Amateur paleontologists have something to celebrate, as some of the nation's top sites for finding fossils are found in southern states. This means relatively warm weather all year round, and a chance to explore the fascinating food, culture, and history of the south while digging up rare artifacts from the planet's past.

Most of the sites on this list are free to enter or charge a nominal fee and allow visitors to keep whatever they find regardless of age or value. Just keep in mind that tools and equipment are generally not included or available for rent. And, guests will always fossil hunt at their own risk. Keep reading to learn where and how to find the most sought-after fossils, and get ready to dig dig dig!

10 Baldwyn, Mississippi

  • Fossils found here: Shark teeth, oysters, scallops, sponges
  • Tips for travelers: The best fossils are found in deep pools below the parking lot and highway bridges that cross the park

The seldom-visited northeastern corner of Mississippi is home to a number of fossil beds, the most impressive of which is found inside the W.M. Browning Cretaceous Fossil Park. Explorers can bring their own tools and waders (or clothes that can get wet) and hunt as much or as little as they'd like, keeping anything and everything that they find.

This exciting fossil park and several others are found just over the border with Tennessee and a short drive from the state's hub for culture, dining, and nightlife, Memphis - which offers plenty of things to do and see. Plan to spend at least a day or two wet sifting in this park's deep concretions for rare finds not located elsewhere in the region, including teeth from ancient goblin sharks.

9 Westmoreland State Park, Virginia

  • Fossils found here: Whale and dolphin teeth and bones, coprolites, shark teeth
  • Tips for travelers: Plan to spend a day or two exploring this lovely state park

Most state parks don't allow people to take fossils - but this one does! Spend hours or days scouring the waterline for outstanding examples from ancient whales and dolphins as well as coprolites (the fancy name for dinosaur poop). Head into the water to sift for larger specimens, or just wait for the tide to bring in smaller fragments twice a day.

Westmoreland State Park is one of Virginia's best state parks with scenic trails, offering beautiful beaches, boat rental, hiking, biking, and camping. Spend a day or two exploring the Potomac in addition to fossil finding, and consider a fall visit for cool weather and beautiful autumn colors.

8 Tybee Island, Georgia

  • Fossils found here: Megalodon, shark teeth, shells
  • Tips for travelers: Bring a dry change of clothes and towels, and plan on getting wet

The waters of the Savannah river around Tybee Island were once dredged to create a channel for shipping. This action dug deep into the riverbed, unearthing layers of prehistoric rock and mud, as well as their contents. The leftover dredge was deposited in huge piles, which, over time, have filtered back into the water.

Keep a close eye on the waterline here, as just about anything black could well turn out to be a shark's tooth. Visitors can also wade in with shovels and sifters for a chance to find larger specimens, like the Megalodon. Local charters are also available, taking guests to the dredge piles themselves, where fossilized finds are nearly guaranteed.

Related: Savannah To Tybee Island: Why This Is The Perfect Georgia Day Trip

7 Ladonia, Texas

  • Fossils found here: Ammonites, belemnites, ancient clams and oysters
  • Tips for travelers: This is one of the nation's most family-friendly fossil-finding destinations

The Ladonia Fossil Park is found a short drive from small cities like McKinney and Paris, Texas (which also has its own Eiffel Tower) making it an easy stop on a road trip. But, visitors planning to spend more than a day in the park will also find plenty of options for lodging, including camping and a number of charming family-friendly bed and breakfast style inns and motels.

There is no fee to park or enter here, and guests are permitted to keep absolutely anything that they find. Chip away at ancient riverbeds and layers of mud to locate fossilized ocean animals, including some familiar species like clams and oysters. Guests should plan on both wet and dry sifting, and bring all their own tools, including hammers, sifters, and safety gear.

6 Wades Bay, Maryland

  • Fossils found here: Shark teeth, gastropods
  • Tips for travelers: Pack a small shovel and a sifter for filtering sand and gravel

Part of the Potomac River and found just an hour from Washington DC, this shallow bay is chock-full of fossils, most of which come from aquatic species like gastropods and sharks. Wander the shoreline at low tide for a chance to spot embedded examples above water. Or, wade in for an opportunity to score harder-to-find specimens.

Visitors will find a shovel and sifter particularly helpful here, as the bay's bottom composition is largely made from gravel and coarse sand. It's best to plan a trip here during the spring and autumn months, as summer can be plagued by thick algae mats. These seasonal blooms make fossil finding challenging, limit shore access, and smell terrible.

Related: Go Fossil Hunting At This Prehistoric Park Near Buffalo, New York

5 Black Cat Mountain, Oklahoma

  • Fossils found here: Trilobites
  • Tips for travelers: Be sure to bring a rock hammer for chipping away at limestone layers

This is the undisputed trilobite capital of the Southern United States, with hundreds of finds possible in a single day. Simply don working gloves and safety glasses, grab a rock hammer, head to any heap of limestone, and start searching.

To locate these fossils, it's necessary to split the larger limestone pieces into layers. In some cases, these will already be visible via cracks. In most cases, the tiny trilobites are sandwiched in between and will break free with one side or the other. Fossils are commonly found grouped together, so it may be essential to split one large piece of stone several times to uncover all the goods hidden within.

These rock piles are also home to potentially hostile wildlife including snakes, spiders, and scorpions, so it's wise to wear gloves at all times.

4 Meg Ledge, North Carolina

  • Fossils found here: Megalodon, shark teeth
  • Tips for travelers: Most of these ledges are found at depths of 100 feet (30 m) or more

This offshore scuba diving destination is actually a series of submerged ledges, found 30 to 40 miles (48 to 64 km) off the coast of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina (which is also great for nightlife). On a calm day, this journey can take between 90 minutes and two hours, but the bounty of fossilized remains found there makes the trip well worthwhile.

In most cases, divers at Meg Ledge take the plunge alone, kneeling on the bottom in deep water. Then, they fan the sand or use digging tools to begin sifting the seafloor for fossils. These are solo immersions, as visibility is low and working in buddy teams will lead to frustration rather than fossil finds.

Much of the fossil diving done here is considered technical and requires special training and certification.

3 Maysville, Kentucky

  • Fossils found here: trilobites, cephalopods, crinoids, gastropods
  • Tips for travelers: For safe roadside hunting, wear bright colors and avoid sunrise and sunset hours

The Maysville roadcut is a manmade formation cut into a natural geological one in order to build an interstate highway. Found in Northeastern Kentucky, is one of the nation's top spots for finding the fossilized skeletons of ancient creepy crawlies like trilobites and gastropods.

This is a dry sift environment, and visitors will find it helpful to bring a few tools along. A sturdy rock hammer is essential for chipping and prying, and a sifter or strainer can help separate fossils from gravel and other debris. Be sure to keep an eye on traffic and don't get too close to the roadside.

Related: 10 Things You Can Only See In Kentucky

2 Venice, Florida

  • Fossils found here: Shark teeth, whale, dugong, three toed horse
  • Tips for travelers: Most fossil finding in Venice is done while scuba diving, but many outstanding specimens wash up on shore

There's a lot to do at Venice Beach; it's most famous for its powder-soft sand, calm clear water, and ocean activities like deep sea fishing. But few visitors realize that just below the water's surface and all along the shoreline lies a hidden treasure trove of fossils, many of which come from long-extinct species of sharks and other oceanic animals.

One of the top ways to find fossils in Venice is while scuba diving. However, travelers who don't want to wear a tank underwater can easily spot a specimen or two snorkeling or beachcombing. Bring a small shovel or spade and a sieve to turn up tons of non-fossilized sharks teeth, too!

1 Summerville, South Carolina

  • Fossils found here: Megalodon, other sharks teeth
  • Tips for travelers: Plan for both wet and dry digging here

Just a stone's throw from Charleston, this sleepy suburb has transformed into the Southern United States' foremost fossil-finding destination. Visitors will sift through both wet and dry substrate in large exposed pits, searching for fossilized shark teeth, including pristine examples of the prized Megalodon.

Sharks aren't the only extinct species found here. Ancient specimens of whales, walruses, and giant sloths are also commonly located - though rarely intact. Hire a local guide for the best chances of finding a museum-quality specimen here.