A Winter Walk at Rye Beach: Coastal Calm After Christmas

December 2024

Introduction After the buzz and bustle of the holidays, there’s something soul-soothing about heading to the coast for a little quiet. This past December, just four days after Christmas, we bundled up and drove out to Rye Beach, New Hampshire for a cold-weather day trip. While most associate Rye with sunny beach days and clam shacks in summer, in winter it transforms — windswept, serene, and undeniably beautiful. With frozen sand beneath our boots and a steel-gray sky above, we found a peaceful, reflective way to close out the year.

Getting There and What to Expect Located just south of Portsmouth, Rye Beach is an easy drive from most of the Seacoast. We arrived late morning, the sky overcast and the car thermometer hovering around 28°F. The roads were clear, the ocean was restless, and the beach — as expected — was nearly empty. Just a few brave souls in hats and gloves walking slowly along the shoreline. Perfect.

We parked in the small lot off Ocean Boulevard, near Jenness Beach, which remains open year-round. No parking meters this time of year, and no competition for space. As we stepped out of the car, the cold hit us full force — sharp, clean, and invigorating.

Walking the Shoreline There’s something truly special about a beach in winter. The sand was partially frozen, with icy patches along the wrack line and footprints etched clearly into the surface like fossils. Waves rolled in steadily, crashing harder than in summer, and the wind off the Atlantic was constant and bracing. But the moment we hit the sand, we forgot about the cold.

We walked north along the beach, past shuttered lifeguard stands and empty tide pools. The sun occasionally peeked through the clouds, casting a silver light on the water. Without the distraction of crowds or noise, it was easy to fall into a rhythm — footsteps crunching, waves rolling, the occasional cry of a gull overhead.

Winter Shells and Solitude Surprisingly, the beach offered up a good collection of shells — some whole, some cracked and worn by the season. The cold seemed to preserve them somehow. We filled our pockets with a few favorites, knowing they’d remind us later of this quiet day.

Rye in winter has a certain stillness to it — not empty, but stripped down. No ice cream stands or sunbathers. Just the bare bones of the coast: wind, sea, sand, sky. It made us feel small in the best possible way.

Warm-Up and Coffee Stop After about an hour of walking, our fingers and noses were ready for a warm-up. We drove a few minutes inland to The Airfield Café, a cozy local spot near the Portsmouth airport that’s open year-round. Hot coffee, a bowl of soup, and a view of tiny planes taking off across the snowy tarmac — oddly comforting and wonderfully New England.

If you’re craving something sweeter, Liars Bench or White Heron Tea & Coffee in nearby Portsmouth are also great options for winter treats and warm drinks.

Travel Tips for Rye Beach in Winter

Conclusion Our December day trip to Rye Beach reminded us that the coast isn’t just a summer destination — it’s a year-round sanctuary. In winter, it offers a different kind of beauty: raw, quiet, and grounding. Just days after the chaos of Christmas, we found ourselves walking beside the Atlantic, bundled up and grateful for the stillness. If you’re looking for a peaceful way to close out the year, or simply a quiet reset between holidays, Rye in winter is waiting — no sunscreen required. Happy wandering.

Places Mentioned