Hampton Beach, NH, Could Get a Big Surprise for Tourists

Editor's note: This article was written by a Townsquare Media Northern New England contributor and may contain the individual's views, opinions or personal experiences.

When you think about some of the best beaches and most fun beach towns, your mind goes to arcades, shops, and a boardwalk, steel pier, or a good old-fashioned wooden pier.  Looking out at the wide-open water at the end of a pier is a magical experience.

Well-known east coast piers can be found in Cocoa Beach, Florida, Pier 60 in Clearwater, Florida, and Naples Pier in Florida.  Florida has the climate for piers and boardwalks, but what about Coney Island on Long Island, NY, Ocean City Pier in Maryland, Morey's Pier in New Jersey, and Chelsea Piers in New York City?  Even Chicago has Navy Pier, and that city isn't even on an ocean coast.

You get my point.  New Hampshire's Hampton Beach has all that and more, but no pier. We have jetties, but no jutting, magical pier for a casual stroll on a warm summer evening with a partner, stroller, wheelchair, or all of the above.

According to SeacoastCurrent.com, New Hampshire has a bill up for vote on April 21st at the State House which could approve a feasibility study on the building of a handicap-accessible pier on the south side of Hampton Beach, just south of Boar's Head. The bill just passed The Senate and will have a few more hoops to jump through, but it's hopeful this study will be approved.

So, before we dream about a long pier on Hampton Beach, keep your fingers crossed that our elected officials keep the ball rolling, and in the near future, our pier will rival the decades-old well-know piers of the USA.  It certainly would be a draw for tourism.