Shelling in Myrtle Beach: Best tips and spots for a budget friendly ocean activity
While it seems like a relatively stress-free activity, shell hunting can get competitive.
Residents and tourists alike who are avid collectors know that the earliest bird gets the worm when it comes to combing the beaches for the best and prettiest pieces. Here are the tips to shell hunting and the best three best spots in the Myrtle Beach area.
First things first, check your tide forecast before you go out, as it can change. Start as early as you can to beat other tourists who are visiting the beaches. Patricia Blackstock, who has has been a shell-enthusiast for about 15 years, said she starts her trip around 9 a.m. Second most important rule is to go to undisturbed parts of the beach, where shells will remain in tact and you won’t find just the broken bits.
Here are the best spots.
Myrtle Beach State Park
Myrtle Beach State Park is at the top of this list due to it’s relatively undisturbed beaches on weekdays, and covering about 316 acres of maritime forests and white sand beaches. The only con is an admission fee, which is $8 for adults and $4 for children.
“I found that was just a real good place to walk right there where the waves kiss the ground,” Blackstock said.
Blackstock recommends getting an early start on this beach before tourists because it can get crowded on the weekends.
Pawleys Island
Known for being the oldest resort on the east coast, Pawleys Island offers the advantage of being further away from the tourism heart of Myrtle Beach. Undisturbed beaches are crucial to finding the best shells. Here you can find other vacation treasures such as shark teeth and even starfish. Most importantly, Pawley’s Island offers some of the largest free public parking near the beach.
Huntington Beach
Located near Murrells Inlet, Huntington Beach is another state park, and is well known throughout the east coast for it’s top tier bird-watching. The state park has three miles of pristine and undisturbed beaches, and does charge an admission fee. The fee is $8 for adults, and $4 for children.
Some of the most common shells that you’ll find are lettered olives, whelk shells and jingled shells.
But when it comes to choosing the prettiest shells to take back, Blackstock isn’t picky.
“I don’t discriminate. I collect them all,” Blackstock said.
This story was originally published June 23, 2022 at 5:00 AM.