Skip to main content

Trip from Rochester, NH to Hampton Beach, NH

Data updated 2 hours ago

Drive Time

50m

Distance

34.2 mi

55 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 46m ★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 48m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States

Rochester, NH

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Hampton Beach, NH, NH

Hampton Beach, NH

Ricardo Costa

Trip Overview

The drive from Rochester, NH to Hampton Beach, NH covers 34.2 miles and takes about 50m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Spaulding Turnpike, Blue Star Turnpike, Exeter-Hampton Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.9 miles on Spaulding Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.51 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

17.1 miles from Rochester, NH

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 25m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

This is a 50m highway drive covering 34.2 miles, with most of the trip on Spaulding Turnpike and Blue Star Turnpike. The longest continuous stretch is about 18.9 miles on Spaulding Turnpike.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Spaulding Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 18.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Spaulding Turnpike and Blue Star Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Museum Way.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 34.2 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Museum Way): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (NH 16 Onramp South): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 2.2 miles (NH 16 / Spaulding Turnpike): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Museum Way

Turn right onto Museum Way

Navigation decision point

5
1.9 mi into trip | ~4m in | NH 16 Onramp South

Take the exit onto NH 16 Onramp South

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

5
2.2 mi into trip | ~5m in | NH 16 / Spaulding Turnpike

Merge onto NH 16 / Spaulding Turnpike

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane.
8
28.2 mi into trip | ~38m in

Take the exit toward NH 101: Hampton, Manchester

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 2 Toward NH 101: Hampton, Manchester
6
33.4 mi into trip | ~47m in | Brown Avenue

Turn right onto Brown Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Rochester, NH and Hampton Beach, NH, road signs point toward Manchester and 101 East: Hampton Beaches.

Manchester

28.2 mi in | ~38m

101 East: Hampton Beaches

28.8 mi in | ~40m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Spaulding Turnpike 18.9 mi 25m
Blue Star Turnpike 7.1 mi 8m
Exeter-Hampton Expressway 4 mi 6m
Columbus Avenue 1.6 mi 4m
Brown Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
NH 16 Onramp South 0.3 mi <1m
Ashworth Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Gonic Road 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Spaulding Turnpike — 18.9 mi, about 25m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rochester, NH and Hampton Beach, NH.

1

Start on this road

55 ft · 6 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto Museum Way

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Museum Way
3

Turn right onto NH 125

1.6 mi · 4 min · Columbus Avenue
4

Continue on NH 125

0.1 mi · 24 sec · Gonic Road
5

Take the exit onto NH 16 Onramp South

0.3 mi · 29 sec · NH 16 Onramp South
6

Merge onto NH 16

19 mi · 25 min · Spaulding Turnpike
Use the slight right lane.
7

Merge onto I 95

7.1 mi · 8 min · Blue Star Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 2 Toward NH 101: Hampton, Manchester Use the slight right lane.
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward 101 East: Hampton Beaches
10

Merge onto NH 101

4.0 mi · 6 min · Exeter-Hampton Expressway
Use the straight lane.
11

Turn right onto Brown Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Brown Avenue
Use the right lane.
12

At end of road, turn right onto NH 1A

0.2 mi · 41 sec · Ashworth Avenue
13

Turn left onto I Street

523 ft · 27 sec · I Street
14

Turn left onto NH 1A

230 ft · 11 sec · Ocean Boulevard
15

Turn left onto H Street

152 ft · 12 sec · H Street
16

Turn left

81 ft · 5 sec
17

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 17.1 miles from Rochester, NH, or about 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 18.9 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 34.2 miles or 50m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 17.1 miles or 25m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 40m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hampton Beach, NH than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Rochester, NH so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Rochester, NH

This is one driving day of about 34.2 miles and 50m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Rochester, NH.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Spaulding Turnpike for about 18.9 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 17.1 mi from Rochester, NH · 25m into the drive

town in New York

Mid-route town

Meal stop

New Lebanon, NY

17 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

New Lebanon, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 34.2 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

New Lebanon, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 17.1 miles from Rochester, NH, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Hampton Beach, NH

The final approach into Hampton Beach, NH usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Hampton Beach, NH.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.51 one way

$11.01 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 12 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $6.06 $12.12
premium $4.86 $6.55 $13.10
diesel $5.61 $7.55 $15.10

Estimated Tolls: $1.82

Spaulding Turnpike (18.9 mi) $1.32
Blue Star Turnpike (7.1 mi) $0.50

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$6

Tolls

$2

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$32–$57

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 12 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 10.3 0 $3.59 $1.64
Efficient EV 8.6 0 $2.99 $1.37
EV Truck/SUV 13.7 0 $4.79 $2.19

Gas CO2

12 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (67% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast data refreshed 5 days ago

Origin

Rochester, NH

Night in Rochester on Tuesday

Local time

11:02 PM

EDT

Current temp

45°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Hampton Beach, NH

Night in Hampton Beach on Tuesday

Local time

11:02 PM

EDT

Current temp

--

Unavailable

54°F

New Lebanon, NY

17 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Road read

50m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Rochester, NH to Hampton Beach, NH covers 34.2 miles and takes about 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Spaulding Turnpike, Blue Star Turnpike, Exeter-Hampton Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.1 miles from Rochester, NH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.51 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 34.2 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Museum Way): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (NH 16 Onramp South): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 2.2 miles (NH 16 / Spaulding Turnpike): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Rochester, NH and Hampton Beach, NH, road signs point toward Manchester and 101 East: Hampton Beaches.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

More trips to Hampton Beach, NH

Explore more options from Rochester, NH or browse trips ending in Hampton Beach, NH.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NH road trips.

Explore maps for Rochester, NH or Hampton Beach, NH on MapSof.net.