Aside from being known to have some of the best beaches in the world, Florida is popular among modern-day treasure hunters because of the gold and silver coins, jewels, and other precious items that surface on its shores.
Old treasures come from the eleven Spanish galleon ships shipwrecked on the coast of Florida back in the eighteenth century. Ever since these ships sank, remnants are washed ashore with the passing of each storm. It is said that all the lost treasure combined would be worth millions of dollars, attracting many avid metal detecting beachgoers to the east coast.
In most cases, finders get to be keepers when they discover ancient treasures like old coins on a public beach in Florida. If you are looking for the best places to metal detect in Florida, you will find an extensive list of the best beaches to explore and try your luck in finding those lost treasures.
Our picks for the 12 best beaches in Florida to metal detect are as follows:
- Vero Beach
- Wabasso Beach
- Sebastian Inlet
- Melbourne Beach
- Lori Wilson Park
- La Playa Beach
- Seagrape Trail Beach
- Aquarina Beach
- South Beach
- Ambersand Beach
- Siesta Key
- Pepper Park Beach
If you are new to metal detecting, note that searching the dunes and the water is prohibited. However, you’re allowed to metal detect on public beaches between the edge of the dunes and the high tide mark. If you are going to beaches that belong to state or federal parks, check with the park rangers or managers before searching the sand.
12 Best Beaches in Florida to Metal Detect
1. Vero Beach
The area around Vero Beach is known as Treasure Coast because of the gold, silver, and other ancient treasures buried under the waters. Many enthusiasts are drawn to this beach, hopeful that they can leave with at least a doubloon. In the late ’50s, old Spanish coins began turning up on the beaches, and precious treasures have been found from time to time ever since.
Visit the McLarty Treasure Museum if you’d like to see coins, weapons, and tools salvaged from the sunken fleet of Spanish treasure ships. There are stores within the area where you can rent a metal detector for a day if you forgot to bring your own.
2. Wabasso Beach
Located north of Vero Beach is Wabasso Beach, another hotspot for treasure hunters. Aside from the famous treasures from the 1715 sunken fleet, precious ornaments from the San Martin, a Spanish ship that sank in 1618, have also been salvaged here. Beachcombers with metal detectors frequent this beach, usually after a storm comes in from the ocean.
The area is safe for treasure hunting, as precious items most often surface from under layers of sand during this time. You might also want to drop by the McLarty State Treasure Museum, where you can get more information about the 1715 Treasure Fleet and see some of the treasures discovered in the area.
One such lucky beachcomber is Jonah Martinez, who has been combing for buried treasure for 24 years. He discovered almost two dozen silver coins in the Wabasso Beach area in February 2020 while scanning the sands with metal detectors with a group of friends one Friday night. The coins are estimated to be worth around $5,000 to $6,000.
3. Sebastian Inlet
Sebastian Inlet is at the center of the Treasure Coast and is said to be the best place to metal detect in Florida. In the 1980s, treasures with an estimated worth of $300,000 were found within the area. Consequently, present-day treasure hunters come here every year for a chance to find some of these old treasures. If you’re new to this venture, one pro tip is to search along the high-tide line, as this is the best spot to explore for precious items. Also, stay on the beach, as you cannot keep anything found along the dunes.
4. Melbourne Beach
Even further north is another treasure trove – Melbourne Beach. Aside from being a perfect spot for sunbathing, this beach also offers tons of opportunities for present-day treasure hunters to find a peso de Ocho (piece of eight coin) or some jewels from the centuries-old wreckage. This beach is a great place to hunt if you are a metal detecting beginner because many valuable items have been found along the shores in the past. It is important to note, though, that hunting for treasure on privately owned land is prohibited. Be sure to check the boundary lines between public and private properties along this coastline.
5. Lori Wilson Park
The Lori Wilson Park at Cocoa Beach is not as popular for metal detecting as the other spots, which offers beachcombers a greater chance of finding some treasures along the shore. This seaside park is usually frequented by families who want to enjoy a refreshing dip in the Atlantic Ocean and have a picnic.
The park is complete with amenities, including pavilions, a playground, barbecue grills, water fountains, on-site vendors, outdoor showers, a dog park, and restrooms. There are full-time lifeguards present, and parking is free. If you do not have a metal detector, you can rent one from a clock repair shop nearby.
6. La Playa Beach
If you need proof that La Playa Beach is an excellent spot to discover ancient treasures, Steve Styles’ success story should convince you. It was some thirty years ago when he found a ring laden with 56 diamonds and 16 emeralds. He sold this piece of jewelry for $12,000. Steve also found a few more precious pieces, which he decided to keep in a bank safe deposit box.
While some communities and counties and local and state parks would require permits for metal detecting, said Legal Beagle, the city of Naples has no ordinance that restricts metal detecting.
7. Seagrape Trail Beach
This beautiful, secluded beach called Seagrape Trail Beach is another treasure hunter’s paradise. It is where the north end of the wreck is located, and many silver coins from the 1715 sunken Spanish Fleet have been recovered here.
The best place for metal detecting would be from Seagrape Beach to Turtle Trail Beach, as the wreck is distributed over a large area between these beaches. Some of the treasures found here include very rare gold reales and various denominations of gold and silver coins. The Seagrape Trail Beach is unguarded, and it is open from sunrise to sunset.
8. Aquarina Beach
This is another perfect spot to bring your metal detector. There have been numerous 1715 silver Spanish coins found within the Aquarina Beach area, though no shipwreck has been discovered on the reef. This beach is near Melbourne Beach and is also a beautiful spot to relax under the sun. You can park at the Sebastian Beach Inn then access the beach from this point.
9. South Beach
South Beach is another popular beach destination among locals. There is one shipwreck here; a suspected British pirate ship caught while raiding the 1715 shipwreck, so you are likely to find a mix of 1715 and 1800’s treasures. Beach amenities include paved parking, showers, covered pavilions, and restrooms.
10. Ambersand Beach
Located less than a mile south of Sebastian Inlet, you will find Ambersand Beach next to the McLarty Visitor Center in the Vero Beach area. According to historians, the wreckage of the Nuestra Senora de la Regla, another sunken ship from the Spanish fleet in 1715, can be found north of the McLarty Rockpile. Get your metal detector ready because silver and gold coins are frequently found on this treasured beach. Beachcombers are allowed to hunt from the shoreline to the foot of the dunes.
11. Siesta Key
Siesta Key’s fine white sand is another popular destination among modern-day hunters when it comes to treasures. Beachcombers love hunting on this beach because of the powder-like sand and calm waves. It is believed that back when Spanish Galleons and British Frigates roamed these Florida shores, pirates hid their bounty in the shoal draft harbors and blind passes of Florida’s coast.
12. Pepper Park Beach
This is the site where Urca de Lima, a Spanish shipwreck, was discovered in 1928. It was in 1932 when the first salvage permit for Urca de Lima was granted. The hunt for treasure was not fruitful at the time, but searches continued, and, eventually, treasure hunters were able to recover silver wedges, a silver bar, and a cannon. Thus, the site’s modern nickname – The Wedge Wreck.
Conclusion – The Best Beaches in Florida to Metal Detect:
To summarize, here are the best places to metal detect in Florida:
- Vero Beach
- Wabasso Beach
- Sebastian Inlet
- Melbourne Beach
- Lori Wilson Park
- La Playa Beach
- Seagrape Trail Beach
- Aquarina Beach
- South Beach
- Ambersand Beach
- Siesta Key
- Pepper Park Beach
The beaches in Florida offer more than beautiful white sand, clear blue waters, and majestic sunsets. Some of them provide an adventure into finding long-lost treasures. If you are planning your next hunt, this list is your best guide.