Of all the US states with ocean access, New Hampshire has the shortest coastline - just eighteen miles. Driving north from Boston along either I-95 or the quieter US-1, you enter New Hampshire after roughly forty miles, to be confronted almost immediately by the nuclear power plant at Seabrook Station , which opened in 1990 after years of determined opposition, not least from the irate state of Massachusetts over the border.

HAMPTON BEACH , a little further on, is a traditional family-oriented, if somewhat tacky, seaside resort (its free information line has the optimistic number tel 1-800/GET-A-TAN). The usual assortment of motels and fast-food places lines the approaches to the boardwalk and crowded beaches, but in a place this close to Boston summer accommodation rates are high. The Breakers by the Sea Motel at 409 Ocean Blvd (tel 603/926-7702, ; $50-75/$75-100), is one of the least expensive options, offering roomy one- or two-bedroom apartments; for a bit more comfort try the Oceanside Inn at 365 Ocean Blvd (tel 603/926-3542; $75-100). Large local campgrounds include Tuxbury Pond in South Hampton (tel 603/394-7660 or 1-800/585-7660, ).

New Hampshire coast

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