I definitely recommend Sanibel Island. I used to go boating at the causeway and would collect sand dollars and very nice shells and that's anytime of the year. Beautiful scenic view too. There's also Lover's Key

Sanibel definitely has the best shells - I don't know how far away from Hollywood it is though. There are several beaches all along the coast there, as well as up on Captiva which is just north of Sanibel. Beware - you'll have to pay a $6 toll to get onto the island. It's well worth it however, if you really want to go to the best shelling beaches.

The very best time to walk the beach is at low tide. Take one of those mesh like bags tnat you sometimes see veges sold in, and use this to carry your larger shells that won't fall through the mesh. This makes it easy to just wash the whole lot of them in the ocean to get rid of a lot of the sand. When you get home, soak them in a weak bleach solution to get rid of any potential smelly stuff. You should also know that it is against the law to take a shell home that has a living mollusk/snail/whatever in it.

There is a shell museum on Sanibel. Here is a link to it. There are tons of good books out there regarding types of shells, etc. And they are especially easy to find in this area, since Sanibel is known as the best place in the whole US for shelling.

Right now there are days when some of the beaches get smelly from the red tide blooming and killing fish. They say it's especially bad this year. Just a "heads up" so that if you go and it's a bad day, you won't be surprised. Actually, maybe this would make it a good time to go shelling because fewer people are there to snarf up all the good shells ahead of you!

Have fun!

Deb

Here is a link that might be useful: Sanibel Shell Museum

thank you both, for the info and deb, for the link to the shell site. i had been told about sanibel when we lived in oralndo. it is a good 2 hrs away i'm sure.

next question, is there a site i can go to to see times for low tide??

thanks, cliff

There are several sites out there, none of them really all that easy to read, but here is one.

Basically, I think if you are there early in the day, it is better than later in the day, but you'd have to peruse the various tide sites that you can find by "googling" to be sure. It's not a really important aspect of shelling, especially since you're just starting out - rather just one more little thing to be aware of. We go out to Sanibel at all times of the day without paying much attention to tide times, and still find interesting shells (interesting to us novices) but I do know that the real "afficianados" pay attention to tides.........Deb

Here is a link that might be useful: One line to tide times.....more available

hey deb,

thanks for the site link...
so, best to go before between low and high tides?? but how do you know what time woul dbe best??? lol
some of the low tides are right after midnight...lol
thanks, cliff

You know, John U. Lloyd state park in Dania Beach is not too bad. I've found a ton of shells and broken corals there. But yeah, I'd say Sanibel like the others!!! There is an entrance fee of $5 I think at the State Park, so take a picnic and make it a day.

Timing your trip with low tides is not an absolute must - just tends to be a better time to find the new shells washed up during the higher tides. Other things to note are that the very best time of year to go shelling there is January through April or so....and if you do go to Sanibel, know that not only are there good shells on the Gulf side of Sanibel Island, but on the east side of the island, which is Pine Island Sound, you can find a lot of great finds.

Our favorite book about shelling and Sanibel is "The Sanibel Shell Guide" by Margaret H. Greenberg. I'm sure we bought it out there somewhere. It's last copyright was 1989, but we've found it quite useful in identification, etc. And it was only $5.95....perhaps you'll find it while visiting Sanibel....

Anyway, just have fun. Any time of day or year is a worthwhile time to walk the beaches there looking for shells!

Another good beach is Barefoot Beach State Park - go down 41 or 75 to Bonita Beach Blvd., west to the sign to turn left to Barefoot Beach - then you drive through a residential/condo neighborhood and eventually come to Barefoot Beach, pay your $6 and go in........great beaches and surprisingly good shells both along the water line as well as several feet inland.......

Wouldn't it be worth it to purchase a yearly state park pass if one goes to state parks often ?

i think it would. it would also help the park.

i might be moving back to orlando in a few months if things dont start to look up for me down here.

cliff

Those two, Sanibal & Captiva are awesome for shells. There is also on Sanibal or Captiva, (I can't remember which one) a great drive thru park, you can also get park your car in there & walk a bit. Every time I've been there I've seen some gators. It runs on donations you just put some $$ in an envelope & drop it in a box there, if you want.

It's the "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge and I think it's on Sanibel. It is a wonderful place.