Whether you prefer them raw or grilled, whole with a splash of lemon juice or spicy at the bottom of a shooter glass, oysters are one of the tastiest shellfish you can treat yourself to. If you’ve ever wondered how these mollusks are harvested or how on earth you’re supposed to pop those rocky shells open, check out these four places where you can harvest and shuck your own oysters.
Island Creek Oysters, Duxbury, Massachusetts
Island Creek Oyster Bar is an institution for seafood lovers in Boston, but if you really want to get your oyster fix, head directly to the source with a visit to Island Creek Oysters’ farm in Duxbury. Sign up for a tour and spend an afternoon learning just how these mollusks are grown while touring the farm aboard an oyster skiff. Top your afternoon off by digging into the waters, pulling out your very own oysters and shucking them on the spot.
Humboldt Bay Oyster Tours, Eureka, California
Northern California’s Humboldt Bay produces impressive oysters, and you can learn all about what makes these oysters special with a two-hour tour by Humboldt Bay Oyster Tours. A motorboat will take you out on the waters where these Pacific Coast oysters are grown, and after learning about the history and techniques of oyster farming, you’ll get down and dirty as you harvest three oysters to take home. Visit the tasting room inside Humboldt Bay Tourism Center.
Milford, Connecticut
If you prefer the wide-open shores to an organized farm tour, you can go shellfishing to your heart’s content on the shores of Milford, Connecticut. No license is required to dig for oysters recreationally in Milford. Just make sure you only harvest oysters larger than 3 inches and take no more than half a bushel per day. The beaches from Silver Sands State Park to Cedar Beach are open for shellfishing.
Hood Canal, Washington
Oysters and clams are so common along the shores of Hood Canal that you don’t really need a tour to help you learn how to spot them. Just look down as the tide pulls back and you’ll see shellfish literally covering the ground. Your best bets for oyster beds include Belfair State Park, North Bay and Eagle Creek. Don’t forget your bucket!
(Featured image: Extra Zebra)
