If you're planning a relaxing day on the beach, a great beach blanket is a must-have piece of gear. We've curated a list of highly-rated beach blankets, each selected for its unique features, quality, and durability. From lightweight, compact options to large, family-sized choices, we've got you covered. Dive in as we explore the various materials, designs, and functionalities that make these beach blankets stand out.

We were not provided with free or discounted products to review. These recommendations were not influenced by manufacturers. We did, however, heavily consider customer reviews at retail websites when deciding which products to feature. We like these products, but we took care to make sure other vacationers agree. Some of the product links include affiliate codes. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices listed are updated regularly, but subject to change at any time.

First Up: The Best Beach Blankets

CGEAR The Original Sand-Free Outdoor Camping Mat – Patented Technology, Water-Resistant and Anti-Fade Material, Military-Grade Construction – Multi Use Outdoor Blanket

CGEAR 12x12' Patented Sand-Free Beach Blanket - Best Function, Utility, and Tech

$144.95

*Prices are updated regularly but subject to change

The CGEAR Patented Sand-Free Beach Blanket is a revolutionary beach blanket (yep, really!). This blanket effectively filters sand through its weave, preventing it from accumulating on the surface. This means you can enjoy a sand-free environment while lounging, picnicking, or sunbathing. How cool is that!? With sizes ranging from 6x6' to 12x12', CGEAR offers a blanket to fit your family. The blanket is crafted from durable, lightweight Polyethelene that is water-resistant, quick-drying, and easy to clean. Heavy D-rings are located on each corner, allowing you to stake the blanket into place on the sand.

WEKAPO Beach Blanket Sandproof, Extra Large Beach Mat, Big & Compact Sand Free Mat Quick Drying, Lightweight & Durable with 6 Stakes & 4 Corner Pockets (Blue, 9x7 FT (1～5 Person))

WEKAPO Ripstop Nylon Beach Blanket - Best Lightweight & Compact

$35.98

*Prices are updated regularly but subject to change

The WEKAPO Ripstop Nylon Beach Blanket is an expansive 9' x 7', with smaller 7x7 and 9x10 options available. This option is constructed from durable, lightweight, and parachute-grade nylon, which it soft, skin-friendly, lightweight, and exceptionally resistant to water, sand, and wear.

One of the standout features of the WEKAPO Beach Blanket is its sand-proof design. The sand easily shakes off the parachute material, ensuring a clean surface throughout your beach day. It's equipped with anchor stakes, keeping the blanket grounded even in windy conditions. This blanket is incredibly compact when folded, fitting into a small, attached compression sack that makes it easy to carry and store.

Big Blanket Co Big Beachy Sand Resistant Beach Blanket with Travel Bag | 10ft x 10ft Outdoor Blanket | Quick Dry Lightweight Cotton-Bamboo Blanket | 100 Square Foot Beach Blanket (White Stripes)

Big Blanket Co Big Beachy Sand Resistant Beach Blanket 10x10 - Best All Natural

*Prices are updated regularly but subject to change

The Big Blanket Co Big Beachy is a game-changer for beach goers seeking ample space and comfort on a natural-material blanket. This massive beach blanket stretches an impressive 10ft x 10ft, making it perfect for accommodating large groups or families, ensuring everyone has plenty of room to relax without crowding. Crafted with cotton and bamboo, the Big Beachy is durable and comfortable.

This 4lb. outdoor blanket is not just about size and functionality; it also emphasizes convenience. It comes with a drawstring bag for easy transportation and storage. Whether for a picnic, a day at the beach, or any outdoor gathering, the Big Blanket Co Big Beachy offers the perfect combination of size, comfort, and practicality.

YETI Lowlands Blanket, Multi-Use Blanket with Travel Bag, Alpine Yellow

YETI Lowlands Blanket - Best Premium

$140.00

*Prices are updated regularly but subject to change

The YETI Lowlands Blanket, measuring 55x78 inches, is a versatile and durable outdoor blanket designed for all your adventure needs. Ideal for beach outings, picnics, or outdoor concerts, this blanket combines functionality with comfort. Its unique design features a waterproof and dirt-resistant bottom layer, ensuring you stay dry and clean, no matter the surface.

The top layer of the blanket is made from a soft material that provides a cozy and comfortable seating or lounging space. This dual-layer construction not only offers protection from the elements but also makes the blanket easy to clean – it's machine washable and easily sheds pet hair for hassle-free maintenance. Compact and portable, the YETI Lowlands Blanket easily folds into its own carrying case, making it convenient to transport and store. The YETI Lowlands blanket is sold in several colors.

The Best Beach Towels

EPHESUS TOWELS Turkish Beach Towel - Turkish Cotton - 39x71 inch Oversized - Turkish Towel for Beach, Bath, Pool, Gym, Yoga - Prewashed, Lightweight, Quick Dry (Sultan, Pack of 1, Aqua)

EPHESUS Turkish Cotton 39x71 Beach Towel - Best All Natural

$15.90

*Prices are updated regularly but subject to change

The EPHESUS TOWELS Turkish Beach Towel is a luxurious and stylish choice for beach lovers. Made from premium Turkish cotton, this towel is not only soft and absorbent but also quick-drying. Measuring an oversized 39x71 inches, it provides ample space for lounging and drying off, ensuring comfort for any size beachgoer. This is a machine-washable towel that also arrives pre-washed for your convenience. It's easy to see why this is a highly-rated top seller!

CGEAR Sand-Free Towel, Super-Soft, Absorbent, and Quick-Dry (Ocean Stripe)

CGEAR Sand-Free Towel 63x31" - Best Sand Free Experience

$39.99

*Prices are updated regularly but subject to change

The CGEAR Sand-Free Towel is a game-changer for beach enthusiasts. Engineered with innovative dual-layer mesh technology, it cleverly filters sand, ensuring a clean surface during your beach time. This lightweight and compact towel dries quickly and packs away easily, making it ideal for hassle-free travel. The CGEAR towel is 63" x 31" and available in multiple colors and patterns. Perfect for anyone seeking a sand-free, comfortable beach experience.

Bornbay Cotton Oversized Beach Towel - Extra Large 40

Bornbay Cotton 40"X70" XL Plush Beach Towel - Best Oversized

$28.99

*Prices are updated regularly but subject to change

The Bornbay Cotton Oversized Beach Towel offers luxurious comfort and ample space with its extra-large size of 40"x70". Crafted from plush, high-quality cotton, this towel is both soft and highly absorbent, perfect for wrapping up after a swim or lounging on the sand. Its generous dimensions ensure complete coverage and comfort, making it ideal for anyone seeking a bit of extra room and luxury at the beach. Stylish, durable, and machine washable, this towel is a must-have for beach days.

CHARS Camping Towels Microfiber Sand Free Beach Towel (30

CHARS Towels Microfiber Sand Free Beach Towel 63x30 - Best Compact & Quick Drying

$14.99

*Prices are updated regularly but subject to change

The CHARS Microfiber Beach Towel is highly efficient and versatile. Measuring 63"x30", this super absorbent and quick-drying towel is incredibly soft to the touch and gentle on the skin. Despite its large size, it's ultra-compact and lightweight, easily fitting into the provided carrying bag for convenient transport and storage. This towel really does roll up into a compact package, and is great for folks that like traveling light.

Towel Bands (6-Pack), Beach Pool & Cruise Chairs, Extra Durable, No Snapping, Cruise Ship & Beach Essentials, Great Alternative to Beach Towel Clips

Bonus: Towel Bands - Best Towel Accessory

$12.99

*Prices are updated regularly but subject to change

Towel Bands are a simple yet ingenious solution for keeping your beach or pool towels securely in place. These stretchable bands are designed to wrap around your towel and lounge chair, preventing the towel from slipping, sliding, or blowing away in the wind. Made from durable, weather-resistant materials, Towel Bands are built to withstand the outdoor elements while maintaining their elasticity and grip. They come in a variety of vibrant colors and can easily be stretched to fit most chair sizes. Compact and lightweight, these bands are easy to carry and store, making them a must-have accessory for any beachgoer or pool enthusiast looking for a hassle-free sunbathing experience.

Henry's Restaurant

Henry's Restaurant

Henry's Restaurant offers down home, simple food done Outer Banks style. Henry's Restaurant has been serving the Outer Banks of North Carolina since the summer of 1989. They are pleased to be considered one of the most popular restaurants in Dare County. Owners Henry and Linda Ezzell, along with daughter Kim Ezzell Parker offer honest American Style food that appeal to people of all ages. With so many fine dining establishments in the area they felt there was a need for a down-to-earth, no-frills experience for those that wanted good food, a pleasant and accommodating staff, and an affordable menu. As their customers will attest, they feel confident they have achieved this goal.

This is the kind of delicious food grandmothers of North Carolina have been cooking for generations. You’ll feel like you're visiting family with the comfort food and the restaurant's nautical-style decor.  

The kid-friendly and casual restaurant has been serving hearty portions to locals and visitors since 1989. Breakfast is what Henry's does best, although it's a wonderful restaurant for lunch and dinner as well. Start your day with incredible hotcakes, omelets, biscuits, french toast, eggs benedict, breakfast sandwiches, and even fried trout, served 7:00am to 1:00pm daily.

Paradise Fun Park

Paradise Fun Park

Off the beach, one of the best activities for groups to enjoy in the Outer Banks is mini golf, bumper cars or Go-Karts. Thankfully, Paradise Fun Park offers all three activities! Paradise Fun Park offers exciting outdoor activities that kids and adults of all ages can enjoy together. Families flock to Paradise Fun Park for a fun-filled day of putting competition. Grab a scorecard, select a ball and putter and get to the green! Paradise Fun Park offers a challenging variety of putting greens for hours of entertainment. Be sure to keep score and crown your group champion. 

Black Pelican

Black Pelican

Black Pelican oceanfront restaurant is one of the Outer Banks’ premier restaurants serving lunch and dinner daily. Black Pelican is where you can enjoy fresh seafood, steaks, vegetarian dishes, sandwiches and some of the barrier island’s best wood-fired pizzas complete with a beautiful ocean view from the dining rooms and outdoor deck. The restaurant is big enough to handle large parties, but the setting is intimate enough for a cozy date.

Ocracoke Island Lighthouse

Ocracoke Island Lighthouse

The Ocracoke Island Lighthouse may not be the most imposing of the Outer Banks lighthouses, but as North Carolina's oldest lighthouse in operation, (and the second oldest in the United States), it is certainly one of the most beloved. At just 65' ft. tall, it is by far the smallest lighthouse on the Outer Banks, but it still towers over the 4 square miles of Ocracoke Village, and its beacon can be spotted up to 14 miles into the Pamlico Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.

The Cotton Gin

The Cotton Gin

For those traveling to the Outer Banks, The Cotton Gin is a beloved landmark with its large windmill and picturesque gardens. The Cotton Gin has stood in the same location since 1929, starting as a working cotton gin and growing to a gift store with 4 locations. Visitors are treated to a unique shopping experience in our main store in Jarvisburg, as well as our beach stores in Corolla, Duck, and Nags Head. Explore room after room filled with décor for your home and coastal fashions for both men and women. Discover the brands you really want, like, Vera Bradley, Vineyard Vines, La Mer Luex, Simply Southern, Lindsay Phillips, Scout, Pandora, Kameleon, Brighton, Spartina, Tommy Bahama, Southern Tide and Salt Life and Old Guys Rule - all under one roof!

 

Don’t forget the gourmet market, or shop our beautiful linens for your bedroom and bath. We also feature coastal books and fine art, or just a whimsical fun gift to bring home to family and friends. Stop by soon and don’t forget to try our estate grown wines in our stores or visit our vineyard and winery, Sanctuary Vineyards, located adjacent to the original Cotton Gin in Jarvisburg.

 

Most know The Cotton Gin as a must-stop shop for fine gifts, beachwear, souvenirs and so much more, but this retailer has a long-standing history within the Outer Banks. A local landmark that holds almost a century of memories, The Cotton Gin started from humble beginnings and continues to adapt to the times and tourists. Tommy Wright’s family has been in the Outer Banks for nearly 200 years. His great-great grandfather, Jacob Francis Wright, shipwrecked in Duck back in the early 1800s. Calling these barrier islands his new home, Wright and his family acclimated to their new environment.

 

Adaptation is a common theme for the Wright family. Tommy and his wife Candace, who continue to steer The Cotton Gin, have seen not only their business change with the times, but the Outer Banks as a vacation destination as well. A farm market in Jarvisburg eventually transformed and flourished into several retail locations dotting the Outer Banks.

 

“As the area changed and tourism took off in the 1960s, the family saw people coming for vacations, so they began to grow vegetables and things developed from there,” says Tommy Wright. The Wright family expanded upon the farm market and began to remodel a working cotton gin, later transforming the gin into The Cotton Gin general store in the late 1960s. While the additions to the farm store drew visitors, it was their encounters with the Wright family that kept people coming back year after year, which is something that remains true today.

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Risky Business Shrimping and Crabbing

Risky Business Shrimping and Crabbing

If you’re looking for a fun, hands-on activity that the whole family can enjoy together, hop aboard Risky Business for an Outer Banks shrimping and crabbing charter. Our experienced captain and mate will show your group how to pull crab pots to catch blue crabs and trawl for shrimp the same way that the local commercial fishermen do. You’ll learn about the species caught and how to sort through the catch – and everything of legal size is yours to keep for dinner! Along the way you’ll look for dolphins and other wildlife and see the sights in the Roanoke Sound and Croatan Sound. Based at Shallowbag Bay Marina in Manteo, our Outer Banks shrimping and crabbing charter is convenient to all the northern Outer Banks beach towns, only 5 minutes from Nags Head. We run charters in the summer only, from mid-June through September.