A Day at Hampton Beach

When you live in Massachusetts, you have plenty of options when it comes to the beach. Some people take the long trek up to Maine, sitting through throngs of beach traffic. Some face beach traffic terrors on their way down to picturesque Cape Cod. Personally, I think that if your aiming for a one-off beach day, the best bet is Hampton Beach.

Hampton Beach is a strip located on the coast in New Hampshire. It’s one of the most popular beach destinations in the New England area.

On my day in Hampton Beach this summer, my friend Travis picked me up in a sleek while convertible.

“Does your mom know you have her car?” I giggled, and Travis smirked.

“What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

I slid into the front seat, resting my head on the black leather interior. I couldn’t wait to have a relaxing day at the beach.

Driving fast down the strip at Hampton Beach makes the different colored kiosks look like rows of Jolly Ranchers. Travis whipped in to a parking spot with his usual flourish, and went to go pay for the ticket. I glanced down the strip. The fluorescent signs seemed to pop out at me, one after another.

“I can’t decide if I want a chili-cheese dog or a steak and cheese,” Travis said. I wrinkled my nose.

“How about neither.”

Travis rolled his eyes, slinging the beach bag over his shoulder. We joined the hoards of people crowded around one particular food stand. Travis ended up settling on a chili-cheese dog, and I ordered a couple slices of greasy pizza. We found a spot amongst the crowd to lay the beach blanket down. After laying down the food, we watched the sun dip below the horizon, and sink into the sea. I lifted my pizza to my mouth and a couple of grease droplets splashed down onto the plate.

“Gross,” Travis commented, and I rolled my eyes.

After our beach picnic, Travis and I wandered into the stores along the boardwalk. We mostly browsed, but ended up buying some new silver jewelry. Travis got a new chain, and I purchased a pretty ring that was shaped like a wave.

We eventually found our way back to the car, and as we were driving I couldn’t help but marvel at the two different views that Hampton made. On my right was the ocean, untouched and natural, with the waves slapping against the shore. On my left was a smorgasbord of food kiosks, an arcade, and a casino. Half of the neon lights were burnt out on the casino sign, and the stand where Travis and I purchased our dinner was closing down for the night.

If you’re looking for privacy and tranquility, I wouldn’t recommend Hampton Beach. It’s not exactly pristine, but the boardwalk’s always a fun place to be.