Jenness Beach State Park

New Hampshire


This pretty beach is a prime spot for picnicking, swimming or just relaxing on the sand. You can also watch the surfers, who ride the waves on longboards here. There's a small metered parking lot ($1 per hour) with a pay station, and lifeguards on duty from late May through late August.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby New Hampshire attractions

1. Wallis Sands State Park

3.35 MILES

This popular beach – it has 500 parking spots – has a wide sandy coastline with views of the Isles of Shoals. Besides the bathhouses and a snack shop,…

2. Odiorne Point State Park

4.7 MILES

Walk the woodsy coastal trails, explore the Seacoast Science Center or simply sit by the rocky coast and enjoy the view and the breeze. Stop by the…

3. Seacoast Science Center

4.78 MILES

Undersea videos, big aquariums and a hands-on 'touch tank' are the highlights of this small but engaging family favorite. The center hosts lots of special…

4. Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion

5.41 MILES

This 42-room place south of the town center was home to New Hampshire's first royal governor and served as the colony's government center from 1741 to…

5. South Ward Meetinghouse

6.13 MILES

The towering meetinghouse, completed in 1866, replaced a parish meetinghouse that had been on the site since 1731. A stop on the Black Heritage Trail, the…

6. Wentworth Gardner House

6.16 MILES

This 1760 structure is one of the finest Georgian houses in the US. Elizabeth and Mark Hunking Wentworth were among Portsmouth's wealthiest and most…

7. John Paul Jones House

6.17 MILES

This former boardinghouse is where America's first great naval commander resided in Portsmouth. Jones, who uttered, 'I have not yet begun to fight!'…

8. Strawbery Banke Museum

6.19 MILES

Spread across a 10-acre site, the Strawbery Banke Museum is an eclectic blend of period homes that date back to the 1690s. Costumed guides recount tales…