Explore low-tide shores for shells, shark teeth, and coastal wildlife
Build your own sand castle in a small-group Sand 101 class
Search for shells on a guided low-tide walk at Shackleford Banks
Search secluded barrier islands for shells with a Master Naturalist captain
Explore island shelling grounds at your own pace with captain support
Find and identify shells on remote Ten Thousand Islands shores
Escape the crowds with flexible rides to a secluded Assateague beach
Relax on Magens Bay's white sand, then explore its shaded arboretum
Relax on Magens Bay's white sand, then wander its arboretum and mangrove surroundings
Explore South Padre Island's remote northern shoreline by 4x4
Search an island shoreline for ancient shark teeth and fossils
The boat-only islands hold the freshest shell lines; the drive-up parks hold the restrooms. Either way, timing beats location: low tide after a winter front.
Clarity is geology, not luck: quartz sand, seagrass filtration, and how close the Gulf Stream runs. Thirteen beaches, and the trade-off each one asks of you.