New Hampshire's 18-mile stretch of coastline packs in a wealth of scenery and diversions. The honky-tonk of Hampton Beach gets plenty of attention—good and bad—but first-timers are often surprised by the significant portion of the shoreline that remains pristine, especially through the town of Rye. This section begins in the regional hub, Portsmouth; cuts down the coast to the beaches; branches inland to the prep-school town of Exeter; and runs back up north through Dover, Durham (home to the University of New Hampshire), and Rochester; from here it's a short drive to the Lakes Region.