While the beach was made for basking in the sun, it's always nice to have a shady retreat for when the heat gets to be too much. Whether you prefer to stay out of the sun completely or you just like a little shade every now and then, the best beach tents are a great thing to have among your supplies.
To help you find the perfect choice, I've researched dozens of beach tents on Amazon and gathered the best ones below. Here are the main factors I considered:
- Sun protection: This may seem like an obvious factor, but believe it or not, there are actually sun tents out there that don't feature UV-blocking material. I made sure all of these picks are made with fabric that has UPF 50+ sun protection (with the exception of my pick for the best overnight tent).
- Ventilation: There's no point in providing sun protection if the tent's design makes you too hot to sit underneath it. All of the choices below provide some type of ventilation, be it mesh panels, built-in windows, or open-air configurations.
- Ease of setup: I looked for tents that don't require a dense instruction manual or half an hour of your time to get set up. Most of my picks either pop open like an umbrella or involve a few poles and some tie-downs.
Below, I've rounded up the best beach tents on Amazon in variety of styles. Scroll on to find the one that's ideal for your needs — and while you're at it, you may want to check out the best beach coolers, too.
1The Best Dome-Style Tent
What's great about it: This simple-to-use beach tent (which has 2,000-plus reviews on Amazon) is a wonderful overall choice that's easy to set up, breaks down fast, and comes with a convenient carrying case. It's designed with a hub-style system with poles that glide in smoothly and don't require complicated directions. The tent also features sand-pockets if you need to add extra stability on windy days. Not only that, but it also has breezy windows for ventilation, a water-resistant floor made of durable polyethylene material, and UPF 50+ material for sun protection.
What fans say: "This tent exceeded my expectations! This tent shielded my entire family of 5! That's 3 children and 2 adults! My husband is 6 feet tall and he was able to sit comfortably inside. The shade from the tent also extended about another 3 feet out so it still covered the kids while playing in the sand! The set up and take down was very easy. The tent came with stakes to secure it from blowing away but you can also fill the side flaps attached to the tent with sand and have the same effect!"
2The Best Umbrella-Style Tent
What's great about it: With this unique umbrella-style beach tent, the assembly is especially hassle-free. You just pop it out like a giant umbrella and then put the stakes into the ground to keep it secure. It also has three tie-down cords for added stability. Although it's smaller than the first option, it still fits four to five people fairly comfortably (although with camp chairs it gets much tighter). The 5-millimeter steel stretcher is tough and durable, and the 210-denier polyester offers UPF 50+ sun protection.
What fans say: "This umbrella was a great buy! Easy to carry with a slip case and long handle. It goes over your shoulder just like your butterfly chairs would. The stakes aren't always necessary but work well and have a small bag to keep everything together. Sturdy, well made, and great color! When sitting on its side like in the picture, you can fit a chair under it and sit comfortably. It's saved us from soggy soccer bags, and bad sunburn more times than I can count. I love this thing!"
3The Best Canopy-Style Tent
What's great about it: The pros to this canopy-style beach tent are that it's lightweight and offers considerably more space than the other options — especially overhead space. At 7 feet tall, it's roomy enough to stand up underneath comfortably, and the nylon-LYCRA material blend offers UPF 50+ protection. As a bonus, fans say it performs exceptionally well in high winds, so it's a good choice if you spend time on breezy beaches. The cons are that it does take longer to set up (about five minutes), and it doesn't offer side protection.
What fans say: "This beach canopy/tent is awesome! Easy to put together and easy to take down and carry in the bag it comes with. Love it, love it!"
4The Best Overnight Tent
What's great about it: If you're looking for an option you can camp out on the beach with, this lightweight summer tent is an excellent choice. It isn't too hot, the stakes work great in the sand, and it can handle salt and other beachy elements. Designed for two people, it's constructed with tough-but-breathable polyester and ventilated mesh wall panels to keep cool. The taped seams on the floor help you stay dry if you use it in the rain, and the poles are smooth and easy to set up. Since it's designed for overnight usage, this is the only option on the list that doesn't feature UPF-protection.
What fans say: "I had a two-night beach backpacking trip coming up and no backpacking tent, so after a great deal of deliberating and comparing tents, I decided to take a gamble on this one. Glad I did! This tent performed like a champ and I have no complaints. We bought additional, longer stakes just because we were camping in sand, but the ones included also did a fine job ... Spacious, sound, and a great value."
5The Best Budget Option
What's great about it: With more than 2,300 reviews and a 4-star rating, this lightweight beach tent is another one that enjoys a virtual cult following on Amazon. Although the quality and durability isn't quite as high as other options on this list, it is nevertheless a solid tent with an easy-to-use design and reliable UPF 50+ sun protection. It has built-in storage pockets and a window in the back you can unzip for added ventilation. It also has extended front-floor zippers to offer privacy.
What fans say: "We love the fact you can have two real adult chairs inside. The back 'window' has both a solid flap and mesh screen, but can also be unzipped for a rear exit. Both the screen and solid flap have double zippers, and you can just unzip one if you need to get out the back. There are nice toggles at the top of the 'window' to easily secure the flaps. The shade held up well to beach winds, even a storm coming from the north ... The whole package is light enough for a kindergartner to carry."
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