(NECN: Lauren Collins, Hampton Beach, N.H.) - With temperatures rising across New England, many people are heading to their local beaches. That means a much needed boost for businesses like ones along Hampton Beach in New Hampshire.
"Beautiful weather! Absolutely awesome. First time here and I'm lovin it."
Everyone's loving the heat wave at New Hampshire's Hampton Beach.
"We are living the life. It's awesome."
"We're just hanging out, sitting down, eating snacks and going in the water."
"Blue skies and sunshine, can't get any better than that."
"Perfect fourth of July weekend!"
And if you think the vacationers are happy, you should talk with the business owners.
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'Yesterday was the biggest day I've seen here and I've been doing this for 35 years," says Hampton Beach Casino General Manager Jake Flemming.
Moulton Hotel owner David Maleh agrees, "this is the best weekend of the season, naturally, fourth of July weekend. And every place on the beach was sold out."
Ben Hellberg of Ben's Beach Supplies and Gifts thinks "everyone's smiling after this weekend."
They're well earned smiles. The shops and hotels along Ocean Boulevard have been in recovery mode ever since a late-winter windstorm battered this strip.
Flemming says the storm "actually tore the whole roof right off the building. We had a lot of damage."
That same night a fire destroyed an entire beachfront block and damaged Maleh's hotel.
"It took me about a month and a half total to renovate the whole thing inside and out."
Those winter woes weren't Hampton Beach's only setback. If you recall last summer you'll remember days like these were in short supply.
"It rained every day or it was cold," says Flemming. "The water slide here, we opened it up three days during the month of June. No one was here."
Hellberg already sees the difference a favorable forecast can make. It's been tremendous," he says. "Compared to last year, it's 200 percent better."
And with the sun expected to stick around for a while, Hampton Beach's business owners can take a collective sigh of relief.
"As long as the weather stays like this, " says Maleh, "we'll be all set on Hampton Beach."
