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 Waterproof, Extra Large Beach Mat, Oversized & 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 Oversize Beach Blanket | Sand Resistant, Giant Beach Blanket | Huge Yet Compact and Portable Picnic Blanket | White Stripes

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

$159.00

*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

$249.99

*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 - 38x70 inch Oversized - Sultan Design - Turkish Towel for Beach, Bath, Pool, Gym, Yoga - Prewashed, Lightweight, Quick Dry (Aqua)

EPHESUS Turkish Cotton 39x71 Beach Towel - Best All Natural

*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

$8.99

*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

$11.99

*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.

Cosmo's Pizzeria Southern Shores

Cosmo's Pizzeria Southern Shores

If you're searching for great pizza on the Outer Banks, look no further than Cosmo's Pizzeria at The Marketplace in Southern Shores! We offer authentic New York-style pizza made fresh and just the way you like, using only the highest quality ingredients. Try one of our specialty pizzas, such as the classic Margarita or BBQ Chicken, or keep it simple with your choice of toppings. If New York-style pizza isn't your thing, we also offer a variety of salads, pasta dishes and subs.

Super Wings

Super Wings

Best store on the beach! Everything you need for your vacation. The newest ladies' and girls swimsuits, 20% off every day! Largest selection of beach supplies and the best deals on T-shirts, sweatshirts and mens, ladies, and kids, apparel, swimwear and resort wear. Get all your souvenirs, suntan lotions, beach towels, floats, kites, and more. The only 1 stop shop on the beach.

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Awful Arthur's Oyster Bar

Awful Arthur's Oyster Bar

Welcome to the home of the happy oyster where for over 40 years the oyster has been our world. The Outer Banks only authentic oyster bar is the place to enjoy sensational fare from the sea washed down with your favorite brew or cocktail. We serve by the peck, pound, and dozen, raw or steamed to perfection. Kicked back casual, down to earth friendly staff, and reasonable prices make Awful Arthur’s Oyster Bar the all-time favorite of locals and travelers alike.

The idea wasn’t to set out and establish a new concept restaurant on the Outer Banks, but that’s exactly what Awful Arthur’s owner Jo Whitehead and her late husband, Jay, accomplished more than 35 years ago when they opened the area’s first authentic oyster bar.

 

Awful Arthur’s opened in May 1984 on the Outer Banks. “We embraced the concept of an authentic copper top bar with the idea of it being a major drawing card and it still is,” explains Whitehead. “I get oysters wherever they are local. We follow the warm waters.” 

 

Just across from the ocean, in Kill Devil Hills, oyster season is year-round at Awful Arthur’s. Diners can take a seat at the copper-topped bar to observe the staff shucking oysters, served raw or steamed, along with shrimp, crab legs and clams all steamed to perfection. 

 

It’s not just the raw bar that’s earned Awful Arthur’s both local and national recognition, including being named one of America’s greatest oyster bars by Coastal Living magazine. The restaurant is a seafood-lover’s paradise, offering the freshest catches available.

Poke Box

Poke Box

PokeBox offers fresh, quick, simple, healthy poke bowls in Nags Head. Choose your items and build your bowl. Tuna, salmon, chicken, steak, shrimp and tofu options available. Mix in your favorite veggies, sauces and toppings for the perfect poke experience.

Poke (Hawaiian for "to slice" or "cut into pieces") is a traditional main dish of Hawaiian cuisine made with marinated tuna. As Poke became increasingly popular, the modern version, known as Poke Bowl, has variety ingredients and flavors arranged to customize personal preferences.

 

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American Pie

American Pie

Discover the best homemade ice cream and authentic made-from-scratch New York Style pizza the Outer Banks has to offer at American Pie in Kill Devil Hills. An Outer Banks favorite for lunch, dinner or a delicious scoop of scrumptious ice cream after a day at the beach.

 

It was 1978 when Eddie and Lou Miller first opened Miller’s Seafood and Steakhouse. As a teenager, their son Brian spent his summers working in the restaurant, getting familiar with the family business. After college, Brian and his wife Beth came back to Kill Devil Hills and began working together at Miller’s. Brian and Beth officially purchased the restaurant from Eddie and Lou in 2007. A few years later they opened American Pie together, and both restaurants now carry on the Miller family tradition of quality, excellence and hospitality.

 

“I learned everything about the restaurant business from my parents,” Miller says. “They ran the business together for all those years, and now my wife and I are doing the same. “Throughout the summer, we’re feeding around 2,000 people a day in our two restaurants. It’s a challenge we embrace every season, and we get a lot of fulfillment from making it all work.”

 

The Millers focus on two main specialties: high quality foods and unparalleled service. Seafood at Miller’s is fresh and locally caught, and they serve high-quality Angus beef, fresh pastas and homemade desserts. At American Pie, guests enjoy hand-tossed pizzas and homemade ice cream.

 

“We put a lot of time and effort into ensuring the products we bring in are top-notch,” Miller says. “Our customers know that when they visit our restaurants, they’ll be getting the quality and consistency they’ve come to know and love.”