Whatever style you like, make sure they are secure. Those tie downs and stakes will need to be rooted firmly. This can be a problem on some beaches. Loose sand and gravel is not a secure substance, after all. Small beach tents and beach canopies are great for just an afternoon trip. Put a cooler in the tent and stash your shoes in there, too. Lay your towel under the canopy and avoid the harsh rays after a swim. Large or small, there are clear benefits to each. You’ll need to consider how often you hit the beach and how much use you really get out of the tent or canopy. Set Up With room for three to four adults on a beach blanket, the Pacific Breeze beach tent is roomy and comfortable. At 95” long by 52” high and 51” deep, few tents can match this for size. Especially at a lightweight 6 pounds.

With superior sun protection, the Neso beach tent is ahead of the game. They’re sold all over the world, so you’ll see these on beaches everywhere. It’s also available in a wide array of colors to meet your style needs.

The Best Beach Tent, Overall: Pacific Breeze

The Coleman DayTripper Beach Shade does have one area where quality could be improved. The quality of the metal eyelets at each corner could be improved. The eyelets are used for pole mounting. The Coleman DayTripper Beach Shade does not have side windows. This creates a slightly narrower range of viewing angles than is possible in tents with side windows. The Eureka Solar Shade (paid link),for example, does have side windows.

That said, the Coleman DayTripper Beach Shade is very wide, this isn’t a limitation that has ever upset me. However, it is worth keeping in mind during your own purchasing decisions. I can see how side windows may be useful to create a breeze during very hot days, but we’ve found the large rear window in our tent adequate for that purpose. Placement Restrictions The tent itself is made of 190T nylon. It’s been coated for UV protection as well. It’s moisture resistant and sturdy enough to handle some tough wind. Just close the mesh window to avoid any harsh weather conditions. How hot is this beach, right? Well, the fact is the beach and grilling go hand in hand. And that’s awesome, so long as you are safe. A lot of people want to set a beach canopy up over the grill. That keeps the wind and sun out of the way. But be cautious. You need a beach canopy that is flame retardant. If just one spark or coal pops out, it could spell disaster. Made from 210T polyester, this can handle a lot of abuse. It’s puncture resistant and durable. The poles are fiberglass. There are six sandbags to offer extra support. There are also steel tie downs. The UV protection keeps you safe from a whopping 99% of harmful UV rays. There are windows angled to provide decent air flow. Unlike some tents, this doesn’t let air sit and stagnate. You’ll stay cool even on the hottest days in this beach tent. Throughout its use, our Coleman beach tent has held up extremely well. There are no rips in the fabric, the poles are all still straight and unbroken, and the color isn’t showing any signs of fading from the sun. SizeThe frame of this tent is made of plastic, so be aware. It’s very sturdy, don’t get us wrong. But it’s not aluminum. You can’t put this one through as much abuse as some others. But if you take care of it, it can handle wind, rain and sun.