Hi there!
It doesn’t seem like Siesta Key has the best shelling in Florida.
If you do a casual walk along the beach and don’t come across many shells, it means the shelling is not great, right?
Just kidding. That’s not necessarily true because maybe you’re just not walking in the right area of the beach.
But even in searching online, I get the impression that Siesta Key is not a place you go to JUST for the shelling.
All that said, it is still possible to find shells on Siesta Key!
For Siesta Key, I didn’t have a goal to find shells, but as I was walking on one of the beaches, I did come across a mound of shells.
So if you have a trip planned to Siesta Key, you can be on the lookout for shells too as you are walking the beach… if you are going to the “middle” Siesta Key beach!
The main beach of Siesta Key is Siesta Beach, and this is the most famous Siesta Key beach that you’ve seen in pictures. You probably won’t find shells here. Instead, you can give a try to another Siesta Key beach: Crescent Beach!
It is while walking along Crescent Beach towards the Siesta Key snorkeling spot that I saw a bunch of shells!
👆 Siesta Key shells! While Siesta Key is not where you find the best shelling in Florida, you might be able to find some shells on Siesta Key at Crescent Beach! The Siesta Key public access to this beach is a couple miles down the road from the famous Siesta Key beach.
Florida gulf coast shells: Siesta Key shell identification guide
👆 You have a chance to find different types of shells along the gulf coast of Florida on Siesta Key. This is a Florida gulf coast shell identification guide that was posted at another Florida gulf coast island a couple hours north of Siesta Key, at Honeymoon Island State Park.
As is the case for shelling beaches in Florida, don’t take home anything you find that is alive. Otherwise, you can take home shells you find at a Siesta Key beach.
Cost to go shelling on Siesta Key
If you want to give a shelling beach walk a try on Siesta Key, then it will be FREE!
There is no Siesta Key beach entry for any of the Siesta Key beaches, and that includes Crescent Beach.
There is also no beach parking fee.
The difficulty will be in finding parking at the Crescent Beach parking lot!
Crescent Beach is not very public friendly. While it’s a couple miles long, most of it is beachfront accommodation with (very) minimal public beach paths.
There are 2 public access spots to Crescent Beach, and only one of these offers public parking. And there are a very limited number of parking spots.
The Siesta Key shells I found were near Siesta Key public beach access #12 (yes parking) and Siesta Key public beach access #13 (no parking).
👆 Walk from public beach access #12 to maybe find shells on Siesta Key!
👆 Walk from public beach access #13 to maybe find shells on Siesta Key!
More for your Southwest Florida road trip and beyond
- What to pack for shelling in Florida
- Lido Key shelling
- Best shelling in Florida
- Best Sanibel Island shelling
- Best Marco Island shelling
- Honeymoon Island State Park shelling
- Cayo Costa State Park shelling
- Best beaches in Southwest Florida
- Siesta Key to Miami
- Siesta Key to Key West
- Tampa to Marco Island
See below for pictures of shells on a Siesta Key beach!
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Siesta Key shells along the beach
I saw shells on a Siesta Key beach in April 2022. Your experience may vary!
So I was able to find parking when I arrived at the Crescent Beach public parking lot on a weekday evening around 6pm.
The beach path is right at the parking lot and easy to spot.
You’ll walk a couple of minutes to get to the beach!
You will arrive at the beach to find “private beach signs.”
But it is okay to go for your shelling beach walk along the shoreline.
You just can’t set up camp on the beach where you find these signs.
So once you are at the water (beauty!), if you look off to your right, that is the direction of the famous Siesta Key beach.
I started walking to the left, in the direction of the Siesta Key snorkeling spot.
Then I came across some shells that were scattered on the beach.
I kept walking.
And then…
Wow!
Shells!
And that’s a bit about finding some Siesta Key shells!
More for your Southwest Florida road trip and beyond:
- Things to do in Southwest Florida
- Best camping in Southwest Florida
- Siesta Key to Miami
- Siesta Key to Key West
- Tampa to Marco Island
HAPPY SHELLING ON SIESTA KEY!
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