Our 5 Favorite Beach Towels

Don’t leave home without one of these beach towels
Blue beach towel on sand with sunglasses and flip flops in background
A day at the beach requires an eye-catching beach towel. Unsplash

Second only to perhaps a swimsuit, a colorful beach towel can catch a few eyes the next time you’re at the shore. But what makes for a great beach towel? It should be soft, super absorbent, feature a vibrant design and – if it’s not asking too much – be large large enough to lay your bronzing body on. (Oh, can we add “machine washable” too? That’d be a huge bonus.)

Here are five beach towels that we think fit the bill. So grab the swimsuit, some shades, plenty of sun block and head to the water’s edge with one of these beach towels.

Pendleton’s Chief Joseph Aqua

Oversized patterned beach towel
This 40- by 70-inch blanket is made of cotton velour and features a Native American-inspired design. Amazon

The Pendleton name means quality and luxury, and this beach towel is no exception. This towel is sheared on one side for softness and looped on the other side for improved absorption. Don’t wait until your next beach trip to use it; the Chief Joseph Aqua is perfectly suited to a day by the pool or a night in the hot tub.

Club Kokomo Turkish Beach Towel

Club Kokomo Turkish Beach Towel
This extra large beach towel is made of 100 percent organic Turkish cotton and folds up small for traveling. Amazon

Here’s a beach towel you can feel really good about buying. It’s made from a sustainable and naturally biodegradable material and arrives in plastic-free packaging. It dries super fast but still provides a soft texture. And the best part: Club Kokomo donates 5 percent of its profits to the Marine Conservation Society, whose mission it is to protect the planet’s oceans.

Original Turkish Beach Towel

Light blue turkish beach towel
This prewashed towel measures 38 by 71 inches, making it perfect for the beach, yoga or just lounging by the pool. Amazon

Unlike traditional beach towels made from terry cloth, these Turkish towels are made from 100 percent cotton and are prewashed so that they’re soft and super absorbent from the start. Plus, we just love the colors.

Elite Trend Microfiber Towel

Elite trend oversized patterned towel
This two-sided towel is extra large but still can be folded up and stored in an accompanying bag. Amazon

This towel checks all our boxes – it’s soft, absorbent, antibacterial and beautiful. And if you can’t find a design you like here, you’re just not trying hard enough. We’ll see you on the beach when you decide!

Sea Turtles Towel

Dawhud Towel with image of sea turtles star fish and the ocean
If this cotton velour towel doesn’t brighten your day, nothing will. Amazon

Did you know that more than 100,000 sea turtles nests on Florida beaches between the months of March and October? It’s a nighttime activity so the little fellows shouldn’t interfere with your beach plans. If you’d like to see a turtle walk, we highly recommend booking a guide who will know the federal and state laws regarding these endangered creatures. Don’t worry – we’re sure all the turtles on this towel made it back to the water.