Find the Best Beaches for Shells

The Best Beaches for shells are always on the top my list. And once you get into "shelling", you will be hooked. There are so many amazing jewels from the sea to be found at the beaches and depending on where you are, the treasures you find will be unique.

Sanibel Island, Florida is considered the #1 spot for shelling. Because of its location by the continental shelf and the warm waters of the Gulf, you can find more shells than you can carry. Some of the shells you’ll find are coquinas, scallops, whelks, and sand dollars. Before you go looking for the best beaches for shells you should visit The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum and learn about all the seashells.

Cumberland Island, Georgia A national park with seventeen miles of Atlantic beach allows you to leisurely walk the beaches in search of shells. You need to take a ferry out to the island and rent bikes when you get there. Shark teeth can often be found on the marsh (west) side of the island in addition to heart cockles, ark shells and moon snails.

Ocracoke Island, North Carolina The Outer Banks are a beautiful, and sometimes empty place to be. Because it is such a long drive to the end, you could be virtually alone on Ocracoke Island. There are many types of shells to find including sand dollars, whelks. The rare Scotch bonnet, state shell of North Carolina, sometimes turns up here

Flag Ponds Nature Park, Lusby, Maryland Most of the shells are located on beaches along the Chesapeake Bay south of Annapolis, are fossils dating back millions of years. They've come from the Calvert Cliffs, a 30-mile stretch of what was the sea bottom during the Miocene Epoch. You can find anything from shark teeth, to snails, to sea glass and even arrowheads.

Shipwreck Bay, Lanai, Hawaii If you are into shelling and looking for beaches for shells, then this is one place you can’t miss. Some of the shells you’ll find are violet snails, leopard cones, imperial cones, sea slug shells and even on rare occasions, blown-glass floats from Japanese fishing nets.

Galveston, Texas "The Gulf of Mexico loves to decorate its coast with shells. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Web site proclaims, "Gulf beaches are considered the best shelling beaches in North America." Galveston Island's western end usually offers prime pickings. When cold fronts roll in from the north, seasoned "shellers" bundle up and hit the beaches. The wind pushes the water away from shore, exposing lots of fresh sand for prospecting."

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