Lincoln City’s Finders Keepers

When you’re exploring the coast near Lincoln City, Oregon, be on the lookout for the colorful twinkle of a hand-blown glass float. As the name suggests, those who find one get to keep it!

The glass floats hold a special connection to water. Treasure hunters used to search Oregon’s coastline for Japanese fishing floats. The orbs in gleaming shades of green and blue kept fishing nets afloat but sometimes drifted away. On this side of the Pacific, they were collected, polished, and admired—the ultimate find for a dedicated beachcomber.

Nowadays, a group of “float fairies” place handcrafted glass floats of different sizes and designs on the beach. Hiding floats on the beach encourages visitors to explore and appreciate the coast’s natural beauty. As you search, you get to enjoy the fresh ocean air and the lull of waves crashing.

We’ll let you in a little secret—they place extra floats on the beach for holidays and special occasions! Check out when the next drops are happening here: https://www.explorelincolncity.com/glass-floats/special-drops