The seaside town of Rye, NH is an idyllic place to live. It was the first settlement in New Hampshire, having been established in 1623, and is approximately 35 square miles. The Town of Rye has the longest stretch of coastline of any New Hampshire coastal town.
Why Moms Love Rye, NH
Moms love the quiet, the proximity to the ocean and the great schools.
Photos top row: Wallis sands and Rye Harbor by Taylor Robinson
Bottom row: Odiorne Point State Park pics by Stephan Kjellander
Rye has a suburban feel yet is minutes from bustling Portsmouth or North Hampton. Particularly in the summer, Rye is a mecca for beach goers, surfers, cyclists and all outdoor enthusiasts!
Playgrounds, Parks & Attractions
Rye has several state parks along the Atlantic coastline including Jenness State Beach, Rye Harbor State Park, and Wallis Sands State Beach. In addition to these state beaches and parks, there are plenty of local spots along the way! Pirate’s Cove and Cable Beach are top notch and significantly less crowded than the state parks.
One of the most notable features Rye possesses is the 135-acre (55 ha) Odiorne Point State Park, home to the Seacoast Science Center. Equipped with a great play structure, walking trails and picturesque views, visitors can hike (or snowshoe) all year round.
Childcare & Schools
While there are several local preschools and childcare options in nearby Portsmouth and even Eliot, ME, Rye has a few options in town. Rye is part of SAU 50 and there is preschool (ages 3-5) offered at Rye Elementary School for residents of Greenland, Rye, Newington and New Castle. Additionally, Rye Country Day offers care for toddlers through kindergarten so parents truly have a lot of options.
Rye Elementary School serves K-5 and has an average student:teacher ratio of 13:1. Moving on from there, students attend Rye Junior High, a small school serving 6-8th graders with a student:teacher ratio of 11:1.
For high school, Rye students join up with students from Portsmouth, New Castle, Newington and Greenland at Portsmouth High School, ranked 10th in the state.
Shops & Restaurants
Even though Rye boasts a bit of quiet, there are several excellent restaurants from which to choose. For one, the seafood is great!
Here are a few favorites:
- The Atlantic Grill for great patio seating, easy parking and good food all year round.
- The Carriage House for something a little fancier, open all year round.
- Petey’s Summertime Seafood for casual food and drink, oceanside. Open all year round (and take some lobsters home with you!).
- Ray’s Seafood for more of that beachy seafood goodness. Open seasonally.
- The Ice House for a casual vibe and very kid-friendly menu. Go even more low key by ordering from the window (the ice cream is pretty popular!). Open seasonally.
For coffee, breakfast and lunch:
- Native Coffee and Kitchen for wonderful breakfast and lunch sandwiches.
- Sandpiper Cafe for beachside smoothies, acai bowls, coffee and avocado toast.
- Rye Beach Market for more delicious and healthy breakfast options, beachside.
- LazyBird Cafe for your coffee, tea, breakfast and lunch needs.
Since surfing is a central part of living in Rye, NH, we have to mention Summer Sessions Surf Shop, The Shack, and Rye Beach Market. Rent or shop boards, take lessons and even sign your kid up for summer camp! Have more fun under the sea? There’s Atlantic Aquasport for that! There’s even a yoga studio, Rye Beach Yoga, where you can further improve your balance and strength so you’re ready for whatever you’re into!
There are also gorgeous shops like Christine’s Crossing and Summer House Furnishings.
Activities
While so much of Rye centers on the gorgeous ocean, there is even more to do! There are several fields and sports teams to join (lacrosse is big in Rye!), check out Rye Recreation Department for full listings.
In addition to offering opportunities for team play, Rye Recreation also has a fabulous area with trails — super kid-friendly. Between the Rec Area and Odiorne Point, you can really instill a love of hiking trails in any kid.
There’s also an incredible skate and bike park, Rye Airfield, that offers camps, drop-ins and so much more for local kiddos.
The Uncle Oscar can also take you over to the Isle of Shoals for an amazing day during the summer. There’s even an ice cream shop so everyone will be happy!
Rye is an amazing place to live with much to do. Whether you surf, swim, skate, play lacrosse or hike, you’re bound to love it here!
Beth Parolisi
Agent
Berkshire Hathaway Home Servies
Verani Realty
111A Maplewood Drive
Portsmouth NH 03801
beth.parolisi@verani.com
Office:603.431.8977
Cell: 603.944.0805
bethparolisi.com
Licensed Sales Person State of NH
Associate Broker State of Maine
Certified Residential Appraiser New Hampshire & Massachusetts
As a top Realtor for Berkshire Hathaway Verani Realty, Beth Parolisi has a vibrant real estate career marked by her strong analytical, communication and negotiating skills-essentially, everything that is needed to deliver extraordinary results in the real estate market.
Having started as a real estate appraiser in 1985 and gone into the sales end of the business in 2007, Beth sees market trends coming, unfolding and going. She’s walked, appraised and sold through many market cycles-which has given her a unique ability to develop accurate insights and forecasts about the performance of real estate in multiple fronts and contexts.
More than a market expert, Beth provides a first class service to her clients as a top Luxury Collection Specialist in the Seacoast. When it comes to real estate, solutions and sales are the name of the game, and Beth masters it by bringing consistent value to her clients, who recognize her dedication and performance.
Beth represents an abundance of properties in all of the communities along the New Hampshire & Maine Seacoast. Her peers respect her and come to her for insights and advice, and Beth is known to blend her methodical and outcome-driven positioning with an always friendly touch. A twenty-five year resident of Rye, Beth and her husband Ed love the many benefits of living on the beautiful New Hampshire Coast.
Beth is always available for “all things” real estate. Just a call, text or email away, ready to help in any way whether it be answering a simple question or guiding you or a loved one through the process!
