Seashell Collecting in Panama City Beach
Can you find seashells in Panama City Beach?
Yes...there are many types of shells readily available in the shallow water and on the beaches of Panama City Beach including:
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Get this poster »(Paid link)Our Ongoing PCB Seashell Collection
Collecting seashells in Panama City Beach is one my favorite things to do on the beaches here. It's really cool to see how different shells are plentiful at different times of year and different times of day.
You can see the variety of shells collected from the Gulf....it's a work in progress. We have plans to frame and hang this poster along with some of the shells. The Audubon Society's Field Guide for Seashells has also proved very educational! I still haven't identified all of the different types we've collected.
When is the best time to find seashells in Panama City Beach?
The Panama City beaches are full of shells if you go at the right time. If you go early in the morning when tide is low, and before other people have picked over the beach, you will find a lot more shells.
How to find shells?
To make it easier, you'll need a hand held fishing net....nothing fancy, the wood handled fishing nets available at local grocery stores or beach supply stores work great! If you are swimming, get your net and goggles and float around keeping an eye out for large shells and just trap them with your net.
You can also find plenty of shells just wading in the water. Look down into the approaching and receding waves and watch for a big shell to go tumbling by. Use the net to catch a big scoop of shells and sand as the wave goes out then inspect to see what you got! We find so many shells this way.
Is it legal to take seashells from the beach in Florida?
Collecting seashells is generally allowed on public beaches and shoreline areas in Florida, as long as the shells do not have living creatures in them. The same shelling rules apply to starfish, sand dollars and sea urchins.
If it's alive, leave it alone.
It is important to know that if you pick up a shell with a live animal in it, or a sand dollar, starfish or other sealife that is alive, you need to put it back. Taking live creatures from their habitat on a Florida beach is illegal and can result in hefty fines.
Take a Day Trip to Shell Island & Go Seashelling
One of the unique things to do in Panama City Beach is to go shelling on the aptly named Shell Island. You can get there by taking the shuttle from Saint Andrew State Park or you can also opt to take a private charter to the island.
Visit Daniels Shells in Laguna Beach
If you want to supplement your collection of seashells, visit Daniels Shells in Laguna Beach for one of the largest selections of seashells in the area....at reasonable prices, not tourist trap souvenir shop prices. This shop has a real Mom and Pop vibe, and may not be open even if Google says that it is....so call ahead. The shop is just down from Pier Park on Front Beach Road.
