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A big, bright beach towel is essential for all your summer water activities. Whether you’re planning on swimming or simply relaxing near a body of water, your beach towel should be absorbent, roomy, and colorful. Even a particularly visually striking one meant for the bathroom can pull double duty in a pinch, and I can tell you from personal experience that there are several that fit the bill. To bring you the very best beach towels, I tested several myself and consulted surfers, swimsuit designers, and beach-resort employees about their favorites. Below, the nine best beach towels for every kind of pool and beach day, from plush cotton-terry towels to packable microfiber options that resist sand and odor. And don’t forget the chair, an umbrella, and a cooler, if you’re planning to get all your beach gear in order.
Update on August 23, 2024: Swapped out-of-stock Dusen Dusen beach towel to bath towel; updated prices and checked stock for all products.
What we’re looking for
Material
Towels, says textile-science instructor Deborah Young, “always start with the fiber.” And if you like fluffy beach towels, that fiber should be cotton. “A blend is not a good choice here,” she says. “It should be 100 percent cotton for absorbency and softness.” Not all cotton is made equal, either. Egyptian cotton, pima cotton, and Turkish cotton are softer, stronger, and therefore more expensive. Many of the best beach towels are now woven from organic cotton, which Young says won’t make for a stronger or more absorbent towel but will decrease your exposure to pesticides. Although they won’t absorb water as well, microfiber polyester beach towels are growing in popularity, especially for travel. These towels pack down small and are somewhat sand resistant.
Weave
As with bedsheets, beach towels have something similar to thread count known as GSM, or grams per square meter, which indicates a fabric’s weight and how soft and absorbent the towel will be. “A higher-GSM towel has a more lush pile, meaning that the loops on the surface are more desirable and effective,” says Young. While most bath-towel product descriptions note the GSM, many of those for beach towels do not. Instead, you can look at the weave for an indication of the towel’s absorbency. The best beach towels should have a lush pile weave with loops on both front and back. “They increase the surface area, and because of that, the towel can take 20 times its weight in liquid,” Young explains. In contrast to cotton, she adds, microfiber towels have a flat weave that wicks moisture away from the surface. They’ll wipe off water rather than absorb it — and air-dry much more quickly.
Size
Beach-towel sizing is surprisingly variable, and we’ve included a number of choices here. Generally speaking, beach towels will be around ten inches longer than a bath towel and a few inches wider, averaging around 35 inches by 70 inches. The dimensions you choose will also depend on the towel’s intended use — if you’re taking your beach bag on public transport, for example, you might prefer something more compact. “I love a 34-inch-by-66-inch towel,” says Mike Reinhardt of Locals Surf School. “It’s plenty wide and long but not so large that it’s a pain to store and dry properly.” A surprising number of stylish people we spoke with preferred to take large bath towels to the beach for an extra-luxe experience. “The bigger the better,” says Lava Girl Surf founder Davina Grincevicius.
Best beach towel overall
Material: Ring-spun cotton | Weave: Medium-pile terry, 450 GSM | Size: 36 by 68 inches
L.L.Bean beach towels, which are patterned with bright and cheery ocean-themed graphics in a reversible jacquard weave, evoke summer most strongly for me. I tested one in a bold lobster print and loved how familiar it felt, like something you would find in your family’s linen closet year after year. It’s made from 450 GSM ring-spun, medium-pile cotton that’s soft but not too soft, with a perfect heft that’s both substantial and lightweight, making it highly absorbent, fast drying, and not too bulky to transport. It’s also a great price for something that should last many summers to come. In addition to the lobster print, other seaside-themed patterns include starfish, turtles, sharks, and paddles.
Best (less expensive) beach towel overall
Material: Cotton | Weave: Medium-pile terry | Size: 30 by 60 inches, 35 by 70 inches
For something with a more classic print of cabana stripes, check out these beach towels, which are the go-tos at Gurney’s Montauk Resort. The hotel has been providing these towels to guests for more than ten years, according to purchasing manager Andres Quito. “They’re really good quality,” he says. “We use them in our spa as well. They’re strong enough that you can really shake them off to get all the sand out.”
Softest beach towel
Material: Cotton | Absorbency: Medium-pile terry and velour | Size: 34 by 70 inches
There’s nothing as unappealing as wrapping yourself up in a thin, scratchy towel after a dip in the ocean, which is why Brooklinen’s beach towel feels especially nice. Patterned with thick cabana stripes, it has a supersoft velour side that’s great for lounging on for hours, and an absorbent, medium-pile terry side that’ll dry you off in an instant. In terms of weight, it’s a definitely a plush towel that’s substantial without being too thick, but if you’re looking for something smaller to carry with you on public transportation or a long boardwalk stroll, you might want to try one of the thinner options below.
Best oversize beach towel
Material: 60% cotton, 40% bamboo viscose | Weave: Zero-twist weave | Size: 40 by 70 inches
While most of the beach towels on this list are essentially the same size, this one from Cozy Earth is the longest and widest of the terry styles by a few inches. It’s also extremely plush and soft thanks to the fabric’s cotton-bamboo viscose blend and zero-twist weave, which means the fibers are looped instead of twisted, resulting in a softer handfeel. Its size and luxurious feel make it a great option for anyone whose priority is lounging on the beach or pool deck for hours. And if one should choose to take a dip in the water, this towel is very absorbent, too.
Best pool towel
Material: Organic Portuguese cotton | Weave: Low-pile terry, 600 GSM | Size: 35 by 67 inches
Australian brand Baina makes sophisticated, sexy towels for the bathroom and poolside, and this checkerboard pattern in black and rich brown is one of my favorites. The reversible jacquard towel is woven from 600 GSM organic Portuguese cotton in a low-pile terry that absorbs water efficiently and dries quickly, too. And because the terry has a much lower pile than other towels on this list, the towel has a crisp, worn-in texture that’s substantial enough to withstand both concrete pool decks and sandy beaches. Try pairing it with the Woodford Pool Towel in Tabac that has smooth cut-pile velour on one side and terry on the other.
Best Turkish beach towel
Material: Turkish cotton | Weave: Flat weave | Size: 40 by 70 inches
Sometimes a terry towel can feel too heavy or cumbersome to take on a beach trip. Traditional Turkish towels are a great alternative as they are made with a flat weave, are extremely lightweight yet absorbent, and dry almost instantly in the sun. This one from Olive & Linen comes recommended by Lauren Picasso, the founder and CEO of Cure. “It can be used for the beach or for every day,” she says. The cotton will become even softer over time. Roll up this towel and stash it in a tote — it travels light, and sand won’t stick to it.
Best (less expensive) Turkish beach towel
Material: Turkish cotton | Weave: Flat weave | Size: 38 by 64 inches
Turkish towels also come in fun patterns beyond stripes. Grincevicius, who likes a fluffy towel when spending a lazy day at the beach, opts for this flat-weave cotton one from Sand Cloud when she’s out surfing. “It’s a great towel to keep dry or use as a cover-up,” she says. Plus the brand donates a portion of sales to marine conservation.
Best microfiber beach towel
Material: Polyester | Weave: Flat weave | Size: 30 by 72 inches
While cotton towels are definitely a plusher option for the beach, sometimes you need something more compact and fast-drying that you can throw in your bag. Gillespie swears by this microsuede beach towel from Rumpl that she’s had for two years. “While I’ve used many microfiber travel towels in my life and found them to be pretty similar across the board, this one is unusually silky to the touch,” she says, adding that many packable towels she’s tried in the past end up feeling “a bit crunchy.” She loves its roomy size — “perfect for laying out on the beach” — its ’70s stripes, and the fact that it “packs up really small” despite how “substantial and soft” it feels. Plus, it’s really absorbent and wicks the water away. “It’s very effective,” she concludes.
Best (less expensive) microfiber beach towel
Material: Polyester | Weave: Flat weave | Size: 35 by 71 inches
Here’s another, slightly less expensive packable beach towel that comes with a convenient pouch. It’s the go-to towel for Jeff Moore, who lives in the Caribbean and runs his own beach-themed YouTube channel. He exclusively uses microfiber towels because “they’re quick drying, sand doesn’t stick to them, and they take up a tenth of the space in your beach bag.” This is ideal, he says, if you have kids and are already packing a bunch of stuff. Packable towels are useful for hiking to more remote beaches, as he and his wife are often doing. Having tried many brands, he’s a fan of Eccosophy’s generously sized microfiber towel mainly for its bag design. “For some, the zipper bag is round, so you have to roll up the towel,” he says. “That’s a total pain in the butt.” This one packs away easily into a square.
More beach towels we like
Material: Organic cotton | Weave: medium-pile terry | Size: 30 by 60 inches
While Baggu’s towels are technically bath towels, they come in such fun, graphic patterns that they look made for the sun. Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo owns one in a mushroom pattern that’s sadly sold out, but its color combination is similar to this one in a cheeky print of blobby flowers. “I like how unique it is while still feeling classic in terms of color palette,” she says. As for quality, it was just what she was looking for: “Medium loft so it’s cozy and squishy but also very absorbent and dries quickly.” In addition to this print, the towel is available in five festive patterns including smiley faces, stripes, and cats.
Material: Cotton | Weave: Medium-pile brushed terry | Size: 37 by 56 inches
Dusen Dusen’s beach towels are another great option if you’re looking for something bright and jaunty. The brand is ubiquitous on Brooklyn beaches and was mentioned by a few of the stylish ocean swimmers I spoke with, including Zoca Lotion’s Emily Seager and Coming Soon co-owners Fabiana Faria and Helena Barquet. All the designs are extremely Rockaways ready — including those meant to stay in the house. “Even though they make a beach towel, everyone brings their Dusen Dusen bath towels to the beach,” observes Faria. “They’re very absorbent and not massive if you’re taking the train.” She and Barquet also love drying off with the brand’s matching terry robes: “They’re great, especially at the end of the day when it’s windy.” Strategist writer Katherine Gillespie notes that their texture is really nice. “The towels are neither too plush nor too shorn down and even on first purchase have a slightly worn-in feel,” she says.
[Editor’s note: Dusen Dusen’s beach towels are sold out, but you can opt for the brand’s bath towels instead, which are slightly smaller but have similar patterns.]
Material: Organic cotton | Weave: High-pile terry | Size: 39 by 59 inches
Here’s another bath sheet that would transition seamlessly to the beach. The stripes on Tekla’s bath towels are closer to pinstripes than to the cabana variety, giving the towels a sophisticated edge. In addition to their look, I love how they feel. The towels are plush and bouncy but lightweight, making them great for the beach. While I’ve tried only the bath-towel size, the larger sheet, coupled with its graphic design, makes it quite versatile for lying out and drying off. Minimalist-swimwear designer Gina Esposito, the founder and creative director of Nu Swim, prefers to dry off with one of these striped bath sheets, which stylist Beverly Nguyen also loves. Made in Portugal from 100 percent organic cotton, the towels come in muted and more colorful striped styles. Esposito agrees that they’re thick and fluffy as well as stylish: “I have a bunch of waffle flat-weave organic-cotton towels that look nice, but they don’t really absorb water,” she notes. “These absorb best.” She also gave me this beachgoing tip: Scour eBay for vintage king- or queen-size Martex flat sheets and use them as “the base for your beach zone.”
Some more beach essentials we’ve written about
Our experts
• Helena Barquet, co-owner of Coming Soon
• Gina Esposito, founder and creative director of Nu Swim
• Fabiana Faria, co-owner of Coming Soon
• Katherine Gillespie, Strategist writer
• Davina Grincevicius, founder of Lava Girl Surf
• Jeff Moore, YouTuber, How2Beach
• Beverly Nguyen, stylist and founder of Beverly’s
• Lauren Picasso, founder and CEO of Cure
• Andres Quito, purchasing manager at Gurney’s Montauk Resort
• Mike Reinhardt, instructor at Locals Surf School
• Emily Seager, founder of Zoca Lotion
• Deborah Young, textile-science instructor
Additional reporting by Katherine Gillespie.
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