Jenness State Beach RV & Campground Guide
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Jenness State Beach is located in Rye, NH, and near Acorn Acres and North Hampton. The beach has a large parking lot that's usable by RVers visiting this part of New Hampshire, and there's metered parking for travelers with smaller RVs like campervans and some trailers. Jenness Beach is a great place for water sports, so if you like to swim, jet ski, or boat, this is a great location to visit. While pets aren't permitted on the beach, there are plenty of opportunities for families to have fun playing sports and picnicking out on the dunes. The beach spans about 1.3 acres and was established in the 80s as an official state beach. There is no lifeguard presence during the off-season, so visitors will need to be careful, especially considering the cold weather and water during the winter.
Spring 45-77 F
Summer 59-81 F
Fall 50-73 F
Winter 21-39 F
RV Resorts & Campsites in Jenness State Beach
Whether you visit Jenness State Beach in the off-season or during the summer, an RV rental is a great way to provide your family with a comfortable home base. Most RV types will have comfortable amenities and places to sleep so you can be energized for another day at the beach. For those without their own RV, there are hundreds of different models and RV classes to consider renting from RVshare.
Hampton Beach State Park
Hampton Beach State Park is another beach area to consider that also has full RV hookups for your trip. This beach state park is located in the southeastern area of New Hampshire in Hampton. Some parts of the beach are rocky, while others are covered in sand. The campground has 30 back-in and pull-out sites as well as showers for campers to use.
Water hookup: Yes
Electrical hookup: Yes
Sewer hookup: Yes
Wi-Fi: No
Pet-friendly: Yes
Other amenities: Showers, beachfront stores, arcades, and restaurants
Sea Coast Camping and RV Resort
For those that love water sports, Sea Coast Camping and RV Resort is a great place to visit when you're RVing in the area. This campground has accommodations for all types of RVs and is only about five miles from Jenness State Beach. The beach is pet-friendly and provides options for cats and dogs to get some outside time.
Water hookup: Yes
Electrical hookup: Yes
Sewer hookup: Yes
Wi-Fi: Yes
Pet-friendly: Yes
Other amenities: Two bathhouses, a playground area for the kids, and a camp store
Tuxbury Pond RV Resort
Tuxbury Pond RV Resort has 316 RV-friendly campsites that are sized for just about every type of motorhome or trailer. This park is located in South Hampton, NH, which is a great town for those who love vineyards and wineries. Expect to spend anywhere between $68 to $91 per night.
Water hookup: Yes
Electrical hookup: Yes
Sewer hookup: Yes
Wi-Fi: Yes
Pet-friendly: No
Other amenities: Dump station, fire rings, restrooms, showers, and cable
What to Do at
Jenness State Beach
Inside Jenness State Beach
Jenness State Beach is a relatively small beach that provides opportunities for visitors to go hiking, play some beach sports, or do some swimming/boating on the water. Waterfowl frequent the area, so prepare for the trip by bringing a pair of binoculars for some birdwatching. While on the water, you'll have fun jet skiing, boating, or just fishing off of the pier into the Atlantic. There's also a bathhouse open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily for visitors to use so that they won't have to come in their swimsuits.
Outside Jenness State Beach
Jenness State Beach is somewhat small, so you might want to do a few things outside of the beach while you're in Rye, NH. Fortunately, there are several options for restaurants, shops, and local points of interest. The majority of these are family-friendly, and there are a few that are pet-friendly as well.
Restaurants
Rye Harbor Lobster Pound
Rye Harbor Lobster Pound offers some classics like lobster mac and cheese, mussels with garlic and white wine, and the famous Montauk seafood salad for those that love seafood. Their chunky lobster bisque and clam chowder, which is done in the New England style, are also major draws for diners.
Type: Seafood
Location: 1870 Ocean Blvd, Rye, NH 03870
Lazy Bird Cafe
Lazy Bird Cafe offers more than just coffee and breakfast; at this eatery, you can also have a great lunch. The Caprese, BLT, and their turkey bacon avocado sandwich, which are all served on a ciabatta bun, are very popular choices.
Type: Café
Location: 919 Washington Rd #2333, Rye, NH 03870
Carriage House Restaurant
Despite the seaside location, there's more to eat than seafood around Rye. The Carriage House Restaurant has brick chicken, pasta, pork schnitzel, and desserts for diners in the area.
Type: American
Location: 2263 Ocean Boulevard, Rye, NH, 03870
Petey’s Summertime
Petey’s Summertime is a seafood restaurant that has been recognized by several New Hampshire-based awards. They specialize in lobster and clams, but you can also find things like truffle fries, buffalo chicken tenders, and options like fried zucchini and potato skins.
Type: Seafood
Location: 1323 Ocean Blvd, Rye, NH 03870
The Atlantic Grill
The Atlantic Grill combines seafood options with cuisine options that you might find at an American grill or gastropub. There are options like their Angus beef burger, haddock sandwich, and autumn chicken.
Type: Coastal Cuisine
Location: 5 Pioneer Rd, Rye, NH 03870
Shopping
Christine's
Christine's is a small business in Rye, NH, that specializes in home goods, clothing, accessories, children's clothing and toys, and art. This is a useful place for RVers in need of supplementary items.
Location: 1000 Washington Rd, Rye, NH 03870
Portsmouth Green
Portsmouth Green is a local shopping mall that is home to McKinnon's Supermarket, Starbucks, Pure Barre, and FiNZ Entertainment.
Location: 2454 Lafayette Rd, Portsmouth, NH 03801
White Birch Plaza
White Birch Plaza is a mall, but its shops are much more niche-specific than what you might find in a larger establishment. Some examples include Tokyo and Saigon Restaurant, OneMain Financial, and Exotic Nail.
Location: 2800 Lafayette Rd, Portsmouth, NH 03801
Brighton
Brighton is a chain retailer that specializes in fashion items like jewelry, bags, sunglasses, and accessories.
Location: 1000 Washington Rd, Rye, NH 03870
Sightseeing
Seacoast Science Center
The Seacoast Science Center is an educational science center where children and families can learn more about aquatic and semi-aquatic species. They encourage visitors to get their hands wet, and the center is designed to bring attention to these sometimes endangered species and help educate the public. Towards this goal, you have the option to donate when you visit. Throughout the year, there are also special events that you can attend.
Location: 570 Ocean Boulevard, Rye, NH 03870-2104
Isles of Shoals
This is a grouping of small islands off the coast of New Hampshire. If you like to witness things like abundant sea life, tidal ledges, and lighthouses, then the Isles of Shoals will provide you with a memorable experience. The Isles of Shoals occupies about 146 acres of land that straddles the borders of both Maine and New Hampshire.
Location: Gulf of Maine, NH
Rye Harbor State Park
Rye Harbor State Park is a scenic location that is perfect for RVers with families. There are places to have picnics, benches, and covered pavilions. This park provides expansive views of the Atlantic Ocean, and there are opportunities to go fishing in the state park as well.
Location: 1730 Ocean Boulevard, Rye, NH 03870
How to Get to
Jenness State Beach
From Portsmouth, head south along Sagamore Avenue for 5.6 miles, which will take about 12 minutes. Next, turn left onto Locke Road and make a right onto NH-1A S for about 0.7 miles. Once you see signs for Jenness Beach, take another left and look for a place to park in the nearby lot.
Entering Jenness State Beach
The state park is open daily from 8 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.
Jenness State Beach Per vehicle (1-4 adults) : $2.0
$2 per hour (5/1 – 9/30), $1 per hour (10/1 – 10/31)
You'll make memories that last a lifetime when you take an RV adventure to Jenness State Beach. If you don't have an RV of your own, rent one with RVshare! If you share your trip photos on social media, be sure to tag us, or send them to [email protected] for a chance to be featured on our blog.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jenness State Beach
Pets aren’t allowed during the peak season at Jenness State Beach. The peak season runs from May through September. However, visitors are allowed to bring their pets on a leash during the off-season.
Jenness State Beach has handicapped parking spaces, wheelchair ramps on all walkways, and ADA-compliant features such as a universally accessible walkway near the sea and a shorter walkway near the road.
Jenness State Beach isn't a campground. Just park your RV in the huge parking lot and then walk right out onto the sandy beach. Metered parking costs $2 per hour during the busy season and $1 during the off-season.
New Hampshire has a humid climate, with an average relative humidity of 70%. Spring and fall seasons see an average temperature in the 70s while summer can reach 81 degrees. Winter temperatures can fall to a low of 21 degrees.
If you want to avoid the crowd and the high humidity levels, try hitting the beach during April. If you want to cool off on a hot day, then try visiting during the summer.