23 Awesome Pool Floats, Rafts And Inflatables You'll Love All Summer

You'll be the star of summer when you show up at the lake, pool, river or beach with any of these water toys.

If it doesn’t involve a pool float, did you even go on vacation? Turn your hot vax summer up with these fun, playful inflatables you can take to the beach, pool, lake or river for maximum entertainment. From a $5 flamingo-print inner tube to an actual inflatable boat, there’s something for every budget and lifestyle. (Just don’t forget to grab an air pump, too!)

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1
A glamorous peacock island
Because swans are so 2015.

Promising review: "The raft is really bright and pretty and a lot bigger than I thought it would be. It has been floating in my friend's pool for about a month now in the central Florida sun and it is holding up very well. All of the other rafts they received at the same time are faded but the peacock is still very bright. It has been jumped on by children and adults so it must be decent quality plastic." -- Brian Richardson

Get it from Amazon for $49.99.
2
An avocado float with a pop-out beach ball
It's two pool toys in one: Remove the pit and you've got both a float and a ball to play with. And who doesn't love avocados? (Fun fact: Pregnant reviewers say they also used this for sleeping.)

Promising review: "I was really happy with the quality of this raft. We ordered these for the beach... They are very thick material and the ports to blow them up have the insert to use a pump so the air doesn't come right back out. They are very bright and colorful and HUGE rafts! The avocado is great because two people can actually use it at the same time and the beach ball pit makes for some laughs but also gave us something to toss around the pool so you actually have two things in one! ...It was a great time and I highly recommend these products!" -- LisaLoo

Get it for $20.69 from Amazon by clicking "save 10%" before adding it to your cart.
3
A versatile Monterey hammock
There are multiple ways to float around relaxing in this water hammock, a favorite of several HuffPost staffers.

Promising review: "LOVE these floats!!! Purchased two colors. I was looking for something perfect for drifting around a lazy river (which we did around 100 times over the past week of vacation! LOL) and these fit the bill. They are very easy to use, incredibly versatile and really well made! They did their job and did it well. Fantastic price for a fantastic product! My parents loved them so much that they've already purchased their own for our vacation NEXT YEAR!!! We left a day earlier than the rest of the family, but my parents begged us to leave these behind for their use. FYI, I'm 240 and 5'9", my husband and father are 280 and 6'. These held all of us up in the water. Used these as a reclining float, a saddle style float, and a hammock style float. Loved them all!" -- Kendall B.

Get it from Amazon for $15.04 or from Walmart for $14.97.
4
A massive dinosaur float
It's a huge, toothy dinosaur that's $31.99. What's not to love?

Promising review: "I am not one to write reviews however when something impresses me I have to mention it. This pool float has been inflated and floating on our pool for 2 months straight, the kids abuse it non stop, wind has blown it out of the pool a couple times but it stays inflated and has yet to spring a leak. At our house that is very impressive!!! Its quite large, our 10 and 7 year old usually are on it together no problem. Great buy!!" -- Chad Blythe

Get it for in blue or yellow from Amazon for $31.99.
5
A 3-pack of cute flamingo drink holders
What's a vacation by the water without a nice chilled drink by your side? Have your pool time and cocktail hour, too, with these adorable floating cup holders.

Promising review: "Wow, just wow. By far my greatest Amazon purchase to date. These $10 floats held my $12 Moscow mule like a champ. No spilling, just floating. The 3 pack made it easy for my family to join me in my flamingo float coolness except that my selfish 5 yr old wanted them all to herself. Once I finally gave in I noticed that even a crazy splashy insane child was able to keep her drink afloat (just a water) in this flamingo! I plan to buy these for everyone I know that has a pool and you should too! Also as a bonus - these are perfect for holding your drink steady on your pool chair or next to it so you don’t accidentally knock it over with your poolside drunkenness! Seriously -- buy these." -- absolutkeg

Get a 3-pack from Amazon for $12.15.
6
A blow-up bull ride for endless laughs
Can you make it 8 seconds on a wild wet steer? Fill your vacation with hilarious fun and hysterical spills with one of these inflatable bulls. Choose between a realistically-printed rodeo ring from Intex or a barrel-style steer from Banzai.

Promising review for Intex: "I bought this for an annual lake trip I take with my old college roommates. Many came but only few conquered the beast. Success rates radically vary based upon alcohol consumption. It survived multiple double decker waterslide mount attempts so it’s durable." -- Amazon customer

Get the Intex "Inflatabull" from Amazon for $139.94 or get the Banzai "Wild Water Rodeo" from Boscov's for $19.99.
7
A 2-person kayak you can fit in a bag
Don't have the storage space or a car rigged to transport kayaks? The Explorer K2 from Intex inflates in minutes with the included air pump. It comes with a carrying bag and two aluminum paddles and is designed for use in lakes and gentle rivers.

Promising review: "I love this kayak! You can go swimming in the middle of the lake. Re-entering is easy and it won't flip. When you remove both seats 2 people can comfortably sit on the inflated floor facing each other and enjoy lazy afternoon on the water. You can also buy a kayak anchor and enjoy sunshine without a drift." -- Sceptic Jim

Get it from Amazon for $180.95.
8
A gorgeous kente-inspired pool
Make your own fun with this stunning inflatable pool from Alma Ocean, a Black woman-owned small business specializing in water products.

Promising advance take: "That pattern is epic. Aesthetic gold!" -- Souler Worldwide

Get the Culture Addict inflatable pool from Alma Ocean for $78. You can also get the Rasta Unicorn drink holderfor $20.
9
An ergonomic luxury lounger that's soft on your skin
Soft cool-weave fabric is the standout for this buoyant lounge. You'll love the headrest, width and cup holders, too.

Promising review: "Opened today, inflated and used for 2 hours in a river. It was awesome! I'm 6'2" 250 lbs and it held me easily! And it's actually really comfortable. Laying all the way back it felt like my recliner at home. It's a water hammock, so the bottom is mesh and let's the water through. Sitting down on it at first feels like your going to sink, but once you lay flat, it holds you up perfectly. The headrest is the best part! I highly recommend this. I'm ordering a second one!" -- Charles

Get it from Amazon for $46.99 or from Target for the same price.
10
A baby float activity center with protection from the sun
Little ones get to be in the pool with the big kids with this floating activity center that comes with its very own SPF 50 sun shade. Each tentacle of the inflatable octopus holds a toy, including a squeaker fish, stacking rings, fish teether and soft touch star.

Promising review: "Amazing!!! Using it for my 4-month-old. He's always been super strong and has been sitting on his own for a minute or two at a time. Before we used it in the pool we sat him on top of the seat area and he loved it! He could balance perfectly with the support and play with the toys. In the pool he was more leaned back but could also lean forward to play with the toys. The puffer fish squeaks and they all float. The shader was amazing and snaps into place. He also took a nap on it outside the pool. Perfect!!" -- Amazon customer

Get it from Amazon for $26.47.
11
A tropical cabana lounger that can shade you from the sun
The wire-rimmed sun shade folds for travel or storage, and the built-in cup holders mean you won't have to move all day.

Get it from Funboy on sale right now for $179.10 or in all-white from Amazon for $199.99.
12
The ultimate floating machine
OK, it's not a machine. But if you're just drifting down a river or floating on the lake, the Intex River Run series is the BMW of tubes. This has a mesh bottom, handles, water bottle holders, a back rest and a grab rope with a snap device you can use to attach two or more together.

Promising review: "We LOVE these tubes! Super fast shipping. My husband is 6'5, I'm 5'3. Both fit very comfortably in tubes. He'd never been tubing, and I took him on a quick 6 hour float to 'get his feet wet.' I was worried his back would be sore, but he said he was comfortable the entire time. Im pretty sure he snuck in a nap at some point. At my height, getting out in the river waters was a bit of a challenge, but I'd mastered it quickly. Bumped into quite a few rocks, but had no problems with the material holding up. We will certainly be getting a LOT of use out of these. Very highly recommend." -- Kayakchick76

Get it in blue from Dick's Sporting Goods for $22.99 or in red from Amazon for $41.99 or in blue from Amazon for $45.75.
13
The ultimate floating machine ... with an inflatable cooler
It would be an actual crime if we did not tell you there's also a two-person version of the tube above with all the same features plus A BUILT-IN COOLER.

Promising review: "The dual tube design was very comfortable, on the picture doesn't show but it has a space compartment in front of the cooler excellent to store cameras and a waterproof speaker to jam down the river; the cooler is a good idea although the ice melted pretty fast, the drain hole was a great feature, but on the bright side we used the cooler after draining the water to store our cellphones and shoes along with a few bottles/cans of choice to keep it dry. Total time used was 5 hours down the river. Kept the air pressure well, great quality product 5 stars. -- JPK2017

Get it from Dick's Sporting Goods for $39.99 (regularly $49.99). It is also available at Amazon.
14
An entire island for all your friends
This giant raft has a built-in cooler, six cup holders, an anchor, backrests, two boarding platforms and space for seven of your nearest and dearest. What more could you possibly want? (If the answer is "a sunshade," check out this option or this smaller island from Intex with a detachable canopy.)

Promising review: "Where to begin....we splashed, we chilled, we took a charcuterie board into the middle of Lake Anna... The lakefront houses surrounding us were full of people who were straight jelly at the amount of laughs being had during our splash and chill and meat and cheese sesh. Haters will say it’s fake. To those haters we will tell them you can splash but YOU CAN’T CHILL as our captain literally kicks them overboard. This was purchased for a bachelor party weekend and with a built in cooler full of Bud Light seltzer it was worth every penny paid." -- Elizabeth Regnitz

Get it from Amazon for $314.99.
15
A hot dog for hot doggin' on
Remember when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union rode the banana boat? This is just like that, except it's a hot dog and you're not famous.

You will, however, need a boat.

Promising review: "This thing held up to a 75 mph supercharged jet ski and let me tell you the faces of my brothers was priceless. Then we threw about 6 kids on this thing and changed their lives to where they will require thrill seeking at level 10 for the rest of their lives. I’ve never seen such a glorious sight at 75 mph. This thing just takes a lickin and keeps on... uh... wienering!" -- Kevin H.

Get it from Amazon for $158.79.
16
A sweet watermelon pool
Give small kids (or yourself) a safe place to splash with this juicy inflatable pool from Intex.

Promising review: "This was a great size, I was expecting it to be too small to be comfortable but I could sit down with my legs stretched out and hold my baby on my lap. I have a friend coming over with her baby and we will both fit comfortably. I'm sure it could hold several children on their own as well. Took a while to fill up, even with the electric pump I bought (not included -- make sure you get one!). Probably about 10-15 minutes in total... Great little pool for the kids in the back yard." -- Sebastian Wood

Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
17
A giant disco dome for the 'Gram
It's a floating disco dome. We don't need to say more, but we will point out that kids will love leaping from this, too.

Get it from Funboy for $269 (currently $30 off).
18
A tube that's bananas
You can't help but feel sunny inside just looking at this banana-print float. It's about 47 inches wide, big enough for adults.

Promising review: "Great float at a great price." -- a Target customer

Get it from Target for $10.
19
A yummy sushi island for sunning and funning
Amazon
Lounge in relaxation on a delicious 5-foot-diameter sushi roll while the kids play for hours with the inflatable chopsticks.

Get it from Amazon for $51.20.
20
An absolutely adorable tube from Target
Can you even?!? Sun Squad at Target is offering these small, ring-style pool floats in so many cute and colorful styles. You'll want to put a few in your cart, at least.

Get these styles and more from Target for $5-$10 each.
21
An inflatable boat so sturdy you can even attach a motor to it
Stuck at the shore without a "real" boat for fishing or exploring? This inflatable version is so heavy-duty in super-tough PVC that you can even buy an optional motor mount and take things to the next level. As is, it comes with rotating oar locks (two aluminum oars included), fishing rod holders and a plastic slatted floor and inflatable reinforced keel for stability. Best of all, when you're done, you can just deflate this boat, roll up the floor and pack it all in your trunk for next time.

Get it from Amazon for $427.99.
22
A rowboat for when you need to vacation from vacation
Sometimes when you're at the lake with the family you need a few moments alone. Simply paddle away from them in this inflatable rowboat to grab a few moments of solitude and never spill the secret that it's actually built for two.

Promising review: "The Explorer 200 demonstrates superior performance as an inflatable watercraft far beyond the walls of the suburban above ground pool for which it was designed. This so called 'toy' valiantly charged through the choppy waters of Lake Powell, effortlessly deflecting plates of ice with its seemingly impenetrable rubber hull as I explored a vast network of narrow sandstone canyons. Some may call it the 'poor man's packraft', but I strongly disagree, as any man fortunate enough to call an Explorer 200 his own is a rich man indeed." -- Peter Brandon

Get it from Amazon for $49.99.
23
A floating mat that holds the whole family
Provide HOURS of fun with this floating pad made of closed cell foam. A tear-stop middle layer makes this mat extra durable, and a bungee tether allows you to anchor it in place. When you're done, just roll it up with the included Velcro straps.

Promising review: "The grandchildren and neighbors' children have had a great time with this mat all summer. Once is is in the water they do not want to come out. The children range in age from 3 to 14, with the parents getting in the act occasionally. They run, jump, flop, do cartwheels and flips, play king of the mat, etc. Always action except when they slow down a bit to catch a breath. This has clearly been the hit of the summer and given the looks as the boats swing by, we expect to see a few more on the lake this summer and next. We use a small mushroom anchor with it which works fine. In addition, I run a line from the anchor to the shore so if I don't want to get wet at the end of the day when it is time to bring it in I can simply pull it in with that line. One of the best parts is no inflation necessary. Simply unroll it; then roll it back up when finished. Using two to roll it does make it easier; I haven't tried rolling it up alone. The Rubber Dockie 18x6-Feet Floating Mat great fun!!" -- John

Get it from Amazon in two sizes for $399+.

And a bonus recommendation: A very American eagle for the 4th of July.

Oriental Trading

... because it’s what Uncle Sam would want.

Get it from Oriental Trading for $27.99.

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