Seashelling in Maryland with Kids: A Beach Explorer Guide (+ Free Map)

May 22, 2026

Maryland's coastline is one of the most ecologically diverse on the East Coast — a state where the vast freshwater-saltwater estuary of the Chesapeake Bay meets the open Atlantic at Ocean City and Assateague Island, creating shelling opportunities that are genuinely unique.

Make memories exploring the beaches with your kids and track your finds with Nature Explorer Club's Seashells of Maryland Activity Book.

Why Maryland Offers Two Completely Different Shelling Experiences

Maryland's geography creates two fundamentally different shelling environments within a single state. The Chesapeake Bay — the largest estuary in the United States — dominates the western and central portions of the state, offering calm bay-side shelling where Eastern Oysters, Ark Clams, and Coquina Clams thrive in the bay's productive brackish waters. The Atlantic Ocean coast — just 31 miles of coastline at Ocean City and Assateague — delivers a completely different experience: open-ocean shelling where Channel Whelks, Knobbed Whelks, Atlantic Surf Clams, and Razor Clams wash ashore after storms. And Calvert Cliffs along the western shore of the Chesapeake adds a third dimension entirely — fossil hunting on an ancient sea floor now exposed by erosion.

Best Beaches for Shelling in Maryland

We mapped the best shelling beaches in Maryland so you can plan your adventure before you go.

Betterton Beach, Betterton — A quiet, largely undiscovered bay beach on the upper Chesapeake Bay in Kent County with excellent shelling in its tidal flat areas. The calm upper bay waters support Eastern Oysters, Coquina Clams, and Jingle Shells in the adjacent tidal areas. One of the least-visited but most productive bay-side shelling destinations in Maryland — particularly good for families who want a calm, uncrowded beach experience far from the Ocean City crowds.
Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis — A beautiful state park on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay near the Bay Bridge with good bay-side shelling on its sandy beach. The park sits at the confluence of the Severn River and the main Chesapeake Bay channel — creating excellent tidal currents that concentrate shells on its beaches. Eastern Oysters, Coquina Clams, Jingle Shells, and Quahogs are all regularly found here.
Matapeake Park, Stevensville — A small, beautiful bay park on Kent Island with excellent shelling in its tidal flat areas at low tide. The calm bay waters support Eastern Oysters and Coquina Clams in the adjacent shallows. The park's location on Kent Island — easily accessible from Annapolis via the Bay Bridge — makes it one of the most convenient bay-side shelling destinations in the state.
North Beach, North Beach — A charming small town beach on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay with good bay-side shelling and a classic Maryland bayside character. The town's beach supports Eastern Oysters, Coquina Clams, and Jingle Shells in the adjacent tidal areas. The small-town atmosphere, boardwalk, and proximity to Calvert Cliffs make North Beach an excellent base for a full day of Maryland coastal nature exploration.
Flag Ponds Nature Park, Lusby — A beautiful Calvert County nature park with excellent shelling on its Chesapeake Bay beach — and one of the finest fossil-hunting destinations in Maryland alongside its shell hunting. The eroding cliffs adjacent to the beach occasionally release fossil shark teeth and ancient marine shells dating back 15 million years. Eastern Oysters, Coquina Clams, and Jingle Shells are found on the modern beach while fossil sharks teeth and ancient shells emerge from the cliffs above.
Cove Point, Cove Point Beach — A beautiful bay-side beach in Calvert County near the Cove Point Lighthouse with excellent shelling in its tidal flat areas. The lighthouse — one of the oldest in Maryland — adds a historic dimension to any beach visit. Eastern Oysters, Coquina Clams, and Jingle Shells are all regularly found here.
Calvert Cliffs State Park, Lusby — One of the most extraordinary beach destinations in the mid-Atlantic — a state park where 15-million-year-old cliffs erode directly onto the Chesapeake Bay beach, releasing fossil shark teeth, ancient shells, and marine fossils onto the sand. The 1.8-mile hike through the forest to the beach is manageable for most children and the fossil hunting at the base of the cliffs is unlike anything else in Maryland. Modern shells including Eastern Oysters, Coquina Clams, and Jingle Shells are found alongside fossil material on the beach below the cliffs.
Point Lookout State Park, Scotland — A beautiful state park at the southern tip of Maryland's western shore — where the Potomac River meets the Chesapeake Bay. The park's beaches front both the bay and the river mouth, creating excellent shell diversity. Eastern Oysters, Coquina Clams, Atlantic Bay Scallops, and Jingle Shells are all regularly found here. The Civil War history of the site — Point Lookout served as a Union prisoner of war camp during the Civil War — adds a cultural dimension to any visit.
Ocean City Beach, Ocean City — Maryland's famous resort beach — a long, wide Atlantic-facing barrier beach with good shelling particularly at the quieter northern end near the Delaware state line and at the southern end near the Ocean City Inlet. Channel Whelks, Knobbed Whelks, Moon Snails, Atlantic Surf Clams, and Razor Clams all wash up after northeast storms. Go early in the morning before the summer crowds arrive for the best shelling conditions.
Assateague Island, Berlin — The Maryland end of Assateague Island — one of the finest undeveloped barrier beach shelling destinations on the entire East Coast. Unlike the Virginia end (managed as a wildlife refuge), the Maryland end of Assateague allows vehicles on the beach with a permit — giving families direct access to the finest shell hunting sections. Channel Whelks, Knobbed Whelks, Lettered Olives, and Atlantic Surf Clams are all regularly found here. The wild ponies that roam the beach add an unforgettable wildlife dimension to any shelling walk.