Most people know that Florida has amazing beaches that make for amazing vacations. However, far fewer people are aware that Florida is also home to the shark tooth capital of the world. Venice Beach is the best place to go shark tooth hunting and you won’t want to miss this.
Here is everything you need to know to be set up for success on your first ever shark tooth hunt. From what beach to visit, to where to look once you’re there and more. This guide can help you have a successful trip while you experience this fun activity.
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Shark Tooth Capital of the World
Venice has miles and miles of sandy beaches and there is a very good chance you yourself can find a tooth or two along the sandy shoreline. However, the best way to make a huge discovery like larger tooth or even the chance of finding a megalodon tooth is to go scuba diving. Local Venice dive boats with experienced guides will take scuba divers to the best spots and help them find a lot of teeth and possibly some larger shark teeth.
Where do the Shark Teeth Come From
The shark teeth you find on the beaches near Venice are actually fossilized shark teeth. Thousands of years ago, when Florida was submerged underwater there was a large population of sharks that lived in the area. Every shark goes through thousands of teeth during their life. Additionally, when the sharks die their bodies disintegrate slowly over time except their teeth which are hard enough to persist and become fossils.
The Venice area beaches are on top of a fossil layer filled with the shark teeth. And with every wave and especially with storms new shark teeth are revealed and carried to shore. Most shark teeth today come from prehistoric sharks. In fact some teeth being found are actually from extinct varieties of sharks.
The good news is, there are shark teeth, but not because there are tons of sharks currently living in the water. So not only are these beaches great for shark tooth hunting but they are still amazing places to play and swim all day long.
Source: visitsarasota.com
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Best Florida Beach For Shark Tooth Hunting: Englewood Beach
Venice is the largest town in the area, so Venice Beach gets the most attention as the Shark Tooth Capital. However the truth is there are several beaches in the area and you can find shark teeth at all of them. A few are better than others though, here are the best beaches to go shark tooth hunting at in Florida.
Englewood Beach
Englewood Beach was where I had the most success finding shark teeth. Obviously I can’t guarantee the same results for everyone but because of our group’s success here, I am ranking Englewood Beach the number one beach in Florida for shark tooth hunting.
We also found many amazing seashells at Englewood Beach so make sure you take a second to go shelling when you get tired of shark tooth hunting.
Other Beaches to find Shark Teeth in Florida
Caspersen Beach
Caspersen was the first beach we stopped at because it is often listed as the top Florida beach for shark tooth hunting. We did find some shark teeth here and there were many other people hunting for shark teeth while we were there. I think it is a great place to visit to find shark teeth but its popularity may also make it harder to find shark teeth. This would be a good beach to visit first thing in the morning so that it isn’t picked over yet. The sand here is also made from small pebbles which I didn’t like as much as traditional sand.
Venice Beach
Venice beach is another popular beach because it is by the downtown Venice area and in close proximity to many restaurants. I only found one shark tooth while we were at this beach and everyone I was with also struggled to find any. You can find shark teeth here but it may depend on how busy it is as well as what time of day you visit.
I have heard that the best spot on Venice Beach to find shark’s teeth is near the Venice Fishing Pier. We were a decent way away from the pier due to where we parked but it may be worth getting as close to the pier as possible for better success.
Manasota Key Beach
Another good place to go is Manasota Key Beach, a beach between Englewood Beach and Caspersen Beach. It is another great spot to find shark teeth that is lesser known. Since less people visit Manasota beach each day, your odds of finding shark teeth increases.
Nokomis Beach
Nokomis Beach is most well known for its seashells. You can find fossil shark teeth here but I would only come here if you are prepared to not find any teeth. The good news is, your collection of shells makes a nice consolation prize.
How to Find Shark Teeth on the Beach
When you first start hunting for shark teeth it will feel difficult. You don’t really know what you’re looking for or the best techniques to use. Here are several tips that will make things a little easier. And remember, once you find one or two and you know what to look for, it gets much easier.
Shark tooth hunting is not hard but it does take a little patience and persistence.
Visit After a Storm
If you can pick any time to visit the area, the best time to visit the shark tooth beaches of Florida is right after a big storm. Storms kick up new sand and shark teeth from the fossil layer and carry them to land so there will be more shark teeth available.
Don’t stress if a storm hasn’t come through recently though. It may take a little more patience but you can find shark teeth any time of year.
Low Tide
When you visit the beach at low tide you have more opportunities to find new treasures like shark teeth. When the water recedes it leaves more beach than during high tide. That is all new areas to explore.
Waves break, in the Water
One of the best places to look for shark teeth at the beach is in the water right where the waves break. The waves come in and then they deposit new treasures when they hit land. With every wave, there are new opportunities being washed up. The shallow waters is perfect to stand or sit in as you search, luckily it helps keep you cool in the hot sun.
Look for large concentrations or small piles of shells either underwater or on shore. This is where the current tends to leave not just shells but shark teeth too. I actually had the best luck finding an abundance of shark teeth on the backside of a sand ledge. The water levels had risen a lot after a storm and when it receded it left a small hill of sand. On the side of the hill opposite the water there were a lot of shells and a TON of shark teeth.
Sifter and Shovel
There is no special gear you HAVE to have when shark tooth hunting. You can use just your hands and eyes and find many. However a sifter may help or make things a little easier. There are sifter and shovel sets that you can rent or purchase from businesses in the area. The shark tooth sifter has a float on them which is really handy and the shovels help you reach past the top layer of sand and silt. You never know where you’ll find a shark tooth. The special shovels are nicknamed a “Venice snow shovel” or a “Florida snow shovel” and are really just triangular mesh buckets attached to a handle.
I brought a small sifter from my kids toy set and it worked fine. But I actually preferred grabbing a large handful of sand, spreading it in a thin layer across my hand and then searching that handful for a tooth. After finding or not finding a tooth I rinsed my hand off and started again with a new handful.
Look Carefully, Some are Small
Some of the shark teeth are really small and some are different colors ranging from orange/brown to black. Take your time and be patient. It will take a little bit of time to figure out exactly what you’re looking for.
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What Kinds of Shark Teeth Can You Find in Venice, Florida
The most commonly found shark teeth in Venice, Florida are Sand shark, Lemon sharks, Mako shark or Bull Sharks.
Alongside shark teeth you can also find fossils such as the stingray mouth plate pieces.
Shark Tooth ID guide:
The Florida Museum has a great shark tooth ID guide you can use to try and figure out what type of shark the teeth you find came from.
Where to Eat in Venice
For dinner we ate at Magnolias. This is a cute pink restaurant right along the water. Their back patio has stunning views and the lighting really sets the mood for a nice dinner. The sushi received five star reviews from everyone in our group. I tried the steak salad. The steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned although the salad as a whole fell a little flat. Over I give it five stars for atmosphere and four stars for food.
For breakfast, lunch or brunch we really enjoyed Blu’ Island Bistro. The House-made donuts were absolutely amazing and definitely my favorite thing I tried. I also ordered the chicken salad sandwich and it was great. The only thing I will say negatively about this place is that they did not handle our large party well. They tried, but overall service ended up being slow, there were mix ups with the bills at the end, etc. If you are going with a small party of people you should be just fine.
More to Do in Venice
- Shop in Downtown Venice
- Kayak the canals
- Shark tooth festival in April
Read More: Best Things to Do in Venice Florida (coming soon)
Shark Tooth Beach in Florida
Venice Beach and the surrounding area is considered the shark tooth capital of the world. You simply cannot visit here without trying to find a few teeth yourself. Shark tooth hunting is a surprisingly addictive beach passtime. It was so exciting every singlet time you found a shark tooth, it felt like winning a prize. It does take a little patience and practice but it is very worth it.
So next time you’re in Florida, make time to visit this hidden gem on the gulf coast of Florida and find a few shark teeth to take home. There are plenty of shark teeth for everyone and it fun to become shark teeth hunters for a day.
