At this point, you’ve got a great one-piece, something to wear over it, and a straw bag to match. (Plus, an AquaVault outdoor safe.) Now you just need something to lie on while half-reading a suntan-lotion-dampened copy of Us Weekly. Below, a guide to the best of what’s out there in beach-towel land.
$25 and Under
Printed Grid Perfect Beach Towel
Graphic, colorful, and a little Memphis Group–y.
$20 at Urban Outfitters
Official Snapchat and The Bachelor Beach Towels
For living that zeitgeist life.
Snapchat towel, $25 at Amazon
The Bachelor towel, $25 at Amazon
Marimekko for Target Beach Towel
By some kind of miracle, there are a few of these left in the jolly Mansikkavuoret pattern.
$18 at Target
$26–$50
Yummy Cakes Beach Towel
Have your cake and lie on it while trying to scroll through Instagram despite the glare of the sun, too.
$38 at Society6
The Towel From Everlane
Straightforward.
$40 at Everlane
Clare V-Striped Towel
Match your towel to your going-out clutch.
$39 at One Kings Lane
Pendleton National Park Beach Towel
A lot cheaper than the wool version.
$46 at Amazon
$51–$100
Saturdays Surf NYC Open-Mouth Towel
Open wide.
$60 at Saturdays Surf NYC
JR by John Robeshaw Alabat Hammam Beach Towel
A flat-woven jacquard towel that was originally $100.
$70 at Bloomingdales
Scents and Feel Fouta Jacquard Beach Towel
A similar offering from cult towel-makers Scents and Feel.
$80 at Neiman Marcus
Ryan McGinley Towel
The latest from the Art Production Fund’s artist-collab towel series.
$95 at AHAlife
$101 and Over
Zuzunaga Beach Towel
Velour on one side, terry on the other, from Barcelona designer Cristian Zuzunaga.
$120 at A+R
Fredericks and Mae Linen Towel
Made from 100 percent Irish linen in collaboration with Todd Heim Projects. Also doubles as a wall hanging.
$300 at Spring
Temperley London Florrie Print Beach Towel
For $405, this towel better do your taxes for you. (It doesn’t, but as pictured above, it can easily be transformed into a nice cover-up. And it originally cost $575.)
$405 at Orchard Mile