What Are Oregon's 'Glass Floats' And When Is The Best Time For This Hidden Coastal Treasure Hunt?

Oftentimes, it takes some digging to find some of the best hidden destinations along the expansive Oregon Coast such as Gold Beach, a pristine beach town full of forest trails and ocean views or the scenic cobbled beach with soothing waves, harbor seals, and a lighthouse, the appropriately named Cobble Beach. As you head about 40 minutes north from Newport's Cobble Beach, you'll encounter Lincoln City, where a different type of hunting awaits -– this time for glass treasures.

In Lincoln City, known as a coastal artsy haven with breathtaking beaches, these hand-blown glass floats are, in fact, artisan creations, which are intentionally placed onto the beaches for treasure hunters to find and keep.  The hunt for these unique treasures was inspired by the past when Japanese blue and green fishing floats were found on the Oregon coastline. They are part of the Finders Keepers Initiative, which began in 1997 as part of the greater Millennium Float project to usher in the new millennium, and is sponsored by the city. While fishing boats have stopped using glass floats, artists all over Oregon still create these works of art, by using molten glass, forming it and blowing air into it to create its round shape. The small opening in the bottom is sealed off, which provides the floatability since the air is trapped inside. The time it takes a skilled glassblowing artist to create one of these treasures varies depending on how many colors are added, and involves allowing appropriate cooling time after the glass is formed. A number is added to each piece on the bottom for identification, which tracks the piece's artisan and origination once claimed. 

Annually, approximately 3,000 of these glass pieces are "hidden" along the city's seven miles of beaches, from Roads End to Siletz Bay, and beachcombers can start from public access points.  Don't fret if you're on a float hunt. According to the city, the pieces aren't truly hidden in hard-to-find locations, as the intention is to be found. Look for them below a beach embankment, but safe from high tide, and they won't be located amongst the beach grass, either. You can hunt for the floats every day, year round, however, the Explore Lincoln City tourism website shares specific special drop days on their website. These dates are typically associated with a holiday, local special event, or other theme, and the tourism website shares approximately how many are dropped during that timeframe. The October dates, as an example, coincide with the Indigenous People's Day long weekend, and another one is at the end of the month starting on Halloween.

Once you find one of the coveted beach treasures, you'll want to register it online at the Finders Keepers page, by phone at 541-996-1274, or in person at the Lincoln City Welcome Center at 801 SE Highway 101, using a number on the underside of the float. You'll receive an authenticity certificate and information about the artist who created it. The Finders Keepers website lists the art studios and glass blowers responsible for the creations each year. Finders are encouraged to share photos of their pieces on social media using the hashtag #FindersKeepersLC to the city's Facebook, Instagram, or X pages (@LincolnCityOR). While you're visiting Lincoln City, consider camping near the action at Devils Lake Campground, the only coastal campground inside a city and near tasty seafood restaurants.

Keep in mind additional guidance shared by Explore Lincoln City if you undertake a beachy glass-treasure hunt. The experts advise the floats are dropped multiple times per day in multiple locations, only during daylight hours, whether it's raining or the sun is shining. Occasionally, extreme bad weather doesn't permit placement, and beachcombers can find out on social media. Additionally, it's requested that only one float is received per house annually, so that as many visitors as possible can share the experience.

If you're not up for the hunt or aren't lucky enough to find one, you can visit the Lincoln City Glass Center to shop for a ready-made piece or create your own. You can book an appointment online for crafting your own piece, alongside a professional artist, where you can choose from a variety of sizes and colors. They range in price from $75 to $225, and can be picked up the next day (after they cool down), or they can be shipped for an additional cost. The center is generally open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  They also offer online ordering for those who can't trek to Lincoln City in person. You can also earn a chance to receive one of the glass floats if you're willing to commit an act of service in exchange for being entered into a monthly drawing. This entails collecting a bag of trash from the beach under the "Trash for Treasures" program, and uploading a photo of the act to their website. Visitors and locals with accessibility issues who can't roam the beach can also enter a drawing at the Welcome Center.