14 best beach tents and beach canopies to buy

Sep 12, 2023

Cooler, check. Sunscreen, check. Beach toys, check. But what about a shady reprieve to escape from the heat?

As the temperature gets warmer and UV rays get stronger, you may want to consider grabbing a high-quality beach tent or canopy to keep your shoreline trip worry-free. A beach shelter provides great relief and comfort for those long days out in the sun. Plus, a lot of tents can be used during picnics in the park or double as an additional source of shade in your backyard.

Shop TODAY found a plethora of beach tents and canopies with glowing customer reviews and ratings. Our finds won't break the bank — so that means you'll have a bit more money saved up for the tropical trip of your dreams.

Made with a UPF 50+ polyester fabric, this beach tent doubles as a safe escape for you and your little ones. And while the construction looks and feels lightweight, you'll feel great knowing that its framing can withstand any strong sea breeze that comes your way.

Consider this shady shelter your beachy home away from home for a few hours. It features large mesh windows that provide plenty of ventilation, two storage pouches to keep your belongings and a floor mat to keep your bottom sand-free. Note that while it may take a little time to set it up (five to 10 minutes, according to several reviewers), many say the "spacious and sturdy" final product is worth the effort.

Planning on sleeping under the stars? Coleman's beach tent has got you covered with an extended floor that zips up for some much-needed privacy, as well as a drying line to hang up sopping wet bathing suits and cover-ups.

"There was plenty of space for my husband, my 2-year-old and me to lay down in it. We opened the back window halfway to still keep the sun out, but just that much created the perfect breeze," added one Walmart shopper who awarded it a perfect five stars.

With ample room to comfortably fit a family of four, this automatic sun shelter is easy to set up, pack up and transport to whichever beach is striking your fancy. Plus, with near-perfect ratings on both Walmart and Target, it's also quite a people pleaser!

This affordable and compact tent is perfect for a single person. There's no assembly required — just unfold and pop it open! It's also water- and UV-resistant and comes with a waterproof bag for easier carrying.

This beach tent also offers a hassle-free setup with no tent poles or confusing instructions. Simply unfold and enjoy what this tent has to offer. It also comes with a protractible sheet to lay on.

An umbrella that doubles as a canopy? Say no more. This Sport-Brella canopy gives you UPF 50+ shade and weather protection on the top and to the sides. As an added bonus, there are two pockets on the sides for storage.

This expansive beach tent promises easy setup, portability and durability. Amazon shoppers agree with this sentiment — this tent has over 3,500 five-star ratings!

Add some aesthetics to your beach trip with this patterned pop-up tent! This fun pick from Picnic Time combines design and functionality, and you can choose from a nautical navy stripe or a more traditional gray color.

Here's another option with extra space. The inside of this tent is 99" x 53" x 57" — comfortably fitting four adults laying down. The large mesh windows also allow for maximum ventilation.

If you're looking for a basic canopy to add to your beach gear, look no further. This pop-up canopy can be adjusted to three different heights and comes with an equipment carrying bag.

The founder of Neso Tents was diagnosed with early stage skin cancer after too much sun exposure, which drove him to create lightweight yet effective products to provide outdoor enthusiasts with long-term sun protection. Weighing just four pounds and promising to block 98 percent of harmful rays, you can't go wrong with this canopy. Plus, there are 20 different patterns to chose from.

This large beach canopy from Sun Ninja claims to fit up to eight people and comes with four lightweight aluminum poles — simply fill its pockets with sand to keep it anchored on the ground. No wonder it has 4,100+ five-star ratings on Amazon!

Beach hangouts just got a little bit better. This beach-inspired canopy with 4,500+ five-star ratings provides 64 square feet of UPF 50+ coverage. Good luck choosing between seven adorable (and beachy) patterns.

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