CarManda

Very new to the RV lifestyle post here, so please be patient with this post. We don't know everything. Didn't have a reservation, but was offered dry camping for $30. You have to show up at 8 am sharp to have a shot. Best to show up as early as 7 am like us. There were 9 who showed and on that day only 5 spots. We were #4. We have a 44 ft toy hauler and there were many other big rigs, so size is no concern here. Water is free if you need to dry camp. $15 if you wish to empty your tanks. Designated times for generators; very reasonable. During the stay, a camper in the hookup section departed early so we were able to use his spot for 2 days - don't expect this to happen though. We had lost plumbing on the night of day 1 due to an issue and were 2 days with no water and had to deal with an emergency repair, but with no part available in stock the rangers helped us by giving us access to a site for 2 nights of our stay (technician was able to rig the system to only work under city water pressure). Gosh the shower was to die for. The park closes its gates at 8 pm to 8 am and you can leave if an emergency. The campsite is dark at night, but very safe. Each night, a patrol officer was parked at the site, or routinely patrolled. After 8 pm its very quiet except the noise of an occasional car on the main road. If we had to pay again, we can honestly say that we would not even attempt it unless you have a spot with hookups. Grateful to be offered dry camping as an alternative, so no complaints (more on this later). The appearance of the campsite is adaquate and clean, but definately not spectacular, and this did not sit well with us as NH taxpayers. Dry camping slots are very tight, but it worked. You could hear your neighbor snoring, LOL. That's how close you are. After all, the beach is why you're here. To secure a spot with hookups, it a lottery. Maybe there is another way. We don't know. Ample spacing is suprising if you have a reservation. The hookup sites are $50. The staff, a bit of a miss here on friendliness at times because they kind of speak AT people, but it really is a tough job with many people showing up and wanting to camp and some people just don't want to accept NO because they have no space. They run a tight ship, people! It was appreciated. The prize with the location though is that its steps from the beach, and just a few more steps to the vibrant Hampton Beach shops and restaurants; $$$. We discovered a tavern called Charlies Tap House steps from the site who sold twin lobster dinners for $19.95, a steal. Rain. We had it a couple of days, but no problems with drainage. What else we learned? Love this space, but as a NH resident and seeing SO MUCH parking space empty at this state park each day and every day and about 18 dry campers placed out of the way of general parking (far back row), there is NO REASON for the state not to expand and provide proper service such as adding power and water to this spillover section. If the current slots with utilities are booked a year out and resorting to a lottery, what's that telling us? It's a MISSED opportunity for NH to not take advantage of providing the service. Providing a row for dry camping (as a NH taxpayer) is not doing the best we can do. For this location, there is not one dry camper who wouldn't pay $50 a night for full utilities in exchange for $30 a night to get nothing except the smell of the ocean. Local businesses as well need the support. In the campsite we met people from Virginia, Ohio, Texas, and more, especially Canada right down to people of NH and MA. Investment in infrastructure is a spectacular model that NH must get ahead of and everyone we spoke with is saying the same thing. Overall, a great time even though NH is not doing the best we can do.