When most people think of Costa Rica, they picture rainforest adventures, surfing, sloths, and breathtaking sunsets. But if you're like me, your eyes are always drawn to the shoreline—searching for the next beautiful shell waiting to be discovered.
During my travels through Costa Rica's Central Pacific Coast, I explored several incredible beaches including Esterillos, Jacó Beach, Playa Hermosa, and Manuel Antonio. While Costa Rica isn't known for the abundance of large collectible shells, it offers something just as special: wild, untouched beaches where every shell feels like a true treasure. Many of special finds were found in tide pools in Hermosa. What an adventure it was to climb the rocks and discover a hidden world of tiny creatures and bountiful shells!
At Britt's Beach, every shell tells a story, and every trip inspires future handcrafted jewelry collections.
Of all the beaches I visited, Esterillos quickly became my favorite.
Located between Jacó and Manuel Antonio, Esterillos is made up of several long stretches of beach that remain far less crowded than many other Costa Rican destinations. Miles of open shoreline make it perfect for peaceful morning walks while searching the tide line.
Because the Pacific surf is powerful, many shells arrive naturally tumbled and beautifully smoothed by the ocean. My favorite find was Turritella Shells and lots of sea glass!
Jacó is famous for its surf culture, restaurants, and lively atmosphere, but it's also worth spending a sunrise walking the beach before the crowds arrive.
While shelling isn't as productive here as Esterillos, patient beachcombers can still find:
The darker volcanic sand creates a beautiful contrast against the shells, making each find stand out.
Just south of Jacó sits Playa Hermosa, a world-famous surfing destination known for its powerful waves and natural beauty.
This beach feels wonderfully wild.
The surf can be rough, so shell collecting is best done during lower tides when fresh treasures wash onto the shore.
The scenery alone is worth the visit:
It's one of those places where you can simply enjoy slowing down and appreciating nature. This is where we found awesome tide pool treasures!
Few places combine tropical rainforest and the ocean quite like Manuel Antonio.
While visitors come to see monkeys, sloths, and scarlet macaws, don't forget to look down at the sand.
Exploring the beaches here feels like walking through a postcard where the rainforest literally meets the sea. Shells cannot be removed from this protected beach zone. But it is just as fun to snorkel and appreciate each find.
If you're planning your own shelling adventure, here are a few tips:
One of my favorite parts of traveling is seeing how every coastline has its own personality.
Florida's Gulf Coast gives me delicate miniature shells, while Costa Rica's Pacific beaches offer colorful volcanic landscapes, dramatic surf, and beautifully weathered ocean treasures.
Every destination inspires new ideas that eventually find their way into my jewelry.
At Britt's Beach, I handcraft every piece myself in my Florida Gulf Coast home studio using genuine seashells, sea glass, sterling silver, and other ocean treasures I've responsibly collected during my travels. Nothing is mass-produced or outsourced—every design is made by my own hands, inspired by beaches around the world and the memories they create.
Whether I'm shelling the emerald waters of the Gulf Coast or walking the rugged Pacific shoreline of Costa Rica, one thing never changes:
The ocean always has another story waiting to be found.
Discover why experienced beachcombers head to the beach after a storm—and how these ocean treasures become handcrafted beach jewelry at Britt's Beach.
There's something magical about walking the shoreline after a storm. While many people wait for the sunshine to return, seasoned shell collectors know that storm shelling is often the best time to discover beautiful seashells that rarely appear during calm weather.
Powerful waves churn the ocean floor, uncover hidden treasures, and carry shells from deeper water onto the beach. Every passing storm creates a new opportunity for beachcombers to find one-of-a-kind pieces shaped by the sea.
At Britt's Beach, many of the genuine seashells that become handcrafted jewelry begin exactly this way—with an early morning walk after Mother Nature has rearranged the shoreline.
Storms dramatically change the beach.
Strong winds, rough surf, and shifting tides uncover shells that may have been buried beneath sand for years. Offshore sandbars, shell beds, and deeper parts of the Gulf are stirred up, allowing waves to carry beautiful shells onto the shoreline.
For shell collectors, storms can reveal:
Each storm leaves behind a completely different collection, making every beach walk an exciting treasure hunt.
Timing makes all the difference.
The best shelling usually happens:
Experienced beachcombers often check tide charts and weather reports before heading out. Even a moderate tropical system or strong cold front can produce excellent shelling conditions.
Florida's Gulf Coast is famous for shelling, especially after rough weather.
Some favorite beaches include:
Every beach is different, and changing currents can make one location spectacular while another remains nearly empty.
One of the joys of beachcombing is never knowing what the tide will reveal.
At Britt's Beach, shelling isn't simply a hobby—it's where every jewelry collection begins.
Many of the genuine seashells used in our handcrafted jewelry are personally collected during beachcombing adventures along Florida's Gulf Coast and from beaches around the world.
After each shell is carefully cleaned and selected, Brittany handcrafts every piece in her Florida home studio using sterling silver and quality materials.
No factories.
No mass production.
No overseas manufacturing.
Just authentic ocean treasures transformed into timeless beach jewelry by hand.
Every shell carries a story, and every piece of jewelry preserves a small piece of the coastline that inspired it.
If you're planning your own shelling adventure after a storm, keep these tips in mind:
Safety should always come before finding the perfect shell.
One of the things I love most about storm shelling is that no two mornings are ever the same.
Some days the tide delivers tiny olive shells and colorful sea glass.
Other days it uncovers large whelks, beautiful helmet shells, or miniature treasures perfect for future jewelry designs.
Those quiet mornings walking the shoreline inspire every Britt's Beach collection. It's a reminder that nature creates the most beautiful art—and I'm simply fortunate enough to preserve a small part of it.
Whether you're searching for your first perfect shell or adding another treasure to your collection, storm shelling offers an unforgettable connection to the ocean and the incredible stories every wave leaves behind.
Yes. Storms often uncover and wash ashore shells from deeper water, making the days immediately after a storm some of the best times for beachcombing.
The best time is usually early in the morning during low tide, within 24 hours after the storm has passed.
Absolutely. Rough surf can uncover shells like Scotch Bonnets, Horse Conchs, Lightning Whelks, Lettered Olives, and other species that aren't commonly found during calm conditions.
Yes. Every piece is handcrafted by Brittany using genuine seashells and sea glass personally collected from beaches whenever possible. Each piece is created in her Florida Gulf Coast home studio using sterling silver and fine materials.
There is something magical about finding a piece of sea glass.
Unlike seashells, which are naturally created by the ocean, sea glass begins its journey as something entirely manmade. A broken bottle, an old jar, a piece of tableware, or even vintage glass tossed into the sea decades ago slowly transforms into one of the ocean's most beautiful treasures.
At Britt's Beach, sea glass represents everything we love about the ocean—patience, beauty, and the idea that time has a way of turning something ordinary into something extraordinary. That's why every piece of genuine sea glass jewelry we create celebrates not only the finished gem but also the incredible journey it took to get there.
Sea glass is glass that has spent years being naturally polished by the ocean.
As waves move the glass across sand, shells, and rocks, its sharp edges gradually wear away. Over time, the glass develops the smooth, frosted appearance that collectors instantly recognize.
Unlike machine-made imitation sea glass, genuine sea glass has a soft satin finish created entirely by nature.
Every piece is unique, making it one of the most collectible treasures a beachcomber can find.
One of the most fascinating facts about sea glass is how long the process takes.
Most authentic sea glass spends approximately:
Every wave, every tide, and every storm slowly shapes each piece into the smooth gem we eventually discover along the shoreline.
When you hold a piece of genuine sea glass, you're holding decades of ocean history.
The beautiful frosted appearance comes from years of natural abrasion.
As glass tumbles through the surf:
The result is a soft, velvety finish that simply cannot be replicated by polished glass.
Not all sea glass is equally common.
Some colors were produced in enormous quantities, while others came from specialty products that were manufactured in much smaller numbers.
These colors most often originated from beverage bottles, food jars, and household containers.
These colors frequently came from medicine bottles, antique glassware, ink bottles, decorative items, or specialty packaging.
The "holy grails" of sea glass collecting include:
These colors were rarely mass-produced, making genuine examples incredibly difficult to find today. Many collectors spend years searching before discovering one.
Every piece has a story.
Many pieces began life as:
As the ocean reclaimed these objects, it transformed them into smooth coastal treasures that now wash ashore decades later.
Sea glass can be found around the world, but certain beaches are especially famous for producing beautiful pieces.
Some of the best locations include:
After storms and unusually high tides are often the best times to search, as the waves uncover treasures that have been buried beneath the sand.
Ironically, authentic sea glass is becoming harder to find every year.
Modern packaging has shifted from glass to plastic and aluminum, meaning far less glass enters the ocean than it did decades ago. Improved recycling programs have also reduced the amount of discarded glass available to begin the long journey toward becoming sea glass.
Because of this, genuine ocean-tumbled sea glass is a finite natural resource. Every authentic piece found today may have begun its journey 50 years ago—or even earlier.
At Britt's Beach, every piece of genuine sea glass is carefully selected for its natural beauty before being transformed by hand into timeless jewelry.
Many of our sea glass pieces are collected during our travels to beaches around the world, while others are discovered close to home along Florida's beautiful Gulf Coast. We never use factory-made imitation sea glass. Every piece has been shaped by real waves, real tides, and years of the ocean's patient craftsmanship.
Just like the seashells we use in our jewelry, no two pieces are ever alike.
That's what makes genuine sea glass so special.
When you wear sea glass jewelry from Britt's Beach, you're wearing a tiny piece of ocean history—one that has spent decades becoming perfectly imperfect before finding its forever home.
Check out our collection of Sea Glass Jewelry:
Rare Aqua Sea Glass Ring - Britt's Beach
Seafoam Sea Glass - Britt's Beach
