Discovering Florida's Hidden Treasures: The Best Beaches to Find Shells in the Sunshine State

Florida is known for its stunning beaches and crystal clear waters, but did you know that it is also a great place for shell hunting? With over 1,350 miles of coastline, Florida has some of the most diverse and abundant collections of shells in the world. Whether you're a serious collector or just enjoy strolling along the beach, here are some of the best beaches in Florida to find shells

1. Fort De Soto Park

Located in Pinellas County, Fort De Soto Park has over seven miles of beaches with plenty of opportunities for shelling. This park is also known for its historic fort, fishing piers, and camping facilities. Get there early in the morning to find the best shells.

Address:

Fort De Soto Park

3500 Pinellas Bayway S.

Tierra Verde, FL 33715

2. Sand Key Park

Just a few miles south of Clearwater Beach, Sand Key Park has a wide beach and plenty of shells to discover. It also has a nature trail and playgrounds for families to enjoy.

Address:

Sand Key Park

1060 Gulf Blvd

 Clearwater, FL

3. Boca Grande 

Boca Grande is a small town on Gasparilla Island, located on the Gulf Coast of Florida. This quiet beach is a great spot to find rare shells, especially during low tide.

Address:

Port Boca Grande Lighthouse

880 Belcher Rd

 Boca Grande FL 33921

4. Tigertail Beach 

Located on Marco Island, Tigertail Beach is a popular spot for shelling. It also has a lagoon for swimming and kayaking, as well as a playground and picnic area.

 Address:

Tigertail Beach

430 Hernando Dr

 Marco Island, FL 34145

5. Sanibel Island

Sanibel Island is considered by many to be the "shelling capital" of the world. This Gulf Coast Island has over 15 miles of beaches and is home to the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum.

Address:

Sanibel Island

Periwinkle Way

Sanibel, FL 33957

6. St. Andrews State Park

Located in Panama City Beach, St. Andrews State Park has a beautiful beach with plenty of shells to collect. It also has a nature trail and fishing opportunities.

Address:

St. Andrews State Park

4607 State Park Ln

 Panama City Beach, FL 32408

7. St. George Island

St. George Island is a barrier island located in the Florida Panhandle. This quiet beach is a great spot for shelling, and you can also explore the nearby state park and lighthouse.

Address:

St George Island State Park

1900 E Gulf Beach Dr

 St George Island, FL 32328

8. T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park

Located on the Gulf Coast of Florida, this state park has miles of white sandy beaches and is a popular spot for shelling. It also has camping facilities and hiking trails.

Address:

T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park

8899 Cape San Blas Rd

 Port St Joe, FL 32456

9. Mexico Beach

Mexico Beach is a small town located on the Gulf Coast of Florida. This quiet beach is a great spot for shelling, especially after a storm.

Address:

Driftwood Inn

2105 US-98

 Mexico Beach, FL 32456

10. Cayo Costa Island

Cayo Costa Island is a barrier island located off the coast of southwest Florida. This secluded beach is a great spot to find rare shells, and you can also camp and hike on the island.

Physical Address:

4 Nautical Miles West of Pine Island (26.685789, -82.245381)

Cayo Costa, FL 33922

11. Honeymoon Island

Located near Dunedin, Honeymoon Island has a wide beach with plenty of shells to discover. It also has a nature trail and picnic areas for you to enjoy.

Address:

Honeymoon Island

1 Causeway Blvd

Dunedin, FL 3469

12. St Augustine

St. Augustine is the oldest city in the United States and has a beautiful beach with plenty of shells to collect. You can also explore the historic downtown area and nearby attractions.

Address:

Ocean Sands Beach Inn

3465 Coastal Hwy

 St. Augustine, FL 32084

13. John D. MacArthur Beach State Park

Located in Palm Beach County, John D. MacArthur Beach State Park has a beautiful beach and plenty of shells to discover. It also has hiking trails and a nature center.

Address:

John D. MacArthur Beach State Park

10900 Jack Nicklaus Dr

 North Palm Beach, FL 33408

14. Little Talbot Island State Park

Located near Jacksonville, Little Talbot Island State Park has a wide beach and plenty of shells to collect. You can also explore the nearby nature trails and marshes.

Address:

Little Talbot Island State Park

12157 Heckscher Dr

 Jacksonville, FL 32226

15. Stump Pass Beach State Park

Located in Charlotte County, Stump Pass Beach State Park has a secluded beach and plenty of shells to discover. It also has hiking trails and fishing opportunities.

Address:

Stump Pass Beach State Park

900 Gulf Blvd

 Englewood, FL 34223

Happy Shelling!

       Sherri

Discover the Ethereal Beauty of Monahans Sandhills State Park

We were headed home from Carlsbad caverns and passed this park, so of course, we had to check it out. We had visited White Sands National Monument two days earlier and I was curious how Monahans Sandhills State Park would compare.

The sand dunes in this park are much smaller than White Sands, but I kinda liked that. The sand is also darker in color.

Monahans Sandhills State Park is located in located in Western Texas near Odessa. It consists of 3,840 acres of sand dunes, some reaching heights of 70 feet.

The park encompasses only a small portion of a dune field that is about 200 miles wide. Most of the dunes within the 200-mile area are stabilized by vegetation. The dunes located in park are still active, changing shape and size constantly from the wind.

It is best to go early in the morning during the summer. The disk and sleds do not slide easily when the sand is hot. Sleds and disk can be rented from the park visitor center.

Monahans Sandhills State Park:

•  is around 6 hours from the Dallas/Fort Worth area
• 6 hours from Austin, Texas
• 4 hours from El Paso, Texas
• less than an hour from the New Mexico border and around 3 hours from the border of Mexico.

Address:

 2500 E Interstate 20 Exit 86
 Monahans, TX 79756

Hours:

8am - 10pm daily

Happy Travels! 

Experience Tranquility and Adventure at Elephant Butte Lake in New Mexico

Florida is not the only state with white sand beaches and turquoise water. We found a spot in New Mexico that is simply perfect! It has beautiful white sand, clear turquoise water, and ..... cactus!

Elephant Butte Lake (Reservoir ) is New Mexico’s largest lake and was formed by a dam built in 1916 on the Rio Grande. The water level was pretty low when we were there.

It is around 40 miles long and surrounded by white sandy beaches. The water is a beautiful turquoise color when the sun is hitting it, but… every time I tried taking a picture, the sun would go behind the clouds. Oh well, it’s a beautiful blue in the photos. I can live with that!

Expect to see tons of quail and big floppy eared rabbits around the lake! We literally saw hundreds of both!

Lodging:

Camping spots are available at the state park and lodging is available in town, but we chose to stay at the Elephant Butte Inn & Spa.

The rates were very reasonable and the room was clean.

The back of the hotel overlooks the lake. Amazing View!!!

The whole back area is covered with rabbits late afternoon and at dark. I'm talking about at least 100 of them!!!

My husband, being an avid fisherman, was impressed with the boat ramp and marina. We actually spent several minutes looking at the ramp, with him saying, " I can't believe how big that ramp is!" 😲 It is located within the state park.

Elephant Butte Lake is such a beautiful place with many activities to do at the lake and close to the area. Truth or Consequences is only about a 10 minute drive and White Sands National Monument is less than 2 hours.


Address:

Elephant Butte Lake State Park

101 Hwy 195

Elephant Butte, NM 87935

Happy Travels!