We love the Carolinas, especially for exploring at the beach! Or read the thoughts of others. And its less crowded than other beaches on the island. Like other beach spots in the state, Matapeake Beach is an excellent place for tons of activities. 13 Bear Island At Hammocks Beach State Park? He loves the look, but Ant has his work cut out for him. Find the best travel insurance for you with these U.S. News ratings, which factor in expert and consumer recommendations. Required fields are marked *. Once you get to the island, you can get a ride to your rental home by making a tram reservation(make your tram reservation before you board the ferry). Many people will walk right by a clump of seaweed and not even notice the delicate shells hiding there. Search Hotels.com to find the best places to stay on Carova.Search VRBO.com to find the best places to stay on Carova. We were accustomed to tropical Christmases spent body-surfing, boogie boarding and beachcombing in the warm Pacific surf. Even during peak season visitors can find themselves with plenty of space and time to hunt for their favourite types of shells without interruption. Thanks so much! This spot has earned its nickname as the "shelling capital of the world!" In fact, shell hunting here is so iconic that there's even a posture named after the island. Im so glad you got to go shelling at Ocracoke. Kent Island is the largest island in the Chesapeake Bay. If youre looking for an abundance of seashell-lined beaches, then the Florida Gulf Coast is the region for you. The net around its large swimming area keeps out unwanted sea creatures like jellyfish. Recommended Hotel Nearby: Comfort Inn & Suites Lexington Park, Related: Best Places to Visit in Maryland, Marine Academy DriveStevensville, MD 21666(410) 758-0835. Besides being among the clear water beaches in Maryland, this island is known for its beautiful salt marshes, forests, and wildlife population. Youll find the greatest abundance after a large storm, in the shallow pools. My daughter loves hunting for treasures on the beach. A treasure trove of shells awaits at South Africas world-famous Jeffreys Bay. This beach is a hidden gem located on the Eastern Shore, and it offers stunning views of the Chesapeake Bay. They call this part of the state Louisianas Outback, and its full of natural wonders (and alligators, which outnumber humans ten to one). Any place closer to OC to do it? Some also have luck shelling on the channel side. However, if you wish to stay closer to home, there are plenty of options on the inland shores, Family Movies Announced for Annapolis Film Festival. They are so much fun. The northern beaches of Ocracoke Island are a great place to get far from the crowds to find rare shells. Thank you! You may recognize the iconic lighthouse on North Carolinas Crystal Coast, but its the 56-stretch of undeveloped shimmering beaches accessible only by boat that will catch any shell-lovers attention. Hunting during the winter will also increase your chances of finding shells as there are fewer people then. Another great place for shelling in Florida is at Marco Island, which is the largest and only developed island that forms part of Florida's Ten Thousand Islands. I love exploring nature, quaint towns, fantastic restaurants, and unique travel destinations. It is in the middle of the Chester River and Eastern Bay. (The beach doesnt care if you are fashionable or not.) She has spent the last 20 years as an award-winning lifestyle writer and editor for a variety of national print and digital publications. The toddler, tucked snuggly in a layer of blankets, even took a nap. Located in Dunedin, Florida on the west coast of Florida, Caladesi Island State Park is the perfect spot for shelling enthusiasts. #3 Shelling Tip - If it is possible, stay at a hotel or inn close to the beach. There are volleyball courts on the sand for you to use. Camping in trailers, recreational vehicles or tents is also popular at Assateague Island National Seashore. Time your excursions a few hours before low tide to a few hours after low tide. However, swimming is not as advisable due to the rivers choppy waters. When the tide goes out, its a fun place for kids to play in the tidal pools. Ive loved visiting Fort Macon State Park with my family in the past. She is also the author of A Beachcombers Odyssey: Treasures from a Collected Past. For more information, visit drbeachcomb.com. Move slowly. UPC: 832972481. Ive found two suggested parking spots from my online research the US Coast Guard Station on Channel Dr. (Im not sure if youre really supposed to park there) and Station Street Public Parking on Coast Guard Rd. Have tons of fun wading in Betterton Beach. People claim to find dozens of shark teeth there. They have tons for you to choose from, from lakes and rivers to beautiful bays and oceans. For many who live in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, the Maryland beaches are easiest to get to and full of activities to enjoy. Recommended Hotel Nearby: Inn at Deep Creek, 5300 Breezy Point RoadChesapeake Beach, MD 20732(410) 535-0259. Take your time. Why Are People Paying $300 for This Beach Chair? Later, using an old toothbrush and a dental pick, clean off any residue. It is well-known for its swimming beach where the waves are relatively calm. Grass and seaweed can be one of the best places to find seashells. See Also:Worst things about living in Santa Fe. Plus, Redbeard announces their first-ever double giveaway. This one-mile long beach on Andros Islandan archipelago within the Bahamasboasts millions of tiny pastel-colored shells, sand dollars, conchs, and other species. But when Marty is forced to quarantine, Matt and Misty make a golden discovery. These colorful shells are a vibrant sight when you find them spread across the beach. Touring the world with friends one mile and pub at a time; which yttd character are you uquiz. Search Hotels.com for the best places to stay on Emerald Isle.Search VRBO.com for the best places to stay on Emerald Isle. Just drive to 40th & Main Street on Sunset Beach and find a place to park. Some vacation rentals come with a golf cart and/or bicycles. 4005 Sandpiper Road, Virginia Beach, Virginia; 757-301-7329. If there is ice on the beach, bring along a thermos of hot water to dislodge objects in ice. Just check local rules and regulations. All Rights Reserved. Not only to we collect them, but I had a blast taking gorgeous photos. Coastal HighwayOcean City, MD 21842(410) 250-0125. We love looking for shells at our beaches here in Southern California, but here we arent supposed to keep them, so we usually toss them back in the water. Finally, the trash becomes luminous, velvety pieces of captured light, waiting to be retrieved from a sandy beach. You can go swimming, fishing, and boating. We visited Pea Island in January a few years ago. The 800-acre Assateague State Park is located along here. Located south of Wrightsville Beach, Masonboro Island is one of the best places to shell in the Cape Feat region because of the tidal flats and pools. Make sure to explore the seafood restaurants in Kent Island. From there you can decide the best time for you to do some searching. You found quite the collection! (Ferries to leave from the city dock next to 1108 W. Main Street, Crisfield, Maryland.). There are not any places to stay on Sand Dollar Island. When it comes to beaches, Maryland is mostly known for its most touristy spot, Ocean City, Maryland. Here is a ferry service that will take you to Bird Shoals Island. You may also explore miles of pristine coastline and find an abundance of shells that have been washed up onshore. Your email address will not be published. Then press 'Enter' or Click 'Search', you'll see search results as red mini-pins or red dots where . To get to Bald Head Island, youll take a 20-minute passenger ferry from Deep Point Marina in Southport, NC, to the harbor at Bald Head Island. You have been to some pretty cool places in the world. I love sand dollars, too, and didnt even know that Sand Dollar Island existed! You can even see those phosphorescent plankton that you only see in pictures. Sometimes the best treasures are not at the wave break but further up along the strandline that place where waves roll in at high tide and dump things before rolling back out to sea. There are so many amazing shell spots. Recommended Hotel Nearby: Four Seasons Baltimore, 7200 Graces Quarters RoadMiddle River, MD 21220(410) 592-2897. There are no hotels or vacation homes on Cape Lookout, but you can stay at nearby Harkers Island or Beaufort. Some of the best shelling spots are on remote islands where few venture. Other reportedly good places to search are North Beach, Oxford Beach -- home of the town's now-submerged original landfill -- and the shore at Sandy Point State Park. Jamie Alvarenga is a writer and editor for Only In Your State. The Best Electric Bike Under $2000 That I Can't St Visit The Uncrowded Beaches Of Okaloosa Island, Fl Cycling To Stay Fit Like This Senior Couple That B By continuing to browse this site, you agree to our. Shelling in NC must be really fun! I love the idea of using the shell bags when hiking. Tigertail Beach, Marco Island As intriguing as the name of this beach may sound, the Tigertail Beach is one of the best places to find seashells in Florida for more reasons than one. Dont bend too often to pick up treasures. The area boasts some of the best shelling beaches in the state, with beautiful white sand and stunning ocean views. 10540 H. G. Trueman Rd., Lusby, Maryland; 301-743-7613. Terrapin Nature Park stretches across 276 acres and includes a scenic trail that winds through wildflowers, wetlands, woodlands and sandy beach. The beach is accessible on foot only, so plan ahead and bring supplies such as food and drinks since there wont be any stores nearby. Time to go back to NC. These beaches have turbulent waves -- made even choppier by a steady stream of ship traffic -- and high-banked beaches that "grab" the detritus as these tall, crisp waves throw it high on the shore. 5. For the best chance of going home with a few finds for your collection, ask around for a local guide to show you the finest spots to scour. Wow! From classic wide-brimmed hats to water-repellent trucker hats, find your ideal style. Not only is the fort one of the coolest things to see in the area, but the shelling is also great. It's possible to find shells walking along the shoreline at Sanibel Lighthouse Beach! Search Hotels.com for the best places to stay near Pea Island.Search VRBO.com for the best places to stay near Pea Island. If you want fossils, head to Calvert Cliffs, which boast 30 miles of the most productive coastal fossil grounds in the entire United States. Search Hotels.com for the best places to stay near Masonboro Island. And its a great way to teach them about the creatures that live in the ocean. Search Hotels.com for the best places to stay on Topsail Island.Search VRBO.com for the best places to stay on Topsail Island. Locals refer to beachcombing as progging, which literally means to forage or poke about. Thanks for that insight! The best places to find shells on the island are on the east coast or the southernmost point. Point Lookout is among the best when it comes to mixing history with recreation. Will Virginia Ever Get Its Glass Poop-Emoji Building? Bundle up and head out to explore the shore. The East end of Holden Beach is the best place to go shelling on the island because inlets are usually a great place to find shells. For instance, the Ark shells, one of the most common bivalve shells, range from gray, dark red, orange, gold, and white. While exploring its pristine shoreline, youre likely to come across some amazing shell fragments like scallops, oysters, clams and mussels. Read on to get inspired for your next Maryland beach getaway, and don't forget to vote for your favorite shores to help influence next year's list. Among the nice beaches to go swimming in Breezy Point Beach. You can find many shells here as the island is uninhabited (other than a few rustic cabins). Oak Island has two great places to hunt for shells Caswell Beach and The Point. Frisco Beach on Hatteras Island is unique for its south-facing beach. Fill a pot halfway with shells and add enough water to cover. A top beach to go to in Maryland is Ocean Citys massive and accessible public waterfront. Delmarva Beaches and the Chesapeake Watershed area is a spectacular region to enjoy a wide range of scenery and recreational activities such as boating, swimming, fishing, bird watching, biking and golf. While bay beaches also offer up shells and some lovely, luminous fragments of glass, the range of other artifacts, both natural and man-made, is far more interesting than you might think. During low tide, walk around in shallow water and look in rock pools or along sandy areas. This 786-acre state park in Anne Arundel County features golden sands and impressive views of Maryland's Chesapeake Bay Bridge. You may be surprised to learn that certain pieces of broken rock, for instance, may in fact be flakes of stone chipped from the forging of arrowheads and spear tips by American Indians thousands of years ago. Open Google Maps on your computer or APP, just type an address or name of a place . 2023 Discovery Networks International. We LOVE finding beaches with lots of shells! Need an overview of the area? Due to its location near the Gulf Stream Current, Labrador Current, noreasters, hurricanes, and remoteness, this is a wonderful spot to find seashells. 16 Best Beaches in Maryland The Top Beaches to Visit! By the time we returned home later that afternoon, our pockets bulged with shark and skate teeth, fossilized bone, some clam shells and even a few colorful carnival glass beads reputedly from a mid-20th century shipwreck. But from the research Ive done online, the views make it worth it. Let the water come to a boil slowly. Recommended Hotel Nearby: Best Western North East Inn, 2813 Jerusalem RoadKingsville, MD 21087(410) 477-0757. We found an enormous amount of live Sand dollars and a few dead ones. It really surprised me how many you can find on Sand Dollar Island. This is a Florida shell identification guide that was provided near Sanibel Island shelling beaches.Stop by the Sanibel Island visitor center to get your own Florida shell identification guide that you can carry with you to the beach!