Get ready for the best beach day ever with these comfortable, portable, shaded beach chairs.

GCI Outdoor Big Surf Chair with Sunshade on the beach
Parker Amstutz

Lean back, pull out your favorite beach read (and/or margarita), and relax this summer, because we found the most comfortable chairs for your next day at the ocean.

As any parent or organizer knows, the list of things you need to pack for the perfect beach getaway is long. There are always competing priorities, so you’ve got to make room for snacks, and a cooler for drinks, along with towels and activities and reading material. But all those must-haves and to-do lists can fade away when you sink down into that perfectly cozy beach chair for a nice, long beach nap.

Whether planning for a long summer vacation or a day at the beach making sandcastles, there are some key things we look for in the perfect beach chair. Is it lightweight and easy to carry, along with the rest of our kids’/dog/family gear? Is there a cup holder big enough for our iced coffee or canned wine? (Bonus if there is extra storage for towels and extra sunglasses.) Is there shade attached, for those of us needing that extra SPF and extra sun protection? And finally, is it so comfortable that we never want to leave?

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These seem like tough boxes to check in the search for the perfect chair, but we found some fantastic contenders. Check out some favorites below.

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