The BEST Beach for Shelling in North Carolina (secret spot!)

Our family recently visited Emerald Isle for the first time this summer, and fell in love with the town’s laidback vibes and coastal charm. In my next few posts, I’ll be sharing our mini Emerald Isle Vacation Guide, including: The Best Kid Friendly Restaurants in Emerald Isle NC, Top 5 Best Things To Do with Kids in Emerald Isle NC, Beach Day Essentials for Emerald Isle NC, and The Best Beach for Shelling in Emerald Isle NC.

While searching for the best beaches in Emerald Isle, North Carolina, I came upon a beach called ‘The Point,’ where visitors said the seashells were unbelievable. And let me tell you, The Point did not disappoint! Located at the westernmost end of Emerald Isle, NC, The Point offers vast expanses of white sand, incredible ocean views and thousands of unique seashells.

How To Get There

There is very limited public parking at the convergence of Station St and Coast Guard Rd. From here it is a 6 block trek to the beach. There are 2 handicapped parking spots a bit further down the road by the public beach access. There is also a gated entrance is at the end of Inlet Dr, which is open to foot traffic only during the warm months.

When To Visit

Anytime of year is a good time for shelling. However, I do recommend visiting early in the morning to secure parking, and the best shell finds! Visiting after a storm is also a surefire way to find more shells.

What To Bring

If you will be making the 6 block walk to the beach, be sure to wear sunscreen, bug spray, and comfortable water shoes. Unsurprisingly, there is no cover/shade at The Point and the walk is quite long, so sunscreen is absolutely essential. There also biting flies, particularly in the morning, so be sure to wear plenty of bug spray. Water shoes are a must on the shelly beaches, and in the water. If you will be hunting for shells, I would also recommend bringing along a sifter, crossbody mesh satchel to hold your treasures, and a few paper towels to wrap up any fragile sand dollar finds. I’ve linked all of my shelling essentials below:

What You Might Find

Our group visited The Point twice during our stay. Both mornings we went around 7 am, and were lucky that it had stormed the night prior to one of our walks. We found a number of large lightning whelks, channel whelks, knobbed whelks, moon snails, giant Atlantic cockle shells, auger shells, conchs, colorful scallops, clams, coral, common jingles, olives shells, quahogs, and sand dollars. We were on a mission to find the North Carolina state sea shell, the scotch bonnet, but sadly were only able to find pieces of this rare and fragile beauty. Many large intact sea shells were laying on the open beach, but we also waded knee deep into the surf and dug with sifters, finding even more large beauties buried in the sand. My friend was even lucky enough to find whole sand dollars just where the water breaks along the shoreline.

How To Clean Your Treasures

Once your vacation is over, you might be curious how to clean all of your shell finds for display in your home. I recommend mixing 1 gallon of water with 2 tbsp of liquid bleach in an old bucket. Allow your shells to soak in this mixture for a few hours. Carefully remove, and dry thoroughly outside. Your sea treasures are now fresh, clean and ready for decorating!

We watched the sun rise, laughed together, and scoured the beaches for 2 hours before leaving with bags full of island treasures, precious reminders of an unforgettable vacation.

Happy Shelling!
Wendy