Where Should You Go Shelling During Your Anna Maria Island Vacation?

No visit to Anna Maria Island is complete without hitting up the best shelling spots and returning home with a beautiful and diverse bunch of shells to add to your collection. Let’s be honest: shelling is a great way to get out of your Anna Maria Island vacation rental and do some serious exploring.

Sure, you’re going to be busy doing other things in and around AMI, but shelling is one of the most relaxing downtime adventures you can have here. Just feel that warm white sand sifting between your toes and shifting under the pressure of your heels, the gentle breeze blowing back your hair… idyllic, right?

Anna Maria Island’s beaches have some superb shelling spots, but you really must know where and when to go to get the best haul. Also, there are some laws you should be aware of that pertain to shellfish ecology and flourishment. 

Best Spots to Go

When browsing through rentals on Anna Maria Island, consider getting something close to the beachfront if you plan on doing a lot of shelling. Anna Maria Island shelling starts early in the morning, so be prepared to get up early to go out hunting for the cream of the crop. Shelling has become one of the most popular activities you can do outdoors on AMI, and it is perfect for those who want to distance themselves socially. 

One of the beaches that has prime shelling spots is Manatee Public Beach. It is a great place just to spend the day swimming and sunbathing. The earlier you get to Manatee Public Beach, the better, as it will get more crowded as the day goes on. But, in the early morning hours, you can walk its shoreline and find a wide assortment of intact shells, sand dollars, and fossilized shark teeth. The later you come, the less you might find, and the more broken they might be.

Bayfront Park Beach tends to have some of the more sizable shells around. The waves there are usually small and gentle, so if you go during low tide, you will find some stunningly huge shells popping out of the sand, ready to be claimed.

Anna Maria City Beach is more isolated from the crowds, which equals a larger quantity and broader diversity of shells. With less foot traffic there, you have a better chance of finding more unbroken shells.

Bean Point Beach is home to many large conch shells and is more on the secluded side of Anna Maria Island. On the other hand, Coquina Beach might be busy but is one of the best spots to find shark teeth.

Types of Shells 

There is a wide variety of shells that line the shores of Anna Maria Island. Some of the most frequently found shells here are the sand dollar, the cross-barred Venus, coquina shells, ribbed clam, jingle shells, jewel box, kitten’s paw, dried urchin, horse conch, purple cay clam, sea cookie, cone shell, olive shells, fossilized shark teeth, and cockle shells (which sometimes come covered in baby barnacles). You might also find some ponderous ark, beach fossils, dried starfish (which you will come across in local shell shops), scallops (which are highly common to Gulf Coast beaches), auger, trochus, scotch bonnet, and expired urchin.

There is also a chance to find live sand dollars and fighting conch. Blue crabs like to hang out in shallow bay grasses, and mating horseshoe crabs can sometimes be seen in the bay’s shallow waters. Live urchins can be found and released at sandbars, including near Longboat Key.

Olive (or snails) are fantastic finds. These shiny, smooth, long oval-shaped shells often have subdued but beautiful tones and are most often found as “lettered olives.” The conch-like lightning whelk are cone-shaped and have a fractal shape radiating out of them. They have a sinistral or left-handed shell.

Distinctively rounded cockle shells are heart-shaped when you look at them from the end. They look like a little clam and are bilaterally symmetrical in design. Although they are no bigger than a dime, coquina shells are abundant and fun to collect. They come in various patterns and colors, and they will burrow right into the sands as the waves wash back up on the shore.

Junonia shells are rare finds that you will be fortunate to snag. This cream-colored shell is dotted with brown spots and is spindle-shaped, swirling into a fine point. Finally, you might come across a shark’s tooth while out shelling. These teeth are a lot smaller than you might expect, and they are black, reflecting the sunlight. They’re excellent for crafting and can easily be incorporated into jewelry pieces.

Tips on Shelling

You might think you’re prepared to go out shelling while staying at an Anna Maria Island beach rental, but you’d be surprised how big of a learning curve there is involved in shelling on AMI. 

The most important tip? Start at daybreak. Shelling is best done after high tide, as all the good, intact shells have freshly washed ashore then.

Second, wear water shoes. You’d be amazed how badly it hurts when you step on a broken shell. Protective footwear is a ‘must,’ If you don’t bring some with you, you can find water shoes in many local shops.

Don’t take any living shells. There is a living creature inside that shell, and that shell is its home. Only take shells that are empty or dead. Don’t forget that brown sand dollars are living animals and need to remain in the water so they can keep on living.

The beaches near Anna Maria Island are vast and complex ecosystems that need protection. Only leave your footprints.

Book Your Anna Maria Island Rental 

There are many exciting things to do on Anna Maria Island, and shelling is one of the best things you can do with your spare time. This relaxing activity is a lot of fun, and you will return to your Anna Maria Island vacation rental with some stellar finds. Just make sure you leave plenty of room in your suitcase for your new collection of shells, shark teeth, and other ‘found’ souvenirs.

When you book with BeachRentals Mobi, you will get to wake up in comfort, go out shelling, then come home to a rejuvenating environment full of all the modern amenities you could need. Whether you’re traveling alone, with your significant other, with your family, or as part of a large group, BeachRentals Mobi has you covered. Be sure to book your beachfront rental in advance, especially if you intend on coming to Anna Maria Island during the ‘in’ season!