A cabana is a small shelter or building near a beach or swimming pool, designed to provide shade and a place to change clothes or relax. Picture a little roofed structure with open sides where you can escape the hot sun, store your towel and sunscreen, or change out of your wet bathing suit. At fancy hotels and resorts, cabanas often have comfortable chairs, curtains for privacy, and sometimes even refrigerators stocked with cold drinks.

The word comes from Spanish, where it originally meant a simple hut or cottage. Today, you'll find cabanas at public pools, beach clubs, and water parks. Some families rent a cabana for the day so they have a home base while swimming. Others have a permanent cabana in their backyard next to their pool.

People sometimes use cabana loosely to describe any poolside or beachside shelter, even if it's just a large umbrella with chairs underneath. The key idea is having a shaded, semi-private spot where you can take a break from the water and sun without going all the way back to your hotel room or house.