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jozman's avatar
jozman
Explorer
Aug 06, 2013

Hampton Beach State Park N.H. Dry Camping

Just wondering if anyone has ever dry camped at Hampton Beach State Park. Going up for about 7 days and would like some feedback on the experience at the park. Looking for the good the bad and the ugly (one of my top ten movies by the way). Thanks in advance...
  • We used to dry camp in overflow all the time....till we got a dog....and found Salisbury State Reserve Campground 6 miles south.
    Hampton is great! The only few issues I had were...No Dogs, Generators must be off at 10 (in overflow/dry), and they lock the gate to the overflow area at 8pm. So if you are out with the TV past 8, you must park in another area when you get back...or if you have to be somewhere for 9....you better take the TV to the other lot before 8.

    Close to town and the beach is clean!

    If memory serves me right...it is $30 per night to stay in overflow...vs $28 a night with water/elec at Salisbury.
  • The good: it is close to the beach and pretty quiet at night. It is also close enough to the nightlife (night clubs and restaurants). If you like it wild then hit Stacey Janes where they have Karaoke every night and a crazy dance club upstairs). The bad: they pack you in pretty tight. Not much more than about 8-10 feet apart. The ugly: the same woman has been running the place for about 15 years now and she is a total @#$%^. She is rude and ignorant and thinks she owns the place. She needs to go. And it is true, they do lock the overflow at 8 PM. In my opinion it is only a matter of time before someone dies from a heart attack because the ambulance couldn't get past the gate. As previously posted, they do not allow dogs due to the piping plovers which nest in the area. They also do not allow popups or tents. Just Driveable RVs and enclosed trailers.
  • Bad News McDaddy....well not really! Stacey Janes is no longer Stacey Janes....it's Club Madison! I thought that we were the only ones that couldn't stand that lady! When she rides around in her JD Gator like the Gestapo looking for someone to straighten out!
  • Sorry Mr. Mguay, but I've spent substantail time in just about every bar in Hampton Beach. Stacey Janes is alive and well. As a matter of fact, it was named after my wifes Cousin's wife Stacey Jane. Club Madison is the dance club on the second floor, although it is part of Stacey Janes. It was named after their daughter Madison. There is also a third bar in the complex which is the Irish pub outback. The funny thing is that the whole place was an Irish pub in a previous life. I think you will enjoy all three. I know I have.
  • McDaddy wrote:
    Sorry Mr. Mguay, but I've spent substantail time in just about every bar in Hampton Beach. Stacey Janes is alive and well. As a matter of fact, it was named after my wifes Cousin's wife Stacey Jane. Club Madison is the dance club on the second floor, although it is part of Stacey Janes. It was named after their daughter Madison. There is also a third bar in the complex which is the Irish pub outback. The funny thing is that the whole place was an Irish pub in a previous life. I think you will enjoy all three. I know I have.


    Thanx for the correction....the Club Madison sign is lit up every time we drive by and I must be missing the Stacey Jane sign.
  • Thanks for the responses. I was always an L Street Tavern guy or Papa's Pizza, remember those?? beside the food/nightlife Does the lot fill up quickly, difficult getting a spot? The very nice woman I spoke to onthe phone told me she has never seen the dry camp/overflow lot fill up???? opinions/experiences.....
  • You will be able to get in! On the holiday weekends it is about 3 rows deep...but any other it runs about 1 1/2 rows deep. I don't think you'll have a problem!
  • mguay is correct on the typical number of rows. I have been told that if more people show up that they will just add another row. It is a huge lot that is used for both overflow camping and also day use parking for cars going to the beach.