One of our favorite facts about Maine is that the coast is actually longer than that of California! How is that possible? If you look at a map you’ll notice all the craggy ins and outs that make up the coastal areas. These inlets feel so unique to the state and they also make for a lot more land than you might expect. With all of that coast, it’s not surprising that there are so many great places to search for seashells. One of our favorites is a state park just a bit north of Portland and while you can’t take them with you, it’s so much fun to find the shells at low tide! This is one of the best shell beaches in Maine.

Hidden on a bit of land in Phippsburg, you'll find Popham Beach State Park. The park, which is open year-round, is a wonderful place to explore the nature of Maine. Not only is it a beach, but it also includes a fort that has become an iconic place to visit in our state.
Courtesy of Sarah Dodge
The long sandy beach here is right on the Atlantic Ocean, which means you can expect lots of rolling waves. Unfortunately, this has led to some erosion but there's still plenty of sand to enjoy. The sand is especially soft and easy to take a nice long walk along the beach.
Andrew Sims / alltrails.com
In addition to being a beautiful beach to enjoy on hot summer days, it's a fantastic place to search for seashells. Not only is this a great place to just relax while laying on your favorite beach towel, but the perfect place to find these unique finds washed up along the shore.
Marcus König / Google
The dynamic shape and location of the beach make for lots of seashells and if you visit at just the right time there will be plenty to find. This is after all one of the best beaches in Maine for sea shells.
Andrew Sims / alltrails.com

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We especially love exploring the more rocky areas to see tide pools where other small critters have made their home. Remember not to disturb anything here as the more people who visit and touch things like crabs, the more potential for ecological damage. The infamous secret island that only appears during low tide is the perfect place to look.
Heidi Leavitt / Google
Shells are perfectly fine to collect and look through. Just be sure to leave them where you found them before you go home. There are so many shapes, sizes, and types of shells that you could spend hours just looking. Also, don't forget to be on the lookout for sea glass.
comstock / Flickr
The best time to find shells is during low tide. This is when the sea has retreated leaving behind lots of fun surprises. As well as a hidden island.
pavdw / Flickr
You might also want to visit after a storm. Once the violent waves have finished crashing into land and chances are that with all that activity the ocean has brought more to shore.
auntjojo / Flickr
Beachcombing is a great activity year-round. Be sure to plan a trip to Popham Beach to explore one of our favorite areas of the coast.
christwise / Flickr

Popham Beach State Park is one of the best shell beaches in Maine and is open year-round from 9 a.m. to sunset. Always respect posted notices and if the park is closed for some reason, plan on coming back another day. Also, remember that nothing natural can be removed from a state park, so you’ll need to find the shells and let them go.

To learn more about visiting check out the Popham Beach State Park website. There are three trails to explore in the park. There is the beach itself to explore, The Spirit Pond Preserve, and the Perkins Farm Trail. You can check them all out, and for more great trails throughout the state, consider All Trails+.

The Perkins Farm Trail leads to Fort Balwin, which is an abandoned fort in the woods and is a blast to explore. While you are in the park, also don’t forget to visit the iconic Fort Popham. Check out more from this video by Adventuring in the Moment:

If you’d like to take your shells home, there’s another great place to visit. East End Beach in Maine is absolutely paradise if you love hunting for seashells!

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