Seniors Discover Rye, New Hampshire

 Senior friends, do you have your coffee?  We’re going to the Atlantic Coast and stopping in Rye, New Hampshire this morning. Senior travelers will find themselves only one hour from Boston.

Rye has the longest stretch of coastline of any New Hampshire coastal town and contains four of the nine islands known as the Isles of Shoals which lie approximately ten miles off the Rye shores.

Choice of the name Rye is credited to the Jenness family, one of the founding families that had come from Rye, England. The population runs right at 5,300+. Rye is prized for its scenic setting along the ocean, making for some great seafood at local restaurants including lobster roll lunches.

Senior Travelers Enjoy the Seacoast Beaches

Rye abounds in history. As the first settlement in New Hampshire it was originally called Pannaway Plantation established by David Thompson in 1623 at Odiorne Point. Rye Beach and adjacent Jenness Beach are popular family beaches with a bathhouse and lifeguards during the summer season.

Odiorne Point itself is the largest undeveloped stretch of shore on New Hampshire’s 18-mile coast. Odiorne offers an extensive array of habitats for senior visitors to explore the local flora and fauna. The seacoast beaches run from Massachusetts, through New Hampshire, to Maine.

The Rye Historical Society on Olde Parish Road preserves, collects and displays artifacts, documents, photos and oral histories at the Rye Town Museum. Over half of Rye’s 35.5 square miles are wetlands or marshes which makes for some ideal birding.

Senior Fishermen, Take Note

Whale Watching is a big draw along the coast.  My family and I went on a whale watch near Boston and it made for a great outdoor adventure. Rye Harbor is a popular spot for fishing and features a launch ramp with ample parking and quick access to the open Atlantic Ocean.

Winter flounder and striped bass are popular catches. The first fish start arriving in late May. Cod, haddock and huge bluefin tuna are highly prized. Wallis Sands State Beach between Rye Harbor and Odiorne Point is a popular place to put up your umbrella and to catch some Vitamin D.

Odiorne Point State Park with its 330 acres of seacoast land offers some great hiking trails and picnic facilities.The Park is also home to the Seacoast Science Center, which features numerous exhibits relating to New Hampshire’s coastal and marine environment.

Senior surfers, Rye has some great waves to check out. And senior historical buffs, you will find super lodging in the area with a number of historic B&Bs. You are in for a treat with all that Rye has to offer. -jeb