It’s spring now, which means vacationers will soon find themselves basking in the sun, wearing their favorite bathing suits and — for the beach day pros — enjoying their stocked YETI cooler. You can’t forget to protect your skin though, which is where a quality beach umbrella comes in.
Whether you’re laying on your towel or kicking back in a cushy beach chair, incorporating a beach umbrella will help keep your skin out of the sun and provide some cooling shade.
If you’re soaking up the vitamin D, doctors still recommend all-over body and face sunscreen, plus protective gear like hats, UPF swimwear and, to top it off, a UV-blocking umbrella to keep the rays at bay.
In an effort to help you dial down the research on your next beach canopy, The Post created an awesome list of the most durable and top-rated options on the market, some of which are made of UPF 50+ material.
From Riviera-chic umbrellas to pop-up beach tents, our list is sure to get you covered all summer. The best part? We included a variety of price points so you can snag one of these babies without the lecture from your wallet later.
Click below to shop a specific category:
- Best overall beach umbrella
- Best budget-friendly beach umbrellas
- Best beach tent umbrellas
- Best beach umbrellas for wind
- Best beach umbrellas for groups
- Best beach umbrellas for travel
Best overall beach umbrella
1. Sport-Brella Super-Brella Canopy Umbrella, $55
Reviews: 5,000+, 4.5/5 star rating
For a hybrid beach-tent and umbrella, we recommend this Sport-Brella as it features over 5,000 Amazon reviews complete with a 4.5 rating. Your skin will also thank you for its UPF 50+ sun and weather protection — and it even protects against UVA and UVB rays.
Customers are saying: “It’s like a tent in an umbrella! The side windows allow a breeze, the tie down straps included are awesome. Opening can be tricky as the sides hang down and stick when not aligned but with two people it’s very easy to use OR if you point it straight up into the sky it is easy for one person.”
Best budget-friendly beach umbrellas
1. ROWHY 6.5FT Beach Umbrella, $40
Reviews: 1,600+, 4.4/5 star rating
For a classic pick that won’t break the bank, you can’t go wrong with the ROWHY beach umbrella from Amazon. Get this option in 6.5 or 7.5 feet and a built-in table, if you desire.
Customers are saying: “I love this sun umbrella very much! The size is perfect for two people and even my grandson was able to sit behind me! It keeps the sun off, let’s the wind blow through and the best part, I’m not running it down the beach like my last one! It’s perfect and sturdy and well worth the money! This one will last for a very long time and I go to the beach at least twice a month so it’s always in use! Love it.”
2. Venustas Beach Tent Beach Umbrella, $34, original price: $50
Reviews: 3,000+, 4.5/5 star rating
If you’re looking for even more coverage (or have little kids) we recommend opting for a beach tent. This one from Amazon has more than 2,000 positive reviews and costs less than $50. The company is currently offering an extra 5% off, too.
Customers are saying: “This tent worked great!! We bought it for our Florida trip because one of my daughters is on medication that makes her sensitive to the sun. Since we knew we were hitting the beach, we needed a place of reprieve for her to take sun breaks.The tent was lightweight, easy to set up and tear down and provided the shade my daughter needed. It has screened windows to allow for airflow, but also has flaps to block out the sun. We had zero issues with it trying to fly away or rip — and there was plenty of room.”
3. Blissun 7.2′ Portable Beach Umbrella, $42
Reviews: 4,500+, 4.5/5 star rating
Choose between five different designs with the Blissun beach umbrella that is extremely easy to travel with thanks to the carry bag it comes with.
Customers are saying: “Been using this umbrella for three weeks on Florida Gulf Coast beaches. It has never let me down. It was pretty windy today and most other umbrellas on the beach were taken down. This one held — I kept thinking it would pull out of the sand or turn inside out, never happened. It’s easy to get secured in the sand and to put up.”
4. Mainstays 8 ft Beach Umbrella, $40
Reviews: 150+, 4.4/5 star rating
Every childhood featured a colorful rainbow beach umbrella at some point, so felt it was only fair we included one in this article. Not only will you never wonder where your beach station is but the price is right, too!
Customers are saying: “This umbrella is fabulous! It’s beautiful, colorful, big and sturdy. It has more weight than previous umbrellas that I have used and I have noticed that is much less inclined to get picked up the wind and blow away.”
Best beach tent umbrellas
1. Neso Tents Gigante Beach Tent, $175
Reviews: 1,800+, 4.2/5 star rating
Get the most shade with this 8-foot beach tent that’ll have you, your friends and/or family enjoying full coverage from the sun. It features a light, weatherproof material that’ll keep out rain while the sandbags ensure no gusts of wind carry it away.
Customers are saying: “I got this because I was tired of buying a new pop up every year for the beach. This thing is super easy to put up and take down. I live in south Texas and the wind is always blowing on the beach. This beach tent took the wind like a champ. If you don’t want to buy a new pop up every year I would definitely get this.”
2. L.L. Bean Sunbuster Folding Shelter, $139
Reviews: 260, 4.6/5 star rating
This tent-like structure is ideal for those beach day naps — minus waking up to an unwanted sunburn. It even includes built in windows you can close or open up.
Customers are saying: “Easy to put up and take down. Can withstand punishing beach wind! Love it!!!!”
3. EasyGoProducts CoverU Beach Cabana Tent, $90
Reviews: 700+, 4.4/5 star rating
Bring some style to the beach with this floral cabana-inspired beach tent. There are even built-in sandbags to keep it secure so you can relax worry-free.
Customers are saying: “We were having our family visit for a week at the beach. Many of us do not care for long exposure to the sun. We spotted this on the beach and thought it would work great and it did! While umbrellas were wobbling in the wind, our EasyGo Cabana was sturdy with the pouches easily filled with sand. I am glad we purchased this item and will probably forego the beach umbrella for future visits to the beach.”
Best beach umbrellas for wind
1. Costway 6.5FT Patio Beach Umbrella, $41, original price: $80
The Costway beach umbrella is ideal for windy environments as it’s supported by a solid aluminum tube and eight strong fiberglass ribs, which is not easy to shake and deform. Plus, the sand anchor at the bottom can help you easily insert the umbrella into sand, so it effectively resists strong sea wind.
Customers are saying: “I really love this umbrella, the colors are bright, it is sturdy, and even the carry bag is high quality. Neighboring umbrellas during my day at the beach definitely looked cheaper & flimsier. Screws easily into the sand and withstood wind. Would recommend…”
2. Arlmont & Co. Haylie 60” Beach Umbrella, $68, original price: $76
Reviews: 516, 4.6/5 star rating
Windy days won’t be a match for this sturdy beach umbrella as it’s designed with a steel pole for longevity. Plus, did we mention there are built-in cupholders?
Customers are saying: “A lot of cool features lightweight, very stable stand (attached and folds easily). It is tall when fully extended and you could detach the top to use it directly in the sand. Heavy-duty carrying bag. The first day I set it up we had a storm with high winds and it did not blow over. Happy with it.”
3. Sunphio Large Windproof Beach Umbrella, $90
Reviews: 411, 4.2/5 star rating
Avoid a chase down the beach to catch your umbrella as it blows away with a more heavy duty option. This model features a compartment for filling with sand to weigh it down, allowing you to kick back and relax sun-free.
Customers are saying: “I went through so many beach umbrellas. They eventually fell apart, rusted out or got bent out of shape. I did a lot of research before buying this and am very happy with this. I have had the umbrella at least 3 years now and it has been terrific. (I have old version) The spike makes it a breeze to up and the stakes for tying down the canopy work brilliantly. The carry case and slip out pouch work great!”
Best beach umbrellas for groups
1. Breakwater Bay Towerside 130” Beach Umbrella, $164, original price: $392
This Breakwater Bay beach umbrella is sturdy, durable and comes in a variety of colors to fit whatever style you’re working with.
Customers are saying: “Excellent umbrella! It’s large which it what I wanted but so nice to have something the size you imagined and even bigger. Looks like good quality and should hold up well. Easy smooth up and down.”
2. Arlmont & Co. Keensburg 108” Lighted Sunbrella Umbrella, $220, original price: $245
If you like to watch the sunset at the beach and into the night, you’ll get a lot of use out of this light up beach umbrella from Wayfair.
Customers are saying: “Looks great and the multiple vents make a big difference for windy weather. The lights inside are a great bonus and do a great job illuminating our evenings!”
3. Shibumi Shade, $270
Reviews: 3,100+, 5/5 star rating
This umbrella tent is a total game-changer as it provides enough coverage for up to six people. It even comes with UPF protection against harmful sun rays keeping you and your group covered. Say goodbye to fights over who gets a spot under the shade!
Customers are saying: “We’ve had our Shibumi Shade for two years and I wish I had a dollar for every inquiry at the beach — I would easily have $200 in my pocket! I’ve been at the beach in 25 mph winds and it’s the only shade up.”
Best beach umbrellas for travel
1. Business & Pleasure Co. Holiday Beach Umbrella, $199
If you’re looking for something ultra trendy and don’t mind splurging, you can’t go wrong with a Business & Pleasure Co. beach umbrella. Not only is this pick oh-so Instagram-worthy but it will stand the test of time as well!
Customers are saying: “Luv luv this beach umbrella!!! Brings a little bit of the South of France vibe to the garden!”
2. Business & Pleasure Co. Holiday Umbrella, $200
We love this light pink and white stripped Business & Pleasure Co. umbrella for the gals out there who appreciate the finer things in life.
Customers are saying: “This umbrella is the CUTEST! It’s so easy to assemble and it looks great in my backyard. I can’t wait to use it at the beach! The best thing is that it comes with a bag that you can fill with sand that acts as a weight to hold it down and the perfect cover to put on it when it’s not in use. It’s also super lightweight so it’s not a burden to carry around or move from place to place.”
3. Heininger 96” Beach Umbrella, $83
Arm space is sparse especially when you have to lug all of your beach gear to the sand. Thankfully, this beach umbrella comes with a carrying sleeve you can throw over your shoulder — and enjoy a shady space too, of course.
Customers are saying: “I took it out just yesterday, and I loved it! It set up easily, was strong and sturdy in the ocean breezes, and stowed away easily, too. It is bright and beautiful, and different from all the other umbrellas out there on the beach! I’m super proud of it.”
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