Hahaha, I'm so glad you posted this. I was just on a beach vacation and was having to educate the spouse and friends on the "correct" way to go to the beach.
I was getting so judgey when I saw these families with a huge freaking cartload of stuff coming to the beach each day. Like, you don't need 5 different sets of toys to keep your children occupied *at the beach*. The beach is the thing that's supposed to be entertaining them! And I see 2 year olds with beach chairs. Children do not need beach chairs. In my family, you got a beach chair when you were old enough to carry it. You want your boogie board? Well, you're not big enough to carry the board and a chair, so you have to pick one. I see these parents lugging the cart while their children follow behind them eating icecream, carrying nothing. What is this thing with some parents acting like a servant to their children? Aside from that, it means there's no reward for growing up and being capable of more.
</rant> Phew, that felt good.
For going to the beach all day, I'll have:
Tote bag with one towel and book per person and all the sunscreens.
Beach blanket (optional)
Chair for each person
Cooler with drinking water, sandwiches, some fruit and cookies.
You don't need really good food at the beach. You're hungry from swimming and your mouth is filled with the taste of salt water, so pretty much anything tastes amazing. Also, like, you're having a nice day at the beach, that's the nice treat. You don't need treat food in addition to that. It's not like you need junk food to console yourself for having to spend a day at the beach. Ugh, this also gets into my feelings about people eating out all the time while they're on vacation, I won't start. Oh, or people feeling like they should buy a new outfit "for vacation." Like, vacation is when no one cares how you're dressed, so you can comfortably wear all your old clothes!
Our rental this time came with some beach chairs, one of which had wheels and my spouse honest to god strapped everything he wanted to bring onto the chair with wheels and used it as a cart. I'm like, how is dragging this thing behind you any easier than just carrying it? He didn't have anything that wasn't in the above list although he'd chosen a tri-fold chair he thought was heavy. And I'm like, well this is why people usually choose lighter chairs.
I feel like such a puritan sometimes.