Guide to Choosing the Best Beach Towel

This comprehensive guide explores everything you need to know about choosing beach towels, from the best materials and styles to tips for keeping towels in top shape. A beach towel is for more than oceanfront adventures alone: Whether you choose plush cotton terry or a lightweight flat weave material, the right beach towel will take you from the sea to the pool to the lake, and back again. Use these tips to help you select the best beach towel for you. 

When buying beach towels, selecting a color or pattern that suits you is important—but first, consider material, construction style, and towel size. Here, we share the best material for beach towels (hint: it’s a favorite for bedding and bath linens, too) and examine the differences between classic cotton terry and flat weave Turkish towel styles.