Hampton Beach State Park occupies the northern end of the beach, where the spit widens and the character shifts from the boardwalk bustle to something a little more open. The park covers about 50 acres including the beach, dunes, and a saltmarsh area behind the barrier strip. Facilities include picnic areas, changing rooms, and a bathhouse.
The park is run by the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation and charges a parking fee in season. It is a useful alternative to the main beach strip if you want a quieter stretch of sand — the crowds thin noticeably once you walk north of the last boardwalk concession. The park also has good views of the Isles of Shoals, a cluster of small rocky islands about 6 miles offshore that can be visited by boat tour from Rye Harbor.