Shelling on Siesta Key and vicinity
The key thing about shelling is to know the Tide tables, since the best shells are found just before low tide.
Another great time is after a storm passes. Cold fronts tend to push water away from the beach and tropical storms churn up the water bringing shells ashore like augers, left handed whelks, and coquinas.
Need to identify the shells you find? Check out this site: Shell Museum.
One rule of thumb: If you see something still living in a shell, leave it on the beach.
Siesta Key
Siesta Key beach has awesome sand, but isn’t the best place around for shelling. There are plenty of coquinas though. Head to the southern end of Siesta Key to Turtle beach for better shelling. If you kayak or walk south from Turtle beach you can get to the area known as Midnight Pass, which is a closed-in pass. Fewer visitors = more shells. You can find a variety of shells including crown, fighting, and horse conches, and banded tulips. Or, you can head north on Siesta to the public access on North Shell Road. The beach at North Shell Road faces Lido Key and Big Pass. The sandbars there produce sand dollars, augers, lightning whelk, spiny jewel box, and olives at low tide. Watch for the currents though.