Best Beaches to Find Sea Glass. A travel-meets-craft

When I discovered sea glass, I instantly fell in love. There’s no other material quite like it, each piece tells a story.

Last year, while shopping at a market in Rockport, Texas, I came across a vendor selling small bags filled with sea glass. It was my very first purchase, and I was completely in love. The colors were stunning: soft aquas, deep greens, and clear mist whites, and the shapes were perfect. Later that year, I decided to use those pieces to make handmade Christmas cards for friends and family. I made about twenty-four of them, and my husband and I were so happy with the results.

The lady at the market told us that she used to find sea glass on Texas beaches, but it is not easy anymore. Most of what she sold, was actually “tumbled,” meaning it was artificially smoothed to look like sea glass. That made me curious, and where could I actually find real sea glass, naturally polished by the sea?

So I did a little research and found some beaches that are famous for their sea glass treasures:

Glass Beach, Fort Bragg California, is probably the most famous sea glass beach in the world. It was once a dump site, but over time, nature transformed the discarded glass into smooth, colorful gems that now cover the shoreline. Unfortunately we can’t collect there anymore as it’s protected.

Not far from Santa Cruz, Davenport Beach in California is known for its rich, vibrant glass, even rare reds and blues.

Across the Atlantic, Seaham, England is a sea glass lover’s dream. It’s known for “multi-colored” pieces, remnants of an old Victorian glass factory that dumped its waste into the sea.

Just a ferry ride from downtown Boston, the Spectacle Island in Boston Massachusetts offers a great combination of hiking trails, views, and bits of sea glass washed up on its shores. It’s a perfect blend of city and nature.

The beaches of Kauai offer small but beautiful bits of sea glass, often mixed in with shells and coral. The combination of turquoise water and colorful glass makes it feel like a treasure hunt in paradise.

I have read about finding sea glass in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and other Caribbean locations! My husband and I have a trip to St Johns VI in a couple of weeks… and I am hoping with all my heart that we can visit lesser known / less busy beaches, to bring at least on piece with me.