Best places to find sea glass

View In Slideshow

Fort Bragg, California

Best places to find sea glass Just eight miles north of Mendocino, a beautiful coastline along Fort Bragg holds many sea glass treasures. For several years, the locals dumped their trash and even their old cars and appliances over the bluffs onto their beaches. Even though the city began cleanup programs in 1967, much of the glass still made its way to the shore to become the smaller translucent colored pieces of sea glass that cover the shore today.

A lot of the sea glass has been carted away by collectors, but quite a bit still remains on the shore. The best known place for collecting sea glass is Glass Beach, which is located inside MacKerricher State Park. You can enter Glass Beach from Elm Street and Glass Beach Drive. However, much of the sea glass on the northern section of Glass Beach has been taken, but you can still find the sea glass south of Elm Street outside the boundaries of MacKerricher Park.

Because of the popularity of the beach for sea glass collectors, the California State Park became concerned over diminishing sea glass and hasdiscouraged the practice of taking it. Some people say it’s illegal now to collect sea glass from Fort Bragg, but others say that because California beaches are public, it’s okay to collect it up to the mean high water mark.

If you decide to go to Fort Bragg to collect sea glass, be sure to check with theThe Different Colors of Sea Glass

Glass Beach in Benicia, California


Another glass beach with a high concentration of sea glass is Benicia in northern California. According to Wikipedia, the beach is located in Benicia, California off the 12th Street Park. Some locals have reported the beach is off Elane Way and Cove Way. Look for Public Access sign and follow to water.

Be warned, however, that much of the glass has sharp edges, so wear sturdy shoes. Much of the sea glass is not weathered with smooth round edges because the beach is located in Carquinez Strait, which is basically a bay with little wave activity. Beaches with the best sea glass have a decent amount of wave activity because the movement of the water acts like a giant tumbling machine and helps toss and turn the glass into frosty sea glass with rounded edges.

You should also check San Francisco tide times and go at low tide when the sea glass is exposed on the shore.


Best Glass Beach in Hawaii is on the Island of Kauai

Best places to find sea glass Another Beach where you’ll be sure to find a high concentration of sea glass is Glass Beach on the Island of Kauai in Eleele. The sea glass has been picked over; however, there is still a lot on the beach.

Glass Beach in Kauai is surrounded by an industrial area, but it’s still a beautiful beach with a lot of small white and brown sea glass shards. If you look diligently, you will likely find some jelly bean shaped and rare colored sea glass like, yellow, sea foam and teal.

To get to Glass Beach in Kauai, head towards Port Allen. Turn left on Waialo Road, and turn left onto Aka Ula Road. Drive until you come to a dirt road. Park and walk a few steps to the beach.


The Most Secret and Secluded Beach in Los Angeles

Best places to find sea glass

Rancho Palos Verdes Beach

Los Angeles’s best keep secret is Rancho Palos Verdes Beach, and yes, you can find sea glass there too. The beach is stunning, but best of all the parking is free in the Trump National Golf Course. The city of Rancho Palos Verdes made a deal that parts of the golf course must be open to the public. The parking lot is small, so if you’re planning a trip on a weekend summer day, be sure to go early.

Best places to find sea glass If you’re planning a sea glass hunt just follow the trail down to the beach. It’s a little steep in a few places. When you get down to the beach, go to the left and start looking for sea glass among the rocks during low tide. The sea glass is not as abundant compared to other beaches, but it’s there.

Besides enjoying a good sea glass hunt, the beach is also excellent for a fun family day at the beach or a romantic get away. The sand is a little rocky, but it’s still smooth enough to lay down a towel and enjoy relaxing in the sun by the sea.

Kids will enjoy the waves and the tide pools. There’s also plenty of colorful rocks where you’ll be sure to see a few little sea creatures.




Sea Glass on Santa Barbara Dog Beach

Best places to find sea glass

Summerland in Santa Barbara, California

One of the best beaches to find sea glass is in Summerland, California. Summerland is located of the 101 Freeway in Santa Barbara county. The beach is also for dog lovers too. In the early morning and at low tide, you’ll be sure to see a lot of happy dogs walking the shore and you’ll be sure to find some sea glass.

To find the most sea glass, make sure to check the tides. Go at low tide, butbe sure to not to get stuck when the high tides come in. A lot of the sea glass is along the high-tide point, especially where there are a lot of small rocks.

Best places to find sea glass Summerland is a beautiful beach, and it’s not that crowded. There are usually only a few beachcombers walking along the sand and a few people walking their dogs in the morning.

To get to Summerland, take Exit 88 from the 101 Freeway. Head west, and turn right down Padaro Lane. You’ll drive along a residential neighborhood on a narrow street for a while. When you see the sign for Loon Point, turn right into the public parking lot. Take a short path to the ocean, and at the end of the path, go left.

Del Monte Beach, Monterey, California

Many beachcombers know that Monterey beaches are one of the best places to find sea glass. Del Monte Beach in Monterey, California is a long stretch of beach where you’ll be sure to find sea glass. The beach is named after the historic Del Monte Resort, and it’s located west of Del Monte Avenue.

  • El Matador State Beach in Malibu California
  • Many Northern California beaches like Santa Cruz, Monterey, Benicia, Pillar Point (Northern End and you have to climb down cliffs) and Redondo Beach, California near Palos Verdes Estates
  • Glass Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
  • Lahaina, Hawaii
  • Oahu, Hawaii – Waikiki Beach from breakwater at Hilton to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel

Maine

  • Arcadia National Park in Maire: Sand Beach and Frenchman’s Bay
  • Bar Harbor, Maine
  • Belfast, Maine
  • Casco Bay Islands, Maine
  • Cranberry Islands, Maine
  • East End Beach, Long Island, Maine
  • Jasper Beach, Machiasport, Maine
  • Jonesport, Maine
  • Land’s End near Maine
  • Mackerel Cove, Near Bailey Island, Maine
  • Middle Beach, Kennebunk, York, Maine
  • Monhegan Island, Maine
  • Mount Desert Island, Maine
  • Roque Bluffs State Park, Roque Bluffs, Maine
  • Spectacle Island (It’s forbidden to take sea glass from this beach)

Maryland

  • Deal Island, Maryland
  • Kent County, Maryland
  • Tolchester Beach near Chestertown on the Eastern Shore, Maryland

Massachusetts

  • Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts (Southwestern Shores)
  • Cape Ann, Rockfort, Massachusetts
  • Gloucester, Massachusetts
  • New Beford, Massachusetts
  • Spectacle Island, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts

New Jersey

  • Bay Head, New Jersey
  • Cape May, New Jersey
  • Long Beach Island, New Jersey

North Carolina

  • Nags Head, North Carolina (Southern End)

Oregon

  • Astoria, Oregon
  • Bayocean Peninsula on Tillamook Bay, Oregon
  • Brookings, Oregon – Mill Beach
  • Gold Beach, Oregon
  • McVay Rock State Recreation
  • Newport, Oregon
  • Oceanside, Oregon
  • Seal Point, Oregon
  • Lincoln City, Oregon

Rhode Island

  • Middletown, Rhode Island
  • Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island
  • Block Island, Rhode Island
  • King Park Beach at Newport Harbor, Rhode Island

Texas

  • Corpus Christi, Texas
  • Crystal Beach, Texas
  • Galveston, Texas
  • Port Arthur, Texas
  • Surfside Beach, Texas

Virginia

  • Cape Charles, Virginia
  • Chesapeake Bay, Virginia
  • Hampton, Virginia

Washington

  • Alki Beach Park, Alki Avenue Southwest, Seattle, Washington State (northeast section of beach)
  • Anacortes, Washington State
  • Deception Pass State Park, Oak Harbor, Washington State
  • Glass Beach, Port Townsend, Washington State
  • Port Angeles, Washington State
  • Port Townsend, Washington State
  • Puget Sound  islands, Washington State
  • Rosario Beach, Fidalgo Island, Washington State
  • Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington State

Sea Glass Beaches Outside the United States

  • Bermuda Island, Hamilton, St.George’s, Bermuda
  • Building Bay, Bermuda
  • Abaco Islands, Bahamas
  • Mullins Beach, Barbados
  • Antonio’s Beach to River Mouth Beach in Puntas, Rincon, Puerto Rico
  • Vieques, Puerto Rico
  • Playa Media Luna, Isla De Mujeres, north of Cancun, Mexico
  • Prince Edward’s Island, Canada
  • Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles