There is no worse feeling at the end of a perfect beach day than having to lug a heavy, sandy, soggy beach towel back to your car. Thankfully, beach towels have come a long way over the years, with features like sand-resistant fabric and roomier dimensions that mean your legs won’t be dangling onto the hot sand.
Your towel preference will likely differ depending on whether you’re making your way down to one of the many Florida beaches this summer, heading on a cruise to explore the European beach scene, or just walking over to your local pool, but there are certain parameters a good beach towel needs to meet no matter what: The best beach towels dry quickly, are made from a soft material, and are relatively easy to pack or carry around. Splashy color combinations and vibrant designs don’t have to be passed up; there are plenty of options on the market that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional.
Read on for 15 of the best beach towels you can buy right now, including picks that are oversized, family-friendly, quick-drying, and eco-friendly. And for more beach gear, check out our recommendations for top-notch beach bags, bathing suits and swim trunks, and face sunscreens.
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Oversized beach towels
Serena & Lily Mallorca beach towel
Editor tested
You can never go wrong with a plush cotton towel. These Turkish towels from Serena and Lily come in nine classic striped designs with hand-knotted fringe at the bottom, and feel like the kind you’d find at a luxury resort. The beach towel has 70 inches worth of space and is highly absorbent.
Dimensions: 40″ x 70″
Material: Turkish aegean cotton
Lands’ End Cabana Stripe beach towel
At 78 inches in length, this is the ideal towel to take on group beach trips. These pure cotton terry towels hold a bit of weight to keep in heat and add some cushion between you and the sand. These towels were built to last, with flat weave edges designed to prevent unraveling over time.
Dimensions: 39″ x 78″
Material: Cotton
Elite Trend microfiber beach towel
Microfiber towels are great for their ability to absorb more water and dry faster than standard cotton towels. Elite Trend’s microfiber beach towel is ideal for beach days that are a bit of a trek away from home—the towels are more likely to dry before you’re ready to pack up and won’t hold on to residual water (or smells) on your walk, bike, or drive back home. It comes in three size options: large, extra large, and family size, each of which is more than 70 inches in length and fits at least two people comfortably when sitting up.
Dimensions: 35″ x 78″
Material: Microfiber
Pendleton Oversized Jacquard towel
Mix up your beach towel collection with this gorgeous, intricately designed Pendleton pick. Its dual sides work to make sure your beach day is perfect: There’s one absorbent side for drying off and a softer velour side for lounging with a book in hand.
Dimensions: 40″ x 70″
Material: Cotton
Family-friendly towels
Brooklinen Pride Stripe beach towel
Editor tested
Brooklinen is a Traveler favorite, so we were thrilled when the popular bed sheet and bath towel brand started dabbling in beach towels a few years ago. You’ll find them to be just as soft as the sheets, with bright summer colors that will have you vacation ready in no time. Each plush towel has dual sides: a soft velour cotton side and a quick-dry woven terry side. They are on the bulkier side, making them best suited to local pool days or a drive to the beach house.
Dimensions: 34″ x 60″
Material: Cotton and terry cloth
Mark & Graham Cabana stripe beach towel
Customizable beach towels make a great gift for any beach lover and help big families avoid any “that’s my towel” arguments. Woven from Turkish Aerospin cotton, each towel is breathable, absorbent, and generously sized.
Dimensions: 40″ x 68″
Material: Turkish aerospin cotton
Lightweight towels
Huckberry Mediterranean Turkish towel
Turkish towels are highly sought after due to their handwoven cotton fibers that create such lightweight, smooth towels. Huckberry’s Turkish towels are thin and packable, taking up minimal space in your weekender. The quick-drying fabric makes this one a great choice for a quick beach getaway, whether you’re flying or driving there.
Dimensions: 40″ x 70″
Material: Cotton
Sand Cloud Spring Bloom beach towel
Sand Cloud’s pretty Spring Bloom beach towel features a delicate flower design over a neutral color scheme. It’s made from 100 percent Turkish organic cotton with a double jacquard weave for an ultra soft, sand resistant beach towel you can bring anywhere. Plus, it weighs less than a pound, making it extremely easy to carry.
Dimensions: 37″ x 67″
Material: Turkish organic cotton
Quick-drying towels
Dock & Bay Quick Dry towel
Editor tested
The Quick Dry beach towel, while a bit smaller than the other towels on this list, is a must-have from Dock and Bay’s classic Cabana collection if your plan is to pack a towel in a suitcase. The fast drying process and unique loopless fabric work hand in hand to eliminate damp smells and repel sand. You’ll be able to leave the beach in peace instead of begrudgingly lugging around a heavy, soggy towel. Plus, it comes with its own carrying case.
Dimensions: 30″ x 60″
Material: Recycled polyester and polyamide
Tesalate Bora Bora beach towel
Australian brand Tesalate exclusively makes quick-drying towels and blankets geared toward the beach and gym. The Bora Bora towel is no exception: It’s made of a highly absorbent fabric called AbsorbLite that uses rapid drying technology to avoid that still-damp feeling. Even better, it’s compact and easy to pack in a backpack or tote, and comes with its own drawstring carrying case.
Dimensions: 31″ x 62″
Material: Cotton
Slowtide Bows beach towel
Perfect for lounging in style, the detailed design on the velour front is sure to catch the eye of onlookers. There’s no need to forgo comfort for aesthetic—this towel feel just as good as it looks, if not better. It’s outfitted with terry cloth that absorbs moisture quickly and effectively. And with a drawcord loop for quick-drying, you’ll be able to use it again in no time.
Dimensions: 34″ x 62″
Material: Cotton
Wren Quick Dry beach towel
Outdoor brand Wren aims to create sturdy, design-minded gear, and the brand’s beach towels are an instant win. Made from plush, quick-drying microfiber, each towel is designed to be lightweight yet super absorbent, so it’ll give you the best possible ratio of drying power to optimal backpack space.
Dimensions: 30″ x 60″
Material: Recycled polyester and polyamide
Eco-friendly options
Nomadix The Original Towel
Editor tested
Nomadix towels are made from certified post-consumer recycled materials—each Original towel contains the equivalent of 30 recycled plastic bottles. These towels are also super absorbent; each one can hold four times its weight in water and dries four times faster than a normal cotton towel. They’re also sand-resistant, quick-drying, and pet hair-resistant, so you won’t have to worry about the mess that comes with wet clumps of fur from your four-legged friend.
Dimensions: 30″ x 73″
Material: Recycled polyester
Hilana Casablanca Upcycled Turkish towel
Hilana uses sustainably made Turkish materials to create throws, shawls, table cloths, and bathrobes. Each piece is handwoven by a collective of weavers from surrounding mountain villages in Denizli, Turkey. These striped towels are made of 50 percent recycled cotton and 50 percent natural cotton, and are incredibly lightweight, absorbent, and quick-drying. This is the kind of towel you can throw in your tote bag just in case you make it over to the sand.
Dimensions: 30″ x 70″
Material: Cotton
Rock Flower Paper Marine Turtle Eco beach towel
Each one of Rock Flower Paper’s beach towels are made of post-consumer plastics, helping to repurpose about 10 plastic bottles. This style is lightweight and durable, with a thin material that makes it super easy to pack. Plus, the fabric is sand repellent, so particles come off with a simple shake.
Dimensions: 30″ x 70″
Material: Recycled polyester and nylon
