There’s terrific running on New Hampshire’s beaches, including Salisbury Beach, Seabrook Beach, and Hampton Beach. There are also some seafront promenades and nice sections of coastal road that are scenic and safe for running.

Beach Running. Hampton Beach, along with Seabrook Beach directly to the south, are the two best beaches for running in New Hampshire. They’re wide and feature firm, packed sand much of the time. The place is a scene, with big crowds, waves, and bikers on a typical summer weekend. Hampton Beach runs for 1.5 miles from the southern end at Hampton State Park to the Salt Marsh Conservation Area, at the intersection of Rt. 1A and Rt. 101. To the south of Hampton Beach, one can also run, seamlessly along Seabrook Beach and Salisbury Beach, straddling the MA/NH border, totaling some 5 miles. North of Hampton Beach along 1A, there are some additional beaches for running: North Beach and North Hampton Beach. Note it’s not continuous beach the whole way.

Coastal Road. There’s also some nice ocean-side road running, heading north from Hampton Beach along Ocean Ave./Rt, 1A. The best section is the 6.3 mile stretch from Hampton Beach to Rye Beach. There are beach/water views a good part of the way, and some spectacular coastal homes headed north. It’s a mix of dedicated path, sidewalk, and wide shoulder, At Hampton Beach, there’s an 0,3 mile dedicated boardwalk. Side Trip: Fuller Gardens, toward the north end, is a worth-it stop for its lovely rose gardens, Japanese plantings & English perennials on a historic summer estate.

Flickr: Domenico Convertini

Odiorne State Park. This 135-acre oceanside park at the north end of the Ocean Blvd. part of Route 1A features some scenic trails. It’s ~1.2 miles from end-to-end, and overall 2-3 miles of trails. TRAIL MAP