Seacoast NH parks, beaches get new parking payment system: How it works, what it costs

Staff report
·2 min read

Visitors to several Seacoast New Hampshire state parks in spring and summer 2023 can expect a new way to pay for parking.

The new parking system, which starts April 1, will offer two pay-by-phone mobile application options — ParkMobile and Park Smarter — according to the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation.

The system is being implemented at Seacoast state parks that have metered parking: North Beach, Jenness State Beach, North Hampton State Beach, Hampton Beach State Park and Rye Harbor State Park.

A new parking payment system is being implemented in 2023 at Hampton Beach and other Seacoast New Hampshire state parks that have metered parking.
A new parking payment system is being implemented in 2023 at Hampton Beach and other Seacoast New Hampshire state parks that have metered parking.

Visitors can pay by phone without returning to cars

The updated system features a pay-by-plate system with both pay-by-phone and pay station options, according to state parks. This means visitors will no longer need to display a parking receipt on the dashboard of their vehicle.

Visitors will use the vehicle license plate number when they pay to park. Additionally, guests will be able to use the pay-by-phone mobile applications to add time to their existing parking spot without returning to a pay station and regardless of the initial payment method.

The rates are as follows:

  • $3/hour in peak season (May 1-Sept. 30).

  • $1/hour offseason (April 1-30 and Oct. 1-31).

More: Seacoast NH beach parking will cost you more in 2023: What you need to know

“This ultimately saves time for our visitors, giving them more time to enjoy our gorgeous Seacoast state parks,” said Brian Wilson, director of the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation, in a prepared statement. “We wanted to make our parking system smarter and easier, while providing more convenient payment options for our visitors.”

More local news: Seacoast real estate agent suspended. RE/MAX closing Dover, Exeter, Hampton franchises.

Park staff will be available throughout the rollout of this system to assist guests, officials said.

The following Seacoast state parks are not part of the new payment system: Hampton's South Beach, Wallis Sands State Beach and Odiorne Point State Park. These sites have paid parking, but not metered parking.

Information: nhstateparks.org

This story has been updated after its initial publication to include a price increase in the parking rate for peak season.

Never miss a story: Follow local news on the Seacoastonline mobile app or the Fosters.com mobile app

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Seacoast NH parks, beaches get new parking payment system in 2023