In case you care to toss a bit of warm-weather fun in the sun into your visit, just 20 minutes down the coast from Portsmouth, this family beach resort dates back to the 1890s, though these days it sports more of a typical 21st-century honky-tonk beach-town vibe, rooted in a kilometres-long strand and boardwalk with fairly calm surf suitable for little ones and the site of a big sand-sculpting competition each June. Still, the 111-year-old Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom is still a big local landmark. Open from April through November, it features various eateries, mini golf, shops, arcade games, waterslide, and a performance venue that has hosted many of the 20th and 21st centuries’ big pop names, from Duke Ellington to Panic! At the Disco. There’s also a pair of spots for learning about the seas, both open during the summer season: the Blue Ocean Discovery Center and Explore the Ocean World. A great family destination!

Read more in my post New Hampshire Is Classic New England.

HamptonBeach.org