North Hampton NH rocky point
October’s blazing leaves have turned brown so the leaf-peepers are gone. Now is the time to enjoy ample parking spaces, room at the restaurants, and seats on the benches along New Hampshire’s Atlantic coastline.
New Hampshire has only 18 +/- miles of coast on the stretch between Salisbury, MA (pronounced sals'bry) at the southwest end and Kittery, ME (pronounced kit'ry) to the northeast. The plus or minus depends on which route you take. In a hurry? Take I-95, a well-maintained, not-too-crowded toll road, but with no view of the Atlantic Ocean.
This is the time for back roads. Generally, US 1 will take you through every village and town. US1-A is reserved for the scenic route. As you near the Portsmouth area, the ultra-scenic route is US 1-B, and ultra it is. It rises and falls, twists and curves past charming New England houses, some perched precariously on rocky points. At the northern end, on the island of New Castle sits the venerable Wentworth-by-the-Sea Hotel, commanding a spectacular view, clear all the way to Spain. http://www.wentworth.com/
During the summer months, the road can be crowded and it is extremely difficult to find a place to pull over. The few parking areas are usually reserved for residents. Concrete walls have been built to protect the roads and houses from angry waves. They do a fine job but they also obliterate the view.
Ah, but Fall! The parking meters have been removed for the winter. The restaurants that have remained open year-round extend a warm welcome. Lobsters and clams abound. There is nothing more satisfying on a cool fall day than a steaming bowl of clam chowder, fish chowder or rosy lobster bisque. http://www.brownslobster.com/
Entrance to the state parks is waived. Sit on their comfortable wooden benches and soak up those last warm rays of vitamin D before winter sets in.
Go to the shore. Let the wind blow through your hair. Shut your eyes, open your ears, and let the music of the waves transport you to a land of dreams. An hour like this will surely bring peace and comfort.
This is a senior site, so perhaps some of you won’t mind a little reminiscing.
How many recall the Sunday ride in The Machine? After a big family dinner, Father would gather the clan on a sunny Sunday, load them into The Machine, and set out for a drive in the country. The Machine could be a Packard, Hudson, Pierce-Arrow or any sedan big enough to hold the family. After its engine was cranked by hand, the car was steered onto the dusty road and sent on its rumbling way to the shore.
While other drivers with a destination mumbled: ‘Darned Sunday drivers!’ you chugged along – a bit like Mr. Hulot’s Holiday. Mother was in charge of keeping peace among the siblings. Occasionally it was necessary to pull over to accommodate the kid with the queasy stomach. But it was Sunday and it was glorious.
And a trip like that can still be yours!
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