Things to do in Rockingham County: the New Hampshire coast

Rockingham County holds all of New Hampshire's Atlantic coastline, plus historic downtowns and some of the best food on the Seacoast. Here's where I'd start.

From the beaches along Route 1A to the brick downtowns inland, Rockingham County packs a lot into a short drive. These are the spots I recommend most.

Beaches along Route 1A

Hampton Beach State Park is one of the best places on New Hampshire's short Atlantic shoreline for ocean swimming and sunbathing, with lifeguards on the main beach in season, according to Visit New Hampshire. For something quieter, head north to Rye, where Jenness Beach and Wallis Sands sit along the oceanfront road with views of the Isles of Shoals and Rye Harbor's fishing boats, per Visit New Hampshire.

Odiorne Point State Park and the Seacoast Science Center

This park in Rye has a rocky shore, tide pools, a sandy beach, salt marsh, miles of walking trails and the remains of Fort Dearborn, a World War II coastal defense, according to the Seacoast Science Center. The science center inside the park has touch tanks and exhibits on Gulf of Maine marine life, notes Visit NH.

Portsmouth's historic waterfront

• Strawbery Banke Museum: 10 acres of historic homes and gardens in the old Puddle Dock neighborhood, per New England Today, with outdoor skating on Puddle Dock Pond in winter.
• Prescott Park: free waterfront gardens on the Piscataqua, with free garden tours on Fridays in season, per the City of Portsmouth.
• Market Square and The Music Hall: shops, restaurants and a theater that opened in 1878, per The Phinney Team.
• Black Heritage Trail and African Burying Ground: self-guided anytime, as New England Today describes.

New Castle

Portsmouth Harbor Light and Fort Constitution make a great picnic and photo stop just over the bridge from Portsmouth.

Exeter

Exeter served as New Hampshire's capital during the Revolutionary War. The American Independence Museum holds a Dunlap Broadside of the Declaration of Independence, one of 26 copies in the world, and drafts of the U.S. Constitution, according to Visit NH. Its American Independence Festival fills downtown each July. Afterward, walk Swasey Parkway along the Squamscott River, notes LocalNH.

Thinking about a move to the coast? Tell me what you're looking for and I'll help you compare towns.