The One Beach In Maine That’s Absolute Paradise If You Love Hunting For Seashells

Maine's got a ton of coastline, which means lots of beaches to see. Whether you love lying out on the sand or exploring every inch of the rocks for tiny sea creatures, you could easily spend a week beach hopping up and down the coast. While it can get hot in Maine, the reality of the weather means that the water can be more of an icy shock than a way to cool down. When the water is just too cold to swim, we have an alternative! Spend your time walking along the edge in search of seashells. Most beaches here have shells, but East End Beach in Portland Maine always has lots of fun ones to collect. Learn more about how you can find the best and most colorful Maine seashells at this lovely little beach.

Editor's Note: Sea Glass Beach on Diamond Cove is located within a private community, and land access to the beach is only open to residents, guests of the hotel, and by appointment via a tour with the Fort McKinley Museum. 

East End Beach is the city of Portland's only public beach.

It offers an easy way to enjoy the breezy coast of Maine if you're in the city and find it inconvenient to jump in the car for a beach trip.

One of the best things about East End Beach are the views over Casco Bay.

Portland Paddle will rent you kayaks and SUPs to launch from the beach or beyond.

And, dogs are allowed on the beach before 8am and after 5pm between Memorial and Labor Days and all day the rest of the year.

But, along with all of this, explorers will love the beachcombing opportunities here.

Casco Bay has tons of sea life, making for lots of shells of various shapes and sizes.

These wash up on the beach and are easily seen along the water line during low tide.

Mussels, clams and spiral shells are almost always on display here.

Once you've found all the seashells you can, sit a while and enjoy setting sun.

Remember that shells are part of the ecology of the beach. Always avoid touching any living sea creatures and don't take any home.

Have you ever hunted for Maine seashells at East End Beach? What did you think of your visit? Be sure to share your adventures with us in the comments below -- we would love to hear from you!

You can access East End Beach by parking up at Fort Allen Park at the Eastern Promenade and following the trail at the bottom of the hill around until you hit the beach. Or, you can easily walk from the Old Port. There are restrooms and picnic tables here as well, making it easy to bring your lunch and spend the whole day.

On the hunt for sea glass? Check out these 10 beaches to find some of the most beautiful examples in America.