We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. Retro heart-shaped sunnies to shade your eyes while also allowing you to channel your inner-Barbie Girl — pair 'em with a striped black and white bathing suit (you know the one) and blast Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice's version of "Barbie World" for the rest of the summer.
One of my friends actually bought a pair of these for her entire bachelorette party a few months ago. We all have very different face shapes and they were shockingly lovely on every last one of us!
Promising review: "Constantly asked if these are YSL sunglasses. You can tell they’re cheaper when handling but apparently, no one else notices when they’re on. Highly recommend, especially if you’re someone that loses or breaks your sunglasses easily" —Katie K.
Get them from Amazon for $11.95+ (available in 19 styles).
2. A packable floppy hat you'll have no problem throwing into your beach bag or suitcase — what's the point of going to the beach if you're not going to bring the *draaamaaa* with a fabulous oversized hat?
Promising review: "Honey, this hat was giving me everything I needed it to give! I felt Gone With The Wind fabulous in this hat for my cruise vacation. It provided the adequate shade for my face and shoulders while allowing me to shade myself from people I didn’t want to talk to! Bay-bay! It was EVERYTHING I needed it to be AND the size XL fit over my braids. So my girls with protective styles or just big hair, this is the hat for you! 🎉" —1922blue
Get it from Amazon for $24.69+ (available in sizes M–XL and in eight colors).
3. A sturdy beach umbrella reviewers say withstands the wind so you won't have to worry about chasing it down the beach when a big gust comes along (been there, done that, don't want to do it anymore!).
It comes with sandbag anchors and steaks for reinforcement, an adjustable pole that can be tilted, and its own carrying bag.
Promising review: "We live in Maui, Hawaii, and wind gusts on the beach can exceed 50 mph some days. The wind also changes direction constantly and never comes from just one direction. We have spent over $500 trying to find various combinations of anchors, umbrellas, and tie downs, and NOTHING has worked until these bad boys. We bought one initially and tested it out on a VERY windy day and were super impressed. It never once became inverted or blew over. Meanwhile, the other umbrella we were using that day broke. Needless to say, I have since bought two more so we can have ample shade for my husband, my dog, and myself." —Beth
Get it from Amazon for $89.99 (available in blue or orange).
4. A reversible bucket hat because who doesn't love a two-for-one accessory?! You can create two fits around it while also keeping the Mister Golden Sun off your face.
5. A retro-ish fringe umbrella that'll provide you with shade and the perfect background for your BeReal (if they ever play nice and sound out the notification when you actually look good/are doing something photo-worthy).
Beach State is a small business specializing in premium, high-quality beach umbrellas.
Check out a TikTok of the umbrella in action.
Promising review: "This umbrella is exactly what my family was looking for as our everyday beach umbrella — large diameter, high quality, and cute retro design. It is a higher end umbrella but still slightly less expensive than the other big name designer beach gear company that we were considering. It is easy to pop up and stays standing, and we’ve had many compliments from other people at the beach asking where we got it. The customer service from the company was excellent. Would definitely recommend these umbrellas!" —Taryn
Get it from Amazon for $165 (available in seven colors).
6. A canopy swing with the ability to soothingly rock you to sleep for a nice midday outdoor nap or make you feel like you're on vacation when you climb into it with a book in hand.
Promising review: "We love this lounge chair!!! The price was fabulous!! (And just a note... If you take care of your things — i.e. cover up the swing with a tarp and bring the cushions in when not using it — It will stay like new. Sun and rain can age anything! Easy-peasy!!) This lounge swing is so comfortable, and made very well!! And it only took my hubby and I only 25–30 minutes to put together. Take my word for it... you are not going to find a nicer lounge swing at this price!!" —Marash
Get it from Amazon for $199.99 (available in eight colors).
7. A triangular sail you can use to cool down your patio and provide a space for your friends and family to gather even when it's too hot to function.
The corners of the sails have D rings so you can attach them to whatever you'd like with your choice of hardware or rope.
Promising review: "Purchased this to increase privacy and provide some shade. The color is vibrant, hasn't faded, and the loops are well stitched. The sail has also fared well in winds, thunderstorms, monsoon rain, and the brutal heat of Vegas. Shade is wonderful and one can definitely feel the temperature difference from full sun to being under this sail. The look and feel compliments our pool area and will certainly be purchasing an additional one." —VHC Media
Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in 78 sizes and eight colors/patterns).
8. A universal phone shade that'll protect your face from the sun (and make it less likely to burn), but also blocks the light so you can continue to endlessly scroll TikTok and giggle to yourself over the latest dance trends.
Shadey Attachments is a UK-based small business that came up with this idea after seeing people struggle to view their phone while lounging in the sun. The shades attaches to most mobile devices by suction and fans out to protect your face from UV rays.
Promising review: "I ordered this last-minute for Christmas holiday, and I can honestly say, I now can’t use my phone in the sun without it! It took a second to get going and to realize you have to point it at the sun to put your face in the shade (also better for the wrinkles). It's literally the best thing ever for the sun." —Hayley Place
Get it from Shadey Attachments on Etsy for $17.24 (available in six colors).
9. A six-person tent so you can feel like you're camping without leaving home. Bonus points if you and your bestie stick your head out of it and take a pic recreating the iconic scene from The Parent Trap.
Promising review: "I love Coleman products!!! It's like affordability and quality had a child, and named it Coleman. Sure, there may be better/fancier tents, but this second home of mine has gone through the desert heat (Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Zion), Snow (June Lake, California), perfect weather (Yosemite, Mammoth Lakes), rain, and it has held up beautifully since 2016. I bought the 6-person tent, and it held true. I love this tent, and I will keep using it until it is no longer usable, a lot of awesome memories with this tent." —Nunya B.
Get it from Amazon for $149.99+ (also available in three smaller sizes and three colors).
10. An adjustable umbrella with lights inside of it that'll make it an asset to your patio's decor both during the day and at night.
Promising review: "I am quite happy with this umbrella. It’s lightweight, making it easy to open and close. Very attractive. Water resistant. Provides great shade for my deck. The solar feature is awesome I especially like the fact that there’s an on/off switch for the lights so that the lights won’t be on when the umbrella is down. It charges even when in the off position. The lights are not too bright and provide just the right amount of lighting without looking gaudy." —Kathy
Get it from Amazon for $67.99 (available in 11 colors).
11. A gazebo with curtains to provide shade for you and your friends while you ~throw shade~ about the other people in your lives.
Promising review: "This gazebo went together beautifully. My husband was VERY impressed with the quality and ease of assembly. He likes things that go together smoothly! Yes, there are many pieces but just follow the directions and you shouldn't have any trouble. Two of us put it together in a leisurely and relaxed six hours. All the bits and pieces lined up perfectly making the assembly a fun experience. The color is lovely and the roof is opaque so lighting gets through and the roof also has UV protection." —MW
Get it from Amazon for $679.99+ (available in seven sizes).
12. Retro flower-shaped sunglasses you can wear while *~gettin' your groove on~* at a music festival or soaking up the sun while wandering around a local garden.
Willow And Co By Lulu is a small business based in Phoenix, Arizona that sells cute accessories for both adults and children.
Promising review: "Exactly what I ordered — color is just what I expected. They sit a little higher on my face than I expected, but it doesn't really matter as they're just big sunflowers! I bought them for a Harry Styles concert and I'm obsessed with how cute they are with my outfit! The seller also does an amazing job going above and beyond. The shipping was extremely timely (thank you for not making me sweat as the concert date approached) and she even added some 'groovy' candies and items. I was smiling so big as I went through the package. Thank you!" —Kiley
Get them from Willow And Co By Lulu on Etsy for $14.50 (available in four styles).
13. A gazebo for providing some nice shade when sitting out on your patio or by the pool. Ahhhh sweet relief from those strong rays.
Promising review: "Really looks nice and elegant. Easy to assemble and disassemble and store in the bag provided. Can secure to deck with screws, or to grass with the stakes provided. Mosquito net provides an additional level of bug and leaf security." —Tom G
Get it from Amazon for $199.99+ (available in six colors).
14. A pair of sunglasses that'll definitely help you make some friends — it has a built in bottle opener on the frame (and will also, obviously, protect your eyes from the sun). You're going to quickly become the Hero of the Day when everyone realizes the beers they brought along with with them are not, in fact, twist-offs.
Promising review: "Maaaannnnnn, I bought these for Cancun, and they’ve been used and abused here in the saltwater pool and beaches, but they are worth the money in my opinion! Yes they feel a tad bit cheap, but hey, they’ve opened so many bottled beer and sodas, and I like how they look. I’m happy with my purchase! Will be buying more to keep in my car and in my work truck." —Erik Perez
Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in three colors).
15. A satin-lined backless CurlCap you can count on to protect your skin (and scalp) from the sun while also keeping your hair from sticking to the back of your next in the heat. This hat was specifically designed to work for natural hair, as it has an open back and a scrunchie-like band that will comfortably sit on your head.
CurlCap is a Black-owned small business started by Britney Sade to create hats made specifically for natural hair with an open back and scrunchie design.
Promising review: "I absolutely love my cap. One of my buddies tagged me in a post about this one specifically because I am planning a trip to Florida this summer. I have a ton of hair, and it’s hard to put it all under a traditional cap. I love this so much and even ordered another one and will probably order a few more! I absolutely love the fact that it is a Black-owned company and obviously created by someone who understands that our natural curls don’t always fit in all spaces!" —SimplyMarquisha
Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in 21 styles).
16. A pop-up beach tent complete with a splash pool and UV protection that'll keep your baby cool — can't promise they'll be calm and collected, but it's a start.
This item is noted for children under the age of 3. Note: be sure to keep all eyes on your little one when they're using this product (and any water product!).
Promising review: "Found this after our first experience with our 9-month-old at the beach. He wanted to crawl straight in the beach so I wanted to find something that would keep him busy but yet be able to play with sand and water! This was perfect!!!! He loved it and it kept him occupied all day, on and off. We didn’t use the shade since we had a canopy up already for shade so not sure how strong the shade part of it is." —Brittany
Get it from Amazon for $36.99.
17. A silly windshield shade that'll keep your car cool while making it look like all four of the Golden Girls are cruising around — want to place bets that they're headed to pick up a cheesecake???
18. Round glasses that'll help you achieve a flawless John Lennon–look this summer (though you can totally rock these all year). They're polarized and do a great job blocking out the sun.
Promising review: "Frankly I was concerned these would be too small for a man after reading the comments but they are just fine. This style reminds me of Ray-Ban’s round aviators. Comfortable and lightweight. I live in the desert and these lenses work great for blocking glare. One thing to be aware of is the tint is dark. You will be taking them off if you go inside but I like them that way — after all they are sunglasses! These are going in the car as my new driving glasses!" —Palerider777
Get them from Amazon for $13.79+ (available in 18 styles).
19. A personal umbrella you can clip onto your beach chair instead of ordering an entirely new one with a built-in canopy. Pop it open, crack open your La Croix (the coconut flavor while sitting at the beach is a 10/10), and relaaaax.
Promising review: "My wife likes no sun, so this allows us to pull our beach chairs together, and I can set it up and 'boom' no sun for her. The clamp holds up in the wind and the adjustable angles that the umbrella has allows you to sort of aim the shade. Great product and it fits into a suitcase!" —Quarrelman
Get it from Amazon for $27.99+ (available in two sizes and nine colors).
20. A Shibumi wind-blown shade that'll cover up to six people — an absolute must-have for anyone who typically heads to the beach with a whole squad in tow. It'll take you like two seconds to set up and then the wind will do the rest of the work!
Shibumi Shade is a small business!
Promising review: "This thing is fantastic! Light, durable, and large enough to comfortably shade four or more adults either sitting on beach chairs or spread out on beach towels and blankets. We were in 15–20 mph prevailing SE winds off the Atlantic Ocean in Ft. Lauderdale, and the Shibumi performed perfectly. Took less than five minutes to set up and break down. It was like carrying a handkerchief in your back pocket. It was so convenient.
I’m just mad at myself for not patenting and marketing it!! BTW — we were the only Shibumi in sight, and we chuckled at the straining efforts and longer times it took others to set up their tents, canopies, flies, or umbrellas in the stiff breeze. If you love the beach and you want convenient shade anytime, anyplace, anywhere, and you don’t own a Shibumi, tsk tsk. 😎" —Nick Miller
Get it from Amazon for $270.
21. And a sun visor to shade your face from the sun without forcing you to sacrifice an ounce of your carefully curated beach style. It's givinnnnng White Lotus chic (but without all the murder, duh).
The wide brim provides much more UV protection than regular caps! Simplicity Store is a small business.
Promising review: "I have long hair and always avoided hats because I hate having my hair sweating against my neck in a low bun or ponytail. With this sun visor-summer hat combo, I can keep my hair in a top knot and still keep my face and neck protected from the sun while catching a nice breeze. This is perfect (although a little large in circumference, and I have a big head 7 3/4 hat size), It’s adjustable and can fit any head size. It rolls up well and has an elastic to keep it rolled. I’ll be recommending this item to all my friends!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $19.79+ (available in 14 colors).
You, rockin' your new round sunglasses like an absolute badass:
