When you're prepping your things for a day at the beach, you might carefully pack a cooler, slather on the sunscreen, throw on your favorite swimsuit and then scramble to find any old towel on your way out the door — maybe even a bath towel.

You could be thinking, "A towel is a towel," but as an analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab, I'm here to tell you: No, please do not pack your bath towel for the beach. Not even all bath towels are created equally, let alone beach towels, and bath towels just aren't built for the sun and sand.

Keep reading to learn what the major differences are between beach and bath towels and to shop some of my favorite top-tested styles.

Beach towel vs. bath towel

Construction

At their core, towels are designed to help dry you off or soak up spills. They're typically made of terrycloth fabric, which is a woven material featuring extra loops of yarn that increase the material's surface area, so they can absorb more liquid. If you look up close at your towels at home, you'll likely be able to see them.

Most bath towels are woven with larger loops to really get you dry after a shower. That also means bath towels can take a while to dry themselves. If you've ever tried a super plush bath towel, you may have noticed that it's wet for hours after you wipe off (sometimes it's even still wet the next morning), and that's because it holds onto more water.

a close up of a white terrycloth towel
Amanda Constantine/Good Housekeeping
The loops of a terrycloth towel.
a close up of a pink and orange microfiber towel from dock & bay
Good Housekeeping/Amanda Constantine
A microfiber beach towel with a lightly brushed surface.

Beach towels may also be made of terrycloth, but if they are, their loops are usually a bit smaller, or they could be shaved down, which is known as velour — a softer material that almost feels like terrycloth and velvet combined. The goal is still to help you dry off, but they need to dry out more quickly so you can use them a few times before your beach day ends.

And there's something else at play: sand. I'm sure I don't have to warn you that sand makes its way into every crack and crevice, but it does, and this includes wiggling its way inside your towel. If you use a bath towel with full loops, the sand can easily sink in and cling to the fibers, so you'll be trailing sand home with you, even after a vigorous shake in the sea breeze.

Our favorite beach towels, on the other hand, aren't as plush as your standard bath towel. Instead, beach towels are typically lighter weight, fold up to fit nicely in your bag and are made with microfiber fabric. It's a flat-woven material that has a brushed surface, so it's still pretty soft, but it won't hold onto sand like terrycloth loops will. While it's not as absorbent as terrycloth, it can still get you dry, and sand falls off of the fabric with a quick swipe or shake. It's like magic. Though I still love the plush feel of a terrycloth beach towel, a microfiber towel is way more practical for a sandy beach day.

a close up of sand poured onto a terrycloth towel
Amanda Constantine/Good Housekeeping
Sand poured onto a terrycloth towel sinks deep into the material. 
a pink and orange microfiber beach towel with sand on top
Amanda Constantine/Good Housekeeping
Sand sits on top of the surface of a microfiber beach towel.

Fiber content

Cotton is the most common fiber used for bath towels. It's a natural fiber that's highly absorbent, soft and relatively strong, making it the perfect pick for a bath towel that's intended to both get you dry and feel cozy to wrap up in after a shower.

The same can be said of beach towels: Cotton is still the most popular choice, but many brands are starting to offer beach towels made of synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon or polyamide instead. These fibers are highly durable, easy to care for in the wash without tons of shrinkage or shed. Plus, they hold onto color well, so your beach towel will keep its bold and bright pattern wash after wash.

Size

A typical bath towel is about 30" wide x 56" long, which is plenty large enough to wrap around your waist or pile on top of your head, but it's not quite as big as a beach towel. Beach towels are usually around 35" wide x 68" long, and many are even bigger. The larger dimensions mean there's more towel to cocoon yourself in while you dry off on the shore, and — my favorite part — there's plenty of space to stretch out while basking in the sun!

How we test beach towels

beach towels on sand
Amanda Constantine/Good Housekeeping

In the Textiles Lab, we've tested more than 100 towels in recent years, including plenty of beach towels. When we evaluate towels, we first consider properties including durability, washability and absorption. And for beach towels specifically, we also pour a set amount of sand onto the surface before wiping it off to see how easy it is to remove and take note if there's any sand left sticking to the material.

Along with checking out towels in the Lab, we share them testers who take them to the beach on their own vacations and pool days, and they give us feedback on aspects like the overall comfort, size, softness, appearance and how well the towel dried them off.

So, which beach towel should you buy?

These are our top-tested favorites, including two cotton terrycloth picks (in case you're really set on something plush and cozy but don't mind a soggy towel at the end of the day) and two microfiber options (for someone looking for an easy-to-care-for, quick-drying towel for a super sandy beach day).

Cabana Stripe Beach Towel
Lands' End Cabana Stripe Beach Towel
Now 50% Off
Credit: Lands' End
Cabana Stripe Beach Towel, 2-Pack
Amazon Basics Cabana Stripe Beach Towel, 2-Pack
Credit: Amazon Basics
Quick Dry Beach Towel
Dock & Bay Quick Dry Beach Towel
Credit: Dock & Bay
Microfiber Beach Towel
ECCOSOPHY Microfiber Beach Towel
Credit: Eccosophy

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

Amanda Constantine is a home & apparel reviews analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab. Prior to joining in 2022, Constantine taught textiles and fashion courses at The Ohio State University. She has tested tons of beach day essentials in the Lab, including swimsuits, beach towels, beach tents and totes. Constantine and Textiles Lab Associate Director Emma Seymour recently tested beach towels and used their data, relative expertise and consumer feedback when choosing the best beach towels.

Headshot of Amanda Constantine
Amanda Constantine
Home & Apparel Reviews Analyst

Amanda (she/her) researches and reports on products in the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab, ranging from clothing and accessories to home furnishings. She holds undergraduate degrees in apparel merchandising and product development and advertising and marketing communications, as well as a master of science degree in consumer sciences from The Ohio State University. Prior to joining Good Housekeeping in 2022, Amanda was a lecturer for the fashion and retail studies program at Ohio State, where she taught fashion and textiles courses.