HAMPTON — New Hampshire looked more like Florida at Spring Break on Thursday as unprecedented March heat brought thousands of sun bathers to Hampton Beach.

“I almost feel like I just got off an airplane in Fort Lauderdale,” said a stunned Hank Chabuz, 59, of Plaistow, as he watched college students and others pack the beach.

Parking spaces along Ocean Boulevard filled up long before noon, but because the meters don't go into effect until April 1, many beach-goers got a free ride.

Temperatures in Concord hit 83, making it the fifth day in a row the state has shattered record highs. That has never happened since record-keeping began back in 1868.

“This has definitely been a prolonged period of heat that's unprecedented,” said John Cannon, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine.

Record highs in Concord began on Sunday when the mercury reached 81 and continued with 81 on Monday, 80 on Tuesday, 83 on Wednesday, and 83 on Thursday.

While many of the restaurants, arcades, gift shops and other stores at Hampton Beach remain boarded-up, a few opened early to accommodate the crowds.

Beach Bums, a shop that sells T-shirts, sunglasses and other beach gear, was one.

“Last Sunday was almost like this,” said Ron McIntyre, who works at the shop owned by his son.

Long lines formed at places like Blink's Fry Doe and Boardwalk Fries, but they were longer at the public restrooms because only one was open.

Josiane Ferreira, 38, came up from Lawrence, Mass., with Pelucia, her 19-year-old poodle.

“This is the first time I've come to the beach in March. I thought I was going to be lonely with my dog,” she said.

Dominic Daurora, 17, and his girlfriend, Sophia Stockwell, 18, took a day off from classes in Boston. They were going to spend the day at a beach in Nahant, Mass., but it was closed, so they came to Hampton Beach.

This was Daurora's first time here.

“I think it's a nice beach, other than the water being negative-2 degrees,” he said, laughing. The water wasn't quite that chilly, but it was in the high 40s.

Sally Cheever of Lyndeborough sat on the beach and watched her grandson, 3-year-old Jaden Petrin of Manchester, as he filled his bucket with sand.

She never thought she'd be spending the day lounging on the beach in March.

“I love it,” she said.

Forecasters say people should enjoy the spring heat, but not to get used to it. It'll cool off a bit over the weekend and by Tuesday, highs will only reach 40, with lows in the 20s.

“It's going to get very cold early next week,” Cannon said.

So much for summer in March.