5 best beaches for shelling in America

Looking for a shell of a good time? Look no further than these top beaches to grab some stunning sea shells down by the seashore. We handpicked our favorites for your next beach vacation.

RELATED: How to collect seashells in coastal Florida

1. Fort Myers, FL
The best shelling beach in the USA is Fort Myers Beach and its surrounding islands. It’s such a big shelling destination they started National Seashell Day, which falls on the first day of summer every year. The Fort Myers area has a bunch of beaches great for shelling like Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island, Captiva Island and Cayo Casta. For an epic collection of seashells, head to the National Shell Museum on Sanibel Island. Searching for seashells is our one of our favorite things to do in Fort Myers. 

A massive collection of seashells on a beach.

2. Ocracoke Island, NC
Part of the Outer Banks, this 16-mile long barrier island is only accessible by boat. It’s separated by three inlets and several barrier islands and there are several good beaches for shelling, all with different habitats. If you’re lucky, you might find the Scotch Bonnet shell, which is North Carolina’s official state shell, but they’re rare. Nevertheless, your best chance of finding one of these hard to come by shells would be right here on Ocracoke Island.

3. Cumberland Island, GA
Cumberland Island is often referred as one of America’s most pristine seaside regions and even limits its visitors to no more than 300 per day. Cumberland Island is also Georgia’s largest barrier island, making it one of the best shelling beaches in the USA. Walk the beach at low tide and look for olive shells and sand dollars. Cumberland Island is also a great place to camp, so you can search for shells day and night. 

ALSO: Orbitz Rewards members earn discounts while traveling. Shell we sign you up?

4. Shipwreck Beach: Lanai, HI
Accessible only by foot or four-wheel-drive vehicles, this eight-mile long beach on unspoiled Lanai washes up some unique seashells. Keep your eye out for violet snails and leopard cones. Warning: This isn’t a swimming beach; it has strong currents and trade winds. On a clear day, you can see the island of Molokai.

5. Stinson Beach, CA
Stinson Beach is the best shelling beach on the West Coast. A road trip up iconic Highway 1 should be on everyone’s bucket list and along the way stop at the 3.5 miles long Stinson Beach. It’s located just over 23 miles north of San Francisco and is part of the Golden Gate Recreation Area. Try the north end of the beach, and go shelling at low tide; it’s common to find sand dollars and even see seals. The south end of the beach is rocky and you can find more sea life including starfish. 

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Tagged: California, Florida, Hawaii, North Carolina