7 Unexpected Benefits of Using a Canopy Tent at the Beach

The main reason to bring a canopy tent to the beach is to enjoy some shade and maybe block a bit of wind.

But using a canopy tent at your next trip to the beach could have other unexpected benefits as well. Following are some ways in which a canopy tent can enhance a day at the beach which you may not have considered.

Protect yourself from UV rays

Most canopy tents don't just provide you with shade from visible light, but also screen out harmful UV rays to some degree.

Although your canopy tent cannot perform the same job as sunscreen, it can offer you a second degree of protection and do same for your kids, pets, or whomever else might be sharing the shade of the tent with you.

That means it does not just make your trip to the beach more pleasant, but also healthier and safer.

Prevent sun damage of your clothing, towels, and other items

If you leave an item out in direct sunlight for an extended period of time, it can lead to bleaching and discoloration, and sometimes other damage as well (i.e. plastic containers can become brittle and prone to fracturing).

With a canopy tent providing shade for your attire and more, your possessions are less likely to end up bleached at the end of the day.

Keep food from going bad longer

Don’t own a cooler? If you have brought food with you which can spoil (i.e. fruit, sandwiches, etc.), that process will be accelerated if your food is sitting out in the bright sun.

But if you keep your food under the shade of the canopy tent, but should slow down the spoiling process.

Keep water colder longer

Another advantage of a canopy tent if you do not have a cooler is that you can keep your water bottle colder for a longer period of time.

As with leaving food out in direct sunlight, leaving a bottle of ice water out in direct sunlight is going to cause its contents to heat up rapidly. The result will be tepid water much sooner than you’d like.

But under the shade of a canopy tent, the ice in your bottles will melt more gradually, so your water will remain cold and refreshing for a longer part of the day.

Plus, you really don’t want to leave food and water in plastic containers like bottles or bins exposed to heat and light. Why? Because intense heat and light can promote the breakdown of the plastic, which can leach chemicals into your food and beverages.

It is better for your health and for the flavor and odor of your food and water not to let this happen, and there, a canopy can help.

Reduce dehydration

Dehydration can be a major problem at the beach. On a bright, cloudless, hot day, the danger is greatest—but it doesn’t go away when the sky is overcast or the weather is cooler.

Just being outdoors for an extended period of time can dehydrate you. And the continuous breeze which is common along the coast in many locations can strip moisture from your skin, causing you to dehydrate even faster.

How can a canopy tent help? It provides an extra layer of shade, keeping you cooler, it helps block out at least a little of the wind, especially with a sunwall, and (as just discussed) it can keep your beverages cool and appealing, encouraging you to drink more.

It sure is better to stay hydrated than it is to have to end your day at the beach early because you’ve come down with a headache. On a related note, if you are prone to migraines triggered by sunlight, you are less likely to get one if you are under your canopy’s shade!

Increase privacy with a sunwall

When you plan a day at the beach, what do you envision? Probably a quiet, serene day, the wide open sand stretching around you for miles without another soul in sight.

But what is the reality typically like? Unless you live in a rural location, probably quite a bit different. Instead of the private, quiet day at the beach you might have envisioned, you may find yourself wading through crowds.

A canopy tent can help with this problem. If you install one or more sunwalls on your tent (which is as easy as attaching them with Velcro), you can screen some of those crowds from view. You also can stay out of view yourself.

It is much easier to relax when you don’t have to watch other people or be watched by them. If you spend most of the day under the shade of your tent, you might even forget just how many people are sharing the beach with you!

Stay at the beach longer and have a more enjoyable time

When you add together all of the benefits listed above—plus the basic benefits of shade and wind protection—it is easy to see how a canopy tent makes a trip to the beach more comfortable all around.

That comfort extends not just to you, but to anyone who joins you on your outing. Children and pets in particular, who may be extra prone to fatigue, will probably have a better time, complain less, and tire out later than they would without a canopy tent.

In that way, a canopy tent gives you the freedom to spend more time on the beach before you need to pack up for the day and head home.

You will also have better memories of your beach trip. Instead of roasting on the hot sand with lukewarm water to drink, you’ll remember luxuriating in the shade with ice cold water well into the day.

Want to learn more about canopy tents for beach vacations? Take a look through our archives for more articles to help you choose and make the best use of canopy tents for the seashore.

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