1) Sports Umbrella: I'm a huge fan of these umbrellas as they are tough. They can be laid down or be spiked into the ground. Plus the bottom is a solid medal spike perfect for an impromptu Zombie killing tool. Don't bring those giant 12x12 tents unless you are having a multi-family outing.
2)Spray Sun Tan Lotion: This stuff is easy to apply and doesn't require your kids to be still for long. Spray it on and rub it in. I recommend a sport with a SPF of over 30. This way you don't have to keep applying it so often throughout the day. Regardless of what you get you should reapply 2-3 hours until they are golden brown. Bright Pink makes home hell later. Remember to spray on your hands before applying to their faces.
3)Towels/Blankets: You need towels because drying without them just doesn't feel right. I recommend the total number plus one. If you bring a blanket or a mat you can minus 1 as you should be laying on that rather than the towels. I recommend the roll compared to the fold for when you ram them in your pack.
4) Toys: This is difficult if you don't want to lug a bag full. Personally I say loose the bag of cheap beach toys and go with a decent sand shovel. Everyone likes to dig at the beach. With a few of these you and your kids can bury each other or build the most awesome moat to hold back the waves. All the other toys will be forgotten, plus these sand shovels are light and can be easily carried. Make sure the spade is made of a heavy plastic and the body of wood.
5)Blow ups and other fun: This is something I try to avoid at the beaches because you have sand to play in and boogie boards are so much more fun. Plus unless your kids are munchkins they can carry their own. If you must bring a float for the pool or lake say because your kid is to small to swim than I recommend something that is easily collapsible or requires a noodle to float. Just remember whatever you bring with you has to be taken back.
6)Life Vest vs. Floaties: Personally I go with the floaties. They are small, blow up (meaning they deflate) so they will fit in your bag. Also they won't cause you to suffer a head rush when you blow them and your floats up. The life vest are great for a boat but in reality they don't allow kids the freedom to learn to swim as the floaties do. Vest tend to end up around their ears and do exactly what they are intended for. Let the kids swim not float.
7)Cooler: This is a good idea if you plan an all day event at the beach or pool. Just remember where you are going. If you are going to a pool a cooler with rollers is awesome. If you are going to the beach, that same cooler is going to piss you off. Pack what you need not what they want because you will end up hungry because swimming is work and Doritos only last so long. Pack plenty of protein sandwiches (Peanut Butter & Jellies) and since a 12 pack of Gatorade from the store is almost as cheap as water I would go with that. Water is great but you need salts and some sugar to replace what you loose. Nothing is worse when the kids are burnt out and crying. A little sugar helps them keep it together long enough to get to the car.
8)Pack: Now that you have everything you will need a pack to cram all this into. I say go with a decent size book bag you have laying around you won't mind flipping inside out to get the sand out when you get home.
Now your ready to go. You've unloaded the car with a pack on your back, umbrella on the shoulder, cooler in hand and shovels or a bag of toys in the other. Everyman is the pack mule in the relationship. This is just one way to get it there without wanting to bury a body in the sand.
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