What you need for a successful beach vacation

• beach umbrellas (2 if you're smart)
• small, metal shovels to dig holes for umbrellas
• Beach chairs - one for each person over 2 years old - ideally the kind that you can sit right at the edge of the waves so your feet get wet
• Buckets - 50 of various shapes and sizes
• Small plastic shovels - maybe 10 also of various shapes and sizes
• Blanket for under previously listed umbrellas
• Cooler
• Wagon to tote everything to the beach each day
• Beach towel - again, one for each person over 2 years old
• Water bottles
• Ice packs
• Spray sunscreen for kids
• Spray sunscreen for you
• Spray sunscreen for your spouse
• Sunscreen stick for kids' faces
• Crocs
• Flip-flops
• Baseball caps or floppy hats
• Swimsuits and rash guards (no idea why the shirts are called rash guards - you'd think they actually cause rashes?)
• baby wipes to clean anything and everything
• Sunglasses for each person over 2 years old
• A good book that you'll never pull out of your bag
• Snacks, snacks, and more snacks
• Other toys - if it's plastic, bring it
• Camera - that you never take to the beach because you don't want to get sand in it, so instead you use the extremely slow shutter on your phone's camera
• a bike
• a bike trailer for two kids - even though you only end up riding with one
• a bike helmet for each of your kids - even though the one kid you ride with hates it and holds on to the straps the entire ride (OCD? you betcha.)
• phone number for the sandwich shop that delivers to the beach
• several bottles of wine, a case of beer, and maybe, just maybe, blueberry vodka with lemonade
• friends that have 90% of the things listed above and even more patience

What does all of this get you? An amazing vacation with your little, special family! The opportunity to see your toddler dance and sing because he's having so much fun in the surf. Watching your baby boy entertain himself with the beach chairs and tell you he's tired by eating sand. Having everyone enjoy the sun and the sea, share new experiences, and create memories for a lifetime!