On Ocean Boulevard, known as “the strip,” costumers can order ice cream in a chocolate-covered and sprinkled cone at a snack shack called Stat’s. Kimberly Knott of North Hampton has been people-watching from behind the counter for six summers. She said it’s an eclectic crowd of families, tourists and friends. “It’s always fun to see drug busts across the street,” she said. Minutes later, blue lights were flashing because a driver was heading in the wrong direction on the one-way street. “The beach is nice,” Knott said. “The strip, on the other hand, can get a little interesting.”

On the strip, people in souped-up cars with the bass booming and motorcycles with loud tailpipes loop around to see and be seen. Cruising the strip while honking and whistling adds to the congested traffic, but Andrew Anc isn’t bothered by that. “Every now and then, you can catch a nice car on the strip,” he said.

What’s annoying to Anc is having to pay for parking every day he drives from Haverhill, Mass., to work at Funarama, one of the beach’s many arcades. There are a limited number of metered parking spaces near the beach, and there are parking lots where spaces go for $5 a day, including a lot called Chat, Chew and Play.    

What makes it worth it? “The girls, of course,” Anc said.

Funarama is a blur of flashing lights and electronic sounds. Anc has worked there for four summers. Outside, he’s witnessed drunken brawls and other antics by people he says bring too much of an ego to the beach. “It’s all family fun during the day, but the night scene is a little different,” he said.

Jessica Bonin and three of her friends drove up from Southbridge, Mass., last week on a whim. She watched as her friends stomped on the steps of the arcade game “Dance Dance Revolution” at Funarama. “I love it,” she said. “I’m coming back tomorrow.”

What’s to love? “Hot guys,” she said.

Upstairs, at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, there are regular concerts attracting up to about 3,000 visitors. The venue, which was founded more than 100 years ago, has hosted the likes of The Beach Boys and B.B. King, both of whom are returning this summer. It’s also one of those places that still books bands like Hootie and the Blowfish, answering the question, “What ever happened to those guys?”

Across the street, there’s free live music outdoors on most summer evenings at the Hampton Beach Seashell stage. A group of recreational country line dancers make appearances with cowboy hats when the twang is on.

Under the boardwalk, mischievous boys whisper dares and girls chase each other in bikinis while older people stroll along, accustomed to it all. It’s got a distinct carnival feel, complete with food, shops and games. One game has replicas of shotguns pointed at an elaborate old western pub scene with a fake piano player.   

Farther down the mile-long strip, Morgan Drouin and Isabella Echavez prefer Playland Arcade. The venue has new and classic arcade games and tests of skill and luck that award tickets to be exchanged for prizes. A few successful rounds of skee ball earns enough tickets to get an Army man, a rubber frog and the kind of hair comb kids are given on school picture day. The girls, who traveled to the beach from their homes in Merrimack, used their own digital camera in a photo booth at the arcade. Other beach souvenirs include family caricatures, airbrushed T-shirts and temporary tattoos. The girls said they’ve been going to the same henna artist for a few years.

“We pretty much tan and take pictures and eat,” Drouin said. The friends stopped by Sal’s Pizzeria, where the Boston-style slices are the biggest on the beach—so big, one slice must be cut into two halves.

But there are several options for beach pizza, the definitive type being sweet and thin, like ketchup on a cracker. Christy’s Pizza, which is a couple of blocks away at Riverview Terrace, adds a slice of provolone for extra cheese on its square slices. Shakers are available to add red pepper flakes, Italian spices and garlic powder. For those who prefer their dough fried, there’s more than one location of Blink’s FryDoe. In addition to the abundant fried food, the strip has candy shops full of salt water taffy.

The annual Hampton Beach Seafood Festival draws thousands of people and temporarily closes Ocean Boulevard for New England’s largest seaside event. It is scheduled for the first weekend in September this year and will feature food from more than 50 restaurants. This year’s sand sculpting competition took place last month, leaving behind intricate statues made from 300 tons of sand. Still to come is the Miss Hampton Beach competition on Sunday, July 27, and the annual Hampton Beach Idol competition in August, emulating the television series in which contestants sing their way to stardom. It doesn’t have to be a special occasion to celebrate, though. There is a fireworks display every Wednesday through the summer at approximately 9:30 p.m.

The strip also offers accommodations with ocean views on the boulevard, including Ashworth by the Sea, the Ocean Club, the Hampton House Hotel and the Beach View Motor Inn. At the Boardwalk Inn and Café, there’s outdoor seating for drinking and dining. Other drinking establishments are LaBec Rouge, with three floors and live music; Wally’s Pub, a biker bar; and the Happy Clam, where some drink specials are called the Fish Bowl and the Shark Bite.

Despite all this action, people say the best reason to go to Hampton is the beach itself. On some hot days, there are only narrow paths between towels on this crowded beach, but the sand is usually uncovered again by late afternoon. If the chilly saltwater isn’t enticing after a day in the sun, there’s waterslides across the street.

This beach doesn’t break well for surfing, though there are surfing zones enforced by lifeguards. Farther down Route 1A, “The Wall” is a popular spot to catch a wave. Lessons, rentals and surfing gear are available at Cinnamon Rainbows, located just beyond the strip.

Check the live Web cam to monitor weather and crowds at www.hamptonbeach.org. There are also directions, including “From the East: We hope you can swim................”