The Best Beach Towels for Days by the Water
When it comes to the best beach towels, everyone has different priorities: Some travelers need towels that roll up into next to nothing, others want one that will keep them sand-free, while families might prioritize size over everything else. Regardless of what kind of trip you're packing for (or if you're only venturing as far as your own pool), there are some parameters every good towel should meet. You want it to be soft, comfortable, and spacious enough to lay out on and wrap around yourself after toweling off. Beyond that, though, there's plenty of variation, so we tested some of the top towels on the market to find out which ones are worth spending your money on—and adding to your suitcase.
Read on for 16 of the best beach towels you can buy right now, including an oversized towel, quick-drying options, and one that's begging to be the star of your vacation photos. And for more beach-friendly gear, check out our recommendations for top-notch beach bags, women's bathing suits, and face sunscreens.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
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Brooklinen Cabana beach towel
Brooklinen, a popular (and hotel-friendly) sheets and bath towel brand, makes beach towels, too. The '70s-esque wave- and sand-inspired designs come in bright color schemes like wave runner, sunset, sunrise, and cabana. They're also nice and long at 70 inches, so you can drape them over beach chairs without your calves missing out on coverage, and have a soft, velour front and absorbent terry cloth back.
Slowtide Hapa oversize beach towel
If you're looking for a more unique design to add to your seaside packing list, this oversized Slowtide towel might do the trick. The retro leaf pattern is funky and bright, and the 40-inch width means plenty of room to spread out while sunbathing.
Serena & Lily Mallorca beach towel
If you’re looking for a soft, fluffy cotton beach towel to wrap around yourself poolside or after popping out of the ocean, Serena & Lily’s Mallorca towels are a solid bet. They’re a little too heavy to pack on a weekend beach trip or stash in a carry-on, but they’re perfect to stock up on if you have a beach house or live close enough to the water to need a set of beach towels on hand. (You can buy them individually or in sets of two, four, eight, or 12.) At 40 inches by 70 inches, they’re roomy enough to lay out on, even if you’re tall. Just be sure to give them a good shake after use—the fringe edges may hold onto sand.
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Brooklinen Artist Series beach towel
Another favorite from Brooklinen: the Artist Series, a set of beach towels designed by New York City artists Kath Nash, Josh Cochran, and Cheryl Thuesday. The brand itself was born in Brooklyn, and the towels reflect different elements of the city—the NYC Summer towel, shown above, is sprinkled with dollar slices, hot dogs, and soft serve, among other illustrations. Like Brooklinen's other towels, these ones are soft and absorbent, made mostly of cotton, and measure 34" by 70". Bring these cushy towels along to beach days and park hangs alike.
Matouk Leaping Leopard beach towel
Matouk's 100 percent cotton, Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified beach towels are among the best designed on the list—fringe tassels and a repeating big cat pattern make sure of it. Available in five color combinations, including the sunny yellow and light pink duo shown above, these towels are great to pack in a checked bag or toss in the backseat for your summer road trip. They're nice and wide at 40" across, run 70" long, and are soft and cozy out of the box thanks to the cotton velour texture.
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Nomadix double-sided towel
There's no doubt about it, Nomadix makes some of the best microfiber beach towels for travel. The brand's fast-drying towel (microfiber dries quicker than cotton) weighs just over a pound, packs down smaller than a pair of jeans, and comes in dozens of bright patterns and styles, with even more options available on Amazon (you can also find them at retailers like REI and Nordstrom). When you're really packing light—say, on a camping trip or when biking to the beach—this is the towel you want to bring along. It’ll keep the sand from coming with you after the beach and is a bit softer than the other microfiber styles we've tested. Plus, it’s made with recycled plastic bottles. The brand’s smaller ultralight towels, which at 54 inches by 30 inches aren’t quite long enough to lay out on, are another handy travel-size option for beach days, camping, or backpacking trips.
Serena & Lily Tide Stripe Umbrella blanket
For an added dose of functionality, check out this Serena & Lily Umbrella Blanket. It has an umbrella hole in the center to create seating under the shade (and keep your towel from flying away on windy days), and comes with its own carrying case to make toting it from the beach house to the sand a little easier—and leave more room in your beach bag. It comes in four summery striped colors—lobster red, sunflower yellow, botanical green, and French blue—each of which have hand-knotted fringe along the edge.
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Dock & Bay Cabana beach towel
For those who can’t stand a sandy towel, Dock & Bay’s quick-dry Cabana travel towels are key to enjoying beach days—the smooth texture ensures sand won't cling to it. The nautical, striped towels are sold in two sizes, large and extra large, and come with a travel pouch they pack down into (meaning they take up very little room in your beach bag). The material, a shiny microfiber, isn’t as cushy as the towels you may be used to—it feels a bit odd to towel off with, but dries incredibly quickly (up to three times faster than a standard cotton towel, the company says). An additional perk: There’s a small elastic hook on the back for easy hanging.
Vilebrequin Jacquard Solid beach towel
You know the feeling. You’re wading out of the ocean after a wave-jumping session, there’s salt in your eyes and mouth, all you want to do is collapse onto the sand and suddenly you can’t locate your friends and family among the teeming crowds. Owners of towels from colorful French label Vilebrequin rarely have this problem. The swimwear brand is best known for its vivid trunks, but its towels, which have been brightening up Saint Tropez beach days since 1971, are often overlooked. As well constructed as they are bright, all come in a soft, high-quality, 100 percent cotton.
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Tesalate Bora Bora sand-free towel for two
Traveling with kids? This sand-resistant oversized beach towel rolls up small and means less towels to pack, as a few kids (or two adults) can lounge on it at once. At 64 inches wide and tall, it's not the longest in the bunch, but it does offer an extra-wide area to spread out, and will both shake sand off easily and dry quickly.
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Missoni Home Adam striped beach towel
Care for a designer beach towel? If lounging on a solid-color towel doesn’t jibe with your beach aesthetic, Missoni’s signature zigzag look may be more your style. The Adam striped beach towel is made with terry cloth and cotton, meaning it’ll feel as soft as your bath towels, and comes in a multi-color print that is sure to turn heads at the beach. At 39 inches wide and almost 71 inches long, it’s made for laying out.
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L.L.Bean Sunbuster blanket
If you're looking for a beach blanket in addition to towels, consider this spacious option from L.L.Bean. It's just the thing to park a handful of kids on or lay out on top of so as to keep towels dry til the end of the day. Plus, it folds up into a tidy rectangle, has a shoulder strap for easy carrying, and can double as group seating at a picnic, sporting event, or concert.
Mer Sea beach wrap
If you’re really short on space, or just prefer to pack as light as possible, Mer Sea’s Beach Wrap performs double duty: Spread it out to use as a beach towel, dry off with it (it’s made of 100 percent cotton and is quite lightweight), then drape it over your shoulders to use as a coverup or tie it around your waist like a sarong. It's absorbency isn't as high as other options, but if you’re not planning on diving in the water, or have time to let the sun dry you off, it’ll certainly do its job, and makes for a little more room in your suitcase. Best of all, it’s machine-washable and dryer friendly.
