My family and I just returned from two glorious weeks at the beach. Because we live in the Midwest, our Summer beach vacations take place on Lake Michigan, which, in my humble opinion, is just as beautiful as any ocean, with the added benefit of being unsalted. Wonderful weather meant we spent the majority of each day covered in sand, and while I so appreciate being at a spot that entertains my kids (ages 2 and 5) for multiple hours with minimal whining, getting there was no picnic, despite the fact that my babes require one almost immediately upon arrival. Here are the many steps of getting to the beach with little kids.