Top 10 Best Beach Tents in 2024 – Buyer’s Guide

Do you plan to spend as much time as possible at the beach this summer? If so, then you might want to consider buying a beach tent to take with you.
Beach tents are a convenient alternative to beach umbrellas. While umbrellas may provide a little bit of shade, a beach tent can provide a shelter for the whole family, protecting you from harmful UV rays.

The trick, of course, is finding a beach tent that works for your needs. There are a lot of options available and it can be hard to separate the good from the bad. That’s why we’ve done the work for you. We’ve taken some of the options on the market out for a spin, and we’re ready to share our top 10 best beach tents with you.

Before we reveal our picks, though, let’s review some of the key things you should be keeping in mind before you buy a beach tent of your own.

Beach Tent Buying Guide

What should you look for when buying a beach tent? Here are some of the most important considerations:

• The first thing to think about is how easy the tent is to assemble. The last thing you want is to arrive at the beach and spend an hour of your valuable time struggling to get your tent put together. The best options are those that are a snap to put up (and to pack up when the day is at an end.)
• The next consideration is how large the tent is. Beach tents can range from tiny (just big enough for a baby) to huge (large enough for the extended family.)
• Give some thought to who will be with you at the beach and how much time they’re going to want to spend in the tent, and then choose your product accordingly.
• You should also think about sun protection. Many beach tents on the market use fabrics and finishes that provide protection from harmful UV rays. If protecting your skin is at the top of your list, make sure to choose a beach tent that has UV protection. Also, if the tent you choose has mesh areas to let air in, they should have UV-protective covers that you can close as the angle of the sun changes.
• Durability is important for any product you plan to use at the beach. Sand, wind, and salt water can all be damaging. You should make sure that the beach tent you buy can stand up to repeated use and won’t collapse in the wind.
• You’ll also want to consider how portable your tent is. Something that’s very heavy may not be ideal for carrying back and forth between the beach and home.
• Finally, you’ll want to consider the price of the beach tent you choose. Your budget may be low or high, but we recommend choosing the best-quality tent you can afford while still staying within your budget.

Best Beach Tents in 2024 – Buyer’s Guide

Now that you understand what to look for in a beach tent, we’re ready to reveal our ten favorites.

10. G4Free Outdoor Automatic Pop up Instant Portable Cabana Beach Tent

The first pick on our list is the G4Free Outdoor Automatic Pop up Instant Portable Cabana Beach Tent. Here are some of the reasons it made the cut:

• Easy, pop-up design is ready to go in just seconds
• Silver, anti-UV coating keeps the interior of the tent cool and protects your skin
• Comes with stakes to anchor it to the ground and keep it from blowing over

This is a good product, but here are a few things that could be better:

• This tent is not large enough for use with regular beach chairs
• Collapsing and folding the tent is not as easy as opening it
• This is a very lightweight tent and not ideal for windy days

If you’re looking for a small, affordable tent that’s lightweight, this might be the product for you.

9. iCorer Automatic Pop Up Instant Portable Outdoors Quick Cabana Beach Tent

Coming in at #9 on our list is the iCorer Automatic Pop Up Instant Portable Outdoors Quick Cabana Beach Tent. Here are some of the things we like about it:

• Offers 50 SPF protection from harmful UV rays
• Mesh side openings keep this beach tent from becoming too hot
• Pops open in seconds – easy enough for kids to set up

Here are a few things that we think you should keep in mind:

• The included instructions are hard to follow, but there are YouTube videos available to help you learn how to fold the tent
• The opening of the tent doesn’t keep the sun out, so you’ll need to make sure to face it away from the sun
• Lightweight tent must be anchored to prevent it from moving in the wind

If you want a small tent that’s easy to carry and offers strong UV protection, this is a good choice.

8. OutdoorsmanLab Automatic Pop Up Beach Tent

Our #8 pick is the OutdoorsmanLab Automatic Pop Up Beach Tent. This is why we like it:

• Pops open and is ready to use in seconds
• Includes stakes and sand pockets to help keep it in place
• The mesh opening offers ventilation, and the floor makes it a great place to change diapers

Here are some potential negatives to keep in mind:

• The storage bag that comes with this tent is cheaply made and liable to fall apart
• There’s no zipper to close the tent, so it doesn’t offer as much protection from blowing sand as we might like
• Look for YouTube videos to help you fold the tent and put it away quickly

If you want a tent that offers protection from the sand underneath, this is a good option to consider.

7. Coleman DayTripper Beach Shade

Coming in at #7 on our list is the Coleman DayTripper Beach Shade. It has several features we like, such as:

• Built-in UV protection (and the ability to protect you from the low-angle sun)
• Easy to set up and pack away – and fits two adults and one child easily
• Backed by a one-year warranty

There are a few things we think could be better here:

• It takes some time to master the art of dismantling this tent and packing it in to the (included) carrying bag
• This tent is not large enough for a big family
• You’ll have to make sure to use the included stakes and fill the sand pockets to keep this lightweight tent from blowing away

If you’re looking for a quality product from a known brand, we think you’ll like this beach tent.

6. Easthills Outdoors Easy Up Beach Tent Sun Shelter

Our #6 pick is the Easthills Outdoors Easy Up Beach Tent Sun Shelter. Here are some of its best features:

• 50 SPF sun protection ensures that you’ll be safe from UV damage
• Ventilated windows on three sides make sure that the tent stays cool and comfortable
• The extended front “porch” is a nice touch that provides seating off of the sand

Here are a few potential negatives to keep in mind:

• This tent is not the lightest one available, weighing in at about five pounds
• No instructions are included with this tent, and that’s a problem
• The company offers email-only support, which may not be enough for some people

We think the extra ventilation and extended porch are what make this tent special.

5. Lightspeed Outdoors Quick Cabana Beach Tent Sun Shelter

The #5 pick on our list is the Lightspeed Outdoors Quick Cabana Beach Tent Sun Shelter. These are the reasons that we chose it:

• More than 32 square feet of sitting space inside the tent plus a 4-foot extended porch for additional people
• This tent has three shaded windows for cross-ventilation
• The material offers UV protection as well as protection from water and rain

Here are a few things that we think could be better about this product:

• The window shades are on the inside, and outside shades would do a better job of protecting from the rain
• The tarp in the front is very dark on the Blue/Gray model and likely to get very hot in the sun – the lime green model is a better choice
• This is a cabana-style tent, so you’ll need to face the door away from the sun

If you want an affordable tent with plenty of space that’s waterproof as well, this tent is your best bet.

4. AUGYMER Beach Tent Pop Up Sun Shelter

Coming in at #4 on our list is the AUGYMER Beach Tent Pop Up Sun Shelter. These are some of the reasons we picked it:

• Waterproof tent fabric provides 50 UPF protection against UV rays
• The tent has a sturdy frame and includes six stakes, four fixed bands, and two built-in sand pockets to secure it
• Lightweight and portable tent weighs only 2.2 pounds

We like this product a lot, but here are a few things that we think could be improved:

• This is a very small tent and may be best for just one adult and one child at most
• The included instructions are difficult to understand, so it will take some practice to be able to set up and collapse the tent
• You really need to fill up the sand pockets to ensure that the tent doesn’t move in strong wind

Overall, we like this tent for its affordable price and cute appearance.

3. Push up instant Beach Tent Beach Sunshelter

Our #3 pick is the Push up instant Beach Tent Beach Sunshelter from Genji Sports. We picked it for these reasons:

• This tent offers 50+ UV protection and is also flame retardant for safety
• Two large mesh openings on the sides offer plenty of ventilation on hot days
• Can fit two low beach chairs plus other belongings

There are a couple of potential downsides to consider:

• We wish the mesh windows had shades to keep the sun out, but angling this tent carefully can help
• This tent is too small for more than two people at a time

We like this tent for its ventilation and the fact that it’s tall enough to allow the use of low beach chairs.

2. Lightspeed Outdoors Sun Shelter with Clip-Up Privacy Feature

Coming in at #2 on our list is the Lightspeed Outdoors Sun Shelter with Clip-Up Privacy Feature. These are the reasons that it made our list:

• The patented side-pull hub system makes this tent a snap to set up and take down
• The extended porch in the front can be easily clipped up for privacy
• The floor is kid-and-dog friendly, and the three ventilated sides admit the breeze

Here are a couple of potential things to consider before buying:

• We wish that this tent had zippers instead of clips for better privacy
• The price is a bit high for this tent

If you’re looking for a tent that’s easy to put up and take down and is good for families with dogs and kids, this is a safe bet.

1. Pacific Breeze Easy Up Beach Tent Deluxe XL

Finally, our top pick as the best beach tent of 2018 is the Pacific Breeze Easy Up Beach Tent Deluxe XL. We love this product, and here’s why:

• Of all the tents we tried, this one was the easiest to set up and take down
• It’s spacious – big enough for three or four adults to fit easily
• In addition to 50+ UV protection, this tent is water-repellant and features interior pockets and hooks for your belongings

There isn’t much we don’t like about this tent, but keep these things in mind:

• There isn’t as much ventilation in this tent as we’d like
• The price is on the high side compared to some of the other beach tents on our list

We recommend this tent for anybody who wants something that’s easy to set up and take down, and big enough to accommodate the whole family.

Conclusion

The next time you head to the beach, take a beach tent with you to shelter you from the sun and wind. The 10 beach tents on this list offer something for every need and budget – so go ahead and take your pick.