The best place to find shark teeth in Florida
If you’re planning a Florida vacation and looking for the best place to find shark teeth in Florida, you’re in the right place!
I’ll share the best beach for shark teeth in Florida and a few other places to check out. Florida offers miles of sandy beaches, and plenty of them are great spots for finding shark teeth.
If you have a shark fan in your family, a little shark tooth hunting during your Florida vacation is a must.
Before we get to the best places to find shark teeth in Florida, let’s go over some shark teeth facts.
Shark tooth facts:
- Sharks can produce over 30,000 teeth during their lifetime
- Unlike humans, sharks are born with a complete set of teeth
- Shark teeth range in size from 1/8″ to almost 4 inches long
- If a shark loses some teeth, it has plenty of backup teeth that will grow in to replace it
If you’re flying into Florida, you’ll need a rental car to drive to the beaches where you’ll find shark teeth. If you decide to rent a car during your Florida vacation, I recommend renting a car from Discount USA Car Rental.
Which beach in Florida has the most shark teeth?
Venice Beach and the surrounding coastal areas are easily the best places to find shark teeth in Florida. Venice, Florida, is the “shark tooth capital of the world!”
Hunting for shark teeth is one of the best things to do in Venice, Florida. Venice Beach is the best place to find shark teeth in Florida, but many people know about it, so it can get pretty busy.
Finding shark teeth can be a fun activity for the entire family. For the best results, head out at low tide. You can also check out the tide charts if you aren’t sure. It’s also best to look for newly washed-up shark teeth after a big storm (so hurricane season is a good time!)
Where are most shark teeth found?
The best place to find shark teeth in Florida is in Southwest Florida in the Venice/Sarasota area. There are a few places in Florida where you might find shark teeth, but this area is easily the most abundant. Let’s explore the top 10 places to find shark teeth in Florida.
What do you need to look for shark teeth?
You don’t really need anything for shark tooth hunting, but there are a few tools that will come in handy. All you need is something to sift the sand and somewhere to store your treasures. If the kids have sand toys, you’re all set! Most Florida beaches will have local shops that sell what you need, or you can purchase it online in advance:
If you build sand castles on a Florida beach, make sure to know them down afterward, so they are out of the way of the baby sea turtles!
Now that we’ve gone over some shark tooth hunting FAQ, let’s get to the best place in Florida to find shark teeth.
1. Venice Beach
Venice Beach is easily the best place to find shark teeth in Florida. However, it’s also very well known, so you definitely won’t be the only one looking for shark teeth on the beach. There’s a good chance you already know that Venice Beach is the best place to find shark teeth in Florida, but why is Venice Beach such a great place to find shark teeth?
To answer that, we have to go back in time. Millions of years ago, Florida was submerged underwater with many sharks. Over time, as the sharks died, they left their fossilized teeth behind. As a result, this area contains a very deep fossil layer; this is why you’ll fund so many shark teeth in Venice Beach and the nearby areas.
One of the best places to start is the Venice Fishing Pier at Brohard Park. This is a great spot to find fossil shark teeth at any time of the year.
After a long day of searching for shark teeth, check out the 26 Best Places to Eat in Venice, Florida.
2. Caspersen Beach
Caspersen Beach (on Venice Island) is a lesser-known but equally great place to find shark teeth in Florida. This beach is quiet and secluded, with miles of open space away from the crowds of Venice Beach. Casperson Beach is also great for sunbathing, swimming, and shelling, so it’s a beach the entire family can enjoy.
If you walk all the way to the south part of the beach, you’ll actually see Manasota Key, which is where we’ll go next on our journey to find shark teeth in Florida.
3. Manasota Key
Manasota Key has some of our favorite beaches in Florida. It’s also a great place to find shark teeth. Just south of Casperson Beach, you’ll discover Manasota Key.
Our favorite spot on Manasota Key is the southern tip, where you’ll find Stump Pass Beach Park. This beach is massive, and it’s easy to find a spot away from the crowds. This is also an excellent beach for shelling. Walking along the beach, you’ll find thousands of shells (many in perfect condition) just waiting for you to add to your collection. If you sift through them, you’ll find shark teeth too!
Check out our post on the 20 Best Shelling Beaches in Florida if you feel like doing some shelling after your shark tooth hunting.
Look at all of the shells at Stump Pass Beach Park! If you sift through them, you’ll find shark teeth too.
4. Casey Key
Casey Key is located south of Siesta Key (one of the best beaches in the world!) in Nokomis, Florida. Nokomis Beach is a great place to look for shark teeth. If the beach is a little busy, walk north, and you’ll be away from the crowds in no time.
5. Mickler’s Landing
Moving out of the Gulf of Mexico and heading to east Florida, Mickler’s Landing or Mickler’s Beach is another excellent place for finding shark teeth. The best way to find shark teeth at Mickler’s Landing is to head directly to the shore break.
6. Amelia Island
We’ll stay out of southwest Florida again and head to Amelia Island on the northeast coast of Florida. You can learn more about Amelia Island in our East Florida beaches post. Venice Beach and the surrounding areas may be famous for shark teeth, but Amelia Island is also an excellent place to find many shark teeth.
7. Fort Clinch State Park
Fort Clinch State Park is a great place to find shark teeth. Cumberland Sound separates Fort Clinch State Park and Cumberland Island National Seashore. Fresh sand is pumped onto the beaches due to periodic dredging of the channel, making this a great place to find plenty of shark teeth.
8. Jupiter Beach
Jupiter Beach is known for shark sightings, thanks to its warm waters. The 78-degree average temperature makes this a major migration route for many types of sharks. Where there are sharks, there are sharks’ teeth!
9. St. Augustine Beach
If you’re in the St. Augustine area, especially after a storm, St. Augustine Beach and nearby Ponte Vedra Beach can be great spots to hunt for shark teeth. Shark teeth are abundant here, and you can find them any time of the year.
The best time to find shark teeth is after a storm. Make sure to check out things to do in St. Augustine with Kids.
10. Boca Grande
You’ve probably heard that the white-sand beaches on the Gulf Coast are the best place to find shark teeth in Florida. So, let’s head back to Boca Grande, which you’ll find just south of Manasota Key.
Is this the best place to find shark teeth in Florida? Of course, it’s one of the best because it’s a beautiful beach with incredible white sand, so it’s worth a visit even if finding shark teeth fossils is not part of your family vacation plans!
Can you keep shark teeth in Florida?
A very common question is, “Am I allowed to keep shark teeth in Florida?” In Florida, most fossils are protected by law, and you must report anything you find. However, shark teeth are an exception to the rule. With so many shark teeth in Florida, you can keep any you find.
You may also enjoy: The Ultimate List of Florida Lighthouses.
What kind of shark teeth will you find in Florida?
You’ll find many types of shark teeth in Florida, but the most common shark species are:
- lemon shark
- bull sharks
- tiger sharks
- sand shark
- snaggletooth shark
- nurse shark
- great white sharks (but less common)
- megalodon teeth, if you’re lucky!
The best place to find shark teeth in Florida
I hope this post on the best place to find shark teeth in Florida helps you. Where do you plan to look for shark teeth on your next family vacation? If you have a favorite spot that I missed, make sure to let me know in the comments!
More Florida Travel Tips
Don’t forget to check out even more of our best Florida travel ideas:
- The 25 Best East Florida Beaches
- Things to do in Orlando for Christmas
- The 20 best things to do in Navarre with kids
- 2023 Universal Orlando Planning Guide
- Things to do at Hollywood Studios
- 16 things to do in Crystal River with kids
- The 10 best places to see sea turtles in Florida
- The 28 best places to eat in Naples
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