Lots of people want to know where the best beachcombing beach is in Southern California. The answer may very well depend on exactly what you’re looking for! Many beaches in SoCal feature little, colorful wedge clam seashells (California’s cousin to the East Coast’s Coquina Shells).  On past visits, the tides at both Imperial Beach and  Redondo Beach have offered up generous helpings of the beautiful blues, purples, yellows and oranges of a Southern California sunset for our beachcombing pleasure!  We’ve brought all of these gorgeous colors home in the form of Gould’s Wedge Shells (one of my personal favorites)!

Silver Strand State Beach, looking toward Coronado, CA

From our experience though, the best beachcombing beach in the area, as far as variety goes, is Silver Strand State Beach, a “natural” beach located  near San Diego.  Silver Strand State Beach offers beaches on both the San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean.  If you are looking for beach treasures, then the ocean side strand is your destination of choice!

Sand Dollar - Silver Strand State Beach

On our last visit to Silver Strand State Beach, Greg and I found sand dollars, limpets and keyhole limpets, pretty pink barnacles, large (soap dish size) Common Washington Clams, California Mussels, oysters and a nice variety of other bivalves (e.g., clams and wedge shells).

Beach Treasures from Silver Strand State Beach

Silver Strand State Beach is “located 4.5 miles south of the city of Coronado on Highway 75. The park is located on the sand-spit that forms the outer edge of San Diego Bay between Coronado and Imperial Beach. The park has 2 ½ miles of ocean beach and ½ mile on the bay. The entrance to the park is from Highway 75, which serves as a divider between the ocean side of the park and the bay side.”

We’d love to hear your choice for the best beachcombing beach in Southern California!

Happy Beachcombing!

Related links:

California State Parks/Silver Strand SB

Seaweed-Trash or Treasure? (Natural Beaches)

Cha ching! Sand Dollars, Fun to Find.