Choosing the Best Beach Site for Your Canopy Tent

If you are planning an outing to the beach and you want to be able to relax under the shade, one of the best ways you can do that is to bring a canopy tent with you. A canopy tent allows you to set up wherever you want without the sun being a problem.

But that does not mean that every spot on the beach is ideal for setting up a canopy tent. Following are some tips to help you find the most suitable site for your tent on your next beach trip.

Choose a beach where you can use the tent

Before you can set up a canopy tent on a beach, you need to check to see whether you can do so according to the rules and regulations for that beach.

While quite a few beaches are more than happy to let you use your canopy tent, others prohibit tents altogether. Some may allow tents, but only if they measure within certain dimensions. Here are some rundowns of canopy tent regulations in Ocean City, Maryland that you might find useful, but ultimately every town has their own set of rules you must abide by.

Pick a location which isn’t too close to the water

After you have decided on a beach for your outing with your canopy tent, you'll need to figure out the best spot to pitch your tent.

One aspect to consider, especially if you will be spending many hours at the beach, is the tides. While you can set up many canopy tents within just a couple of minutes and take them down about as quickly, it is still ideal if you only need to set up your tent and take it down once.

So avoid choosing a site which is located too close to the water. That way, if the tide comes up, you may not need to relocate.

Set up in a spot where you have some shelter from the wind

A canopy tent only has a roof. Usually, there are no side panels, although there are some tents you can purchase which have side panels that you can attach or detach (or roll up or roll down) as necessary.

There are both benefits and drawbacks to this design. On one hand, you get plenty of airflow. This prevents the space underneath your canopy tent from overheating in the bright sun.

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On the other hand, you may sometimes end up with more airflow than you would like. Beaches can be very windy, especially in some locations. So this should be one of your prime considerations when you're selecting a site for setup.

If you can get at least partial shelter from the wind, that will go a long way toward a more comfortable and enjoyable day.

Consider selecting a site with a bit of natural shade

The whole point of a canopy tent is to give you some shade while you are on the beach. Because of its design, however, it does the best job of this when the sun is at its zenith. In the early morning and late afternoon, the sun will be below the level of the canopy. Check out a list of the some of the coolest beaches with natural shade, we recommend checking some of these out :)

If you know roughly what path the sun will be traveling during the hours you are at the beach, you can try to pick a site which will offer some natural shade during the hours of the day when your canopy cannot provide adequate coverage.

Walk a little further if it means escaping the crowds

There are some beaches where privacy is out of the question, like crowded city shores. But at quite a few other beaches, how much privacy you will have depends largely on how far you're willing to walk.

That does not necessarily mean you need to carry your tent and other supplies clear across the beach, crossing miles of sand.

Surprisingly often, it might mean walking just ten or fifteen minutes farther than the average beachgoer. Oftentimes, if there is a minor obstacle in the way (i.e. a protruding outcrop which forces you to wade in a foot of water to get to the other side), that is often enough to deter the crowds (a lot of people don’t want to get their feet wet, even at the beach).

As a bonus, that outcrop can give you added privacy, since it shields off your view of the crowds. That just leaves you with the serenity of a comparatively less-crowded stretch of sand.

On top of that, the outcrop might be able to fill two of the other functions we’ve talked about. For at least part of the day, it might provide you with additional shade. It might also do a good job of screening out a significant amount of wind.

Consider kids and pets

If you have children or pets with you on your beach outing, think about their safety as well as their fun when you are choosing a spot. With children, for example, you should stay away from spots where there are sharp, slippery rocks jutting out in or near the water. With a small dog, stay away from super windy spots where your dog could blow into the water.

Pick somewhere picturesque

Last, but certainly not least, choose a scenic spot for your tent where you can take in the best of the scenery throughout the day. This is one of the great benefits of canopy tents over other types of tents which have side walls. You get to continue to look out and admire beautiful views from every angle while enjoying the shade.

Conclusion: The Best Experience With Your Canopy Tent on the Beach Relies on Picking the Best Site to Set Up

We have now gone over some of the most important considerations when choosing a spot to set up your canopy tent on the beach. It may take you a few extra minutes to get away from the crowds and to pick a spot which is sheltered from wind and sun, but it will be well worth it over the hours ahead as you enjoy yourself to the fullest.

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