Watch CBS News

Essentials Shopping

Best beach wagons for Memorial Day weekend and beyond

2-split-best-of-guide-2024-5.png
Wayfair, Mark & Graham

Beach days are great fun, and we can't wait to spend as much time as we can down by the water this summer. But do you know what isn't so fun? Lugging all of your beach essentials to and from your car under the blistering hot sun. Not having the right transportation system in place can leave you feeling fatigued, starting your beach day on a bad note.

To avoid this altogether, get yourself a beach wagon. Beach wagons will do all the heavy lifting of your towels, chairs, cooler, umbrella and more for you, all you have to do is push or pull. There's still some work involved, yes, but carting your belongings through the sand is so much easier than carrying everything by hand.


Best beach wagons of 2024

To help you find the right beach wagon for your needs, we rounded up the best beach wagons for beach-going parties big and small. These wagons will get everything you need to the edge of the sand with ease, so all that's left to do is kick back, soak up the sun and enjoy the scenery.


Best overall beach wagon: Gorilla Carts 7-cubic-feet collapsible folding beach wagon

81h-n02oepl-ac-sl1500.jpg
Amazon

The Gorilla Carts beach wagon offers ample room to store all your beach essentials, measuring three feet long and nearly two feet wide. In addition to plenty of space in the bed, the wagon also comes with many storage compartments both inside and out, including interior zip pockets that are great for personal items such as your wallet, phone or beach book, and a large exterior pocket that can hold beach towels, collapsible beach chairs and more. 

The beach wagon also has cup holders on all four sides and all-terrain wheels with brakes. What's more, when you're all done using it, the beach wagon can break down about half its size for the easiest storage. 

The Gorilla Carts 7-cubic-feet collapsible folding beach wagon has a 4.7-star rating on Amazon. One reviewer wrote, "So glad I purchased it! Good quality and durable. We have a huge Grizzly cooler that we usually take on weekend trips to the beach or a river along with our beach chairs, towels and snacks. This made it all so much easier." 


Best small beach wagon: Vevor Beach Wonder

beach-wonder-bags-storage.jpg
Wayfair

Those who usually beach it by themselves or with a couple of other loved ones will appreciate this small yet efficient beach wagon from Vevor. The beach wagon has several compartments big and small to store beach necessities, including a slot for your water bottle and a bottom storage base that's great for towels and collapsible chairs. You can store kids' toys in the mesh catch-all bag and put your tablet and some snacks in the storage bag next to the handles. 

The rear balloon wheels will help you get across the sand with ease. Don't be afraid to load this little beach wagon up; the fabric is not only tear-proof, but the weight capacity is a whopping 350 pounds.

The Vevor Beach Wonder has a 4.5-star rating on Wayfair. One reviewer said that it "rolls well in the sand", while another customer wrote, "Very light and functional. Has space for everything for a beach day!"


Best push beach wagon: Beau Jardin collapsible folding beach wagon

61ugr-0hjyl-ac-sl1500.jpg
Amazon

Most large beach wagons have to be pulled from behind, which can end up causing trouble for your back. That's why we really like this Beau Jardin model, which has an adjustable push handle for a more comfortable transporting experience. It also comes with a pull-handle, giving you the chance to change your position while carting the beach wagon around.

The Beau Jardin collapsible folding beach wagon has a weight capacity of 350 pounds, is made of a fabric that is tear-resistant and waterproof and has 360-degree wheels with brakes and free-standing support to ensure it remains immobile while parked. Get this in one of four colors. 

The Beau Jardin collapsible folding beach wagon has a 4.4-star rating on Amazon. One reviewer wrote, "If you have a bad back like me, pushing the wagon with the handlebars works way better than pulling it. I love this."

Another customer said, "The wagon is more spacious than I thought it would be. It fits all of our beach gear along with my toddler who still has plenty of room to wiggle around." 


Most stylish beach wagon: Business & Pleasure folding beach cart

business-pleasure-folding-beach-cart-5-z.jpg
Mark & Graham

Most beach wagons are an eyesore. If you're willing to spend extra money to have your belongings travel in style on the way down to the sand, splurge on this Business & Pleasure folding beach cart. The beach wagon is quite pretty with its blue- and white-striped exterior pattern, rich navy interior, faux leather details, white frame and wood handle. 

It's functional as well, with four wheels made of plastic and rubber that have traction to ease pulling it through the sand. The beach cart has a strip of mesh lining that'll make it a breeze to brush the sand away that has collected at the bottom of the cart. Plus, you can fold it up at the end of the day, so it won't take up as much space in your trunk or garage.


Most versatile beach wagon: Mac Sports 2-in-1 beach day folding chair 

2-in-1-beach-day-folding-chair.jpg
Wayfair

Why transport your chair to the beach when you can get one built into your beach wagon? Say hello to a whole new way of beaching it with the Mac Sports 2-in-1 beach day folding chair. Pulling this across the beach will be easy with the pull-handle built into the back of the chair, as well as the two exterior wheels, both of which have nice traction on them. The chair also comes with armrests and a footrest, allowing you to fully stretch out and relax your body.

As for storage, the removable mesh bag that is held between the backrest and footrest can hold beach supplies, including a small cooler, towels, some beach toys and even an umbrella. 

The Mac Sports 2-in-1 beach day folding chair has a 4.5-star rating on Wayfair. One reviewer wrote, "Love it. It has made going to the beach solo so much easier. My small dog goes with me and often rides on top of 'stuff' from car to beach. So glad I made the purchase." 


View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.