Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, New Hampshire is on the Piscataqua River, almost to Portsmouth. You'll find it on scenic Ocean Boulevard (Route 1A).
One morning this summer we had planned on heading to the Isles of Shoals, but the ferry was cancelled because the ocean was crazy out there. We ended up in Odiorne Point instead, where we climbed rocks and combed the beach. There is the Seacoast Science Center and the remains of Fort Dearborn to explore, but what we enjoyed most was the trek along the beach, looking past the mouth of the river and to the ocean.
The sand is nice, the rocks are neat, and the breakwater will take you out pretty far for a good view of New Castle and Fort Stark. The surrounding wooded park has flat trails and strange nooks to explore as well. After exploring the park for a good chunk of the day, you can head to Portsmouth for dinner, or toThe Beach Plum for chowder, or to our favorite- The Carousel Lounge in Salisbury.
