Seashell and sea glass hunting in Puerto Rico
By Kirsti Scott
Expert shell collectors GiGi Johnson, Ken Overly, Amanda Collett, and Angela Buckley had always wanted to try their luck at sea glass collecting. They had heard about the beautiful sea glass that could be found in Puerto Rico and wanted to take a trip to hunt for beach glass nuggets on the Island of Enchantment. “For two years we planned this trip off and on until magically we found dates that worked for all of us,” says GiGi, who lives in Bonita Springs, Florida. “I think we got it right—we hunted for sea glass for six days in a row, it was a whirlwind kind of trip, and for sure it was a group effort. We thank everyone who provided helpful advice over the last two years and friends who gave us the final push to go on the adventure of a lifetime.”
I met up with GiGi, Amanda, and Ken at the Sanibel Shell Show and spoke with them about my visit to Puerto Rico and what a great time I had there. “It was difficult to contain our excitement when we met you, talking about shelling and visiting Puerto Rico to go sea glass hunting had been a dream of ours,” GiGi told me. “You were the push we needed.”
The cast of shellers
Ken can usually be found piloting the boat for Treasure Seekers Shell Tours or managing operations at Shore Goods Shop in Marco Island, Florida, but in Puerto Rico, he was in charge of driving the car. “Ken provided luxury service for us ladies, pumping gas and kindly dropping the ladies curbside,” GiGi says. “We now refer to him as ‘Mr. Google.’ If not for Ken we would still be lost in paradise, driving in circles.”
Amanda is a seashell artist, the author of a seashell collecting book, and owner of Amanda’s Ocean Treasures, where she sells seashells and sea-inspired goods. “Amanda supplied research and information before and during our trip and was on her phone researching to provide correct information on our daily road trips,” says GiGi. “We now refer to Amanda as ‘Super Achiever.’”
Angela is also an avid sheller, and on this trip she provided extra backup for driving, research, and selecting restaurants,” says GiGi. “She helped with driving and navigation on our daily trips.” Her driving style earned her the nickname of “Evel Knievel.”
GiGi Johnson is a photographer and avid shell and sea glass collector and was responsible for hotel reservations, airline arrangements, and car service connections. “I’m now referred to as ‘Driving Miss Daisy,’” she laughs.
The plan
Before they left on their trip, they did a lot of work to prepare. “Finding dates that worked for us was first on our list,” GiGi says. “We researched the region by satellite, studying maps and reading many posts on sea glass sites.” GiGi recommends doing research before the trip and having an understanding of where and what you want to do while in Puerto Rico. “Above all, plan your driving time between beaches, as most beaches we visited were miles away from each other,” GiGi says. “Google Maps will become your best friend on this trip.” She also recommends having printouts of important documents, confirmation numbers, addresses, and necessary telephone numbers in case you do not have cell phone service.
The group booked airline tickets, rented an SUV to be able to drive from one end of Puerto Rico to the other, and set off on their trip. They flew directly from Fort Lauderdale to San Juan and had a driver take them to their hotel, located in the beachfront area of Condado. “The hotel included breakfast each morning and had onsite restaurants, which was something important to us since we knew we would be leaving early morning and arriving home late each day,” says GiGi. “We were able to eat dinner onsite without driving after dark.”
Best beaches
The group visited many beaches, but most did not have shells or sea glass. “One day was a complete washout because we were told that Sea Glass Beach in Vieques was loaded with sea glass,” GiGi says. “But after driving several hours to reach the ferry and two more hours to get to Sea Glass Beach, we did not find one piece of sea glass.”
They did find some great beaches, however, around the island. “Hands down, we found the best sea glass across the street from El Capitolio (The Capitol Building) in San Juan,” says GiGi. “The beach is located directly across the street from the building, down the concrete steps to the beach. Our first visit to this beach was planned on the weekend so we could park free of charge at The Capitol Building parking lot. During the week, we parked in a pay lot, which involved some walking.”
Driving at least an hour one way is not out of the question when looking for sea glass in Puerto Rico, and they found their second-favorite beach on the west coast of Puerto Rico. “When we reached the beachfront restaurant Rompeolas Bar and Grill in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, we found sea glass and coral by the handfuls,” says Gigi. “It was a very laid-back, Jimmy Buffet kind of place, with good bar food, a friendly atmosphere, views of the water, and steps to the beach. Life doesn’t get any better for sea glass hunters.”
They found an array of unusual colors of sea glass, including yellow, red, aqua, several shades of green, cobalt blue, amber, and dark orange, along with some beautiful coral.
The group found their third-favorite beach in the northwest corner of Puerto Rico. “I was dazzled by our next favorite beach, Middles Beach, near Las Dunas located in Isabela,” GiGi explains.
“The beaches are rocky, with dunes protecting the beaches and with breathtaking views. We climbed the dunes, and we were not prepared to see such stunning beaches, rock formations, and captivating blue water. It was a perfect day to be on the beach; we were the only people in sight.”
They collected a variety of sea urchins and tiny seashells, as well as sea glass hidden in the washed-up debris. They spent several hours there and made a second visit. “We found small pieces of sea glass, but the real finds were hundreds of cowrie shells, sea urchins, and an unbelievable number of mini shells—they were everywhere.”
Great memories
On their trip they got to view the mountainside carving La Cara del Indio, which honors the Taíno chief Cacique Mabodamaca who fought against the Spanish invasion of Puerto Rico. “We were lucky enough to see and visit the sculpture while in Isabel—you can’t miss seeing because of its sheer size,” GiGi says. In 2000, Charlie Delgado Altieri, Mayor of Isabela, commissioned Artisan Isaac Laboy to make a sculpture looking as if it was carved by the Taíno themselves.
“Even though our trip was about finding sea glass and we traveled hundreds of miles per day, more importantly, we brought home memories of how beautiful the beaches and natural sights are in Puerto Rico,” GiGi says. “We visited small villages, enjoyed the people and friendly atmosphere, and were pleasantly surprised by how good the food was.”
After two years of talking about going to Puerto Rico on a sea glass excursion, it finally came to pass. “What a whirlwind six days, it was hardcore,” laughs GiGi.
Gigi’s Travel Tips:
- Traveling from mainland America to Puerto Rico does not require a passport due to its status as a U.S. territory.
- You can rent a car at the airport or in some hotels.
- Bring an extra suitcase for your beach treasures from Puerto Rico. “Thank goodness I brought an extra suitcase because it was filled with bags of shells, sea glass and beach rocks,” GiGi says.
- Bring zip lock bags to pack your sea glass in your extra suitcase.
- Rent a car. “We rented a midsize SUV for comfort and room for the four of us to get around the island and we probably drove a thousand miles in six days, crossing back and forth and visiting some beaches more than once,” says GiGi.
- Make sure you have cellphone service, phone charging cords, and Google Maps to navigate around the island.
Learn more about the best beaches and destinations for sea and beach glass, seashells, fossils, rocks, and more beach finds around the world. Articles ›
Learn more about seashells
Learn more about identifying shells, the history of seashell collecting, great shelling beaches, and the lives of the animals who make the shells we find on the beach. Articles ›
No live shelling: Be sure shells are empty and sand dollars, sea stars, and sea urchins are no longer alive before you bring them home.
This article appeared in Beachcombing Magazine Volume 50 September/October 2025.
