A day out at Sandbanks beach. What do I need to know?

[Shufflebumnessie]

We're planning a beach day at Sandbanks sometime in the next week. It will be 2 adults and 2 children (DS7 & DD2).
Can anyone give us any hints and tips?

Best place to park?
Are there toilets?
We've eaten so many picnics over the summer we'd like to treat ourselves to lunch. Are there any casual places to eat actually on the beach where we'll feel comfortable walking in wearing shorts & t-shirts? Or are they all more upmarket?

As you can tell, we've never been before!!

[Ricekrispie22]

There is a large car park at Sandbanks and also on-road parking. The charges made in the car park and for on-road parking are quite high although you are parking right on the beach so you don't have too far to carry all of your beach equipment. As you would expect, when the weather is fine, the car park fills up very quickly.
There are some very good facilities at Sandbanks including toilets, showers, ice-cream kiosk and hot-dog/burger bars as well as the Sandbanks Beach Cafe which is a casual self-service cafe which serves hot and cold meals and drinks. There are also several kiosks and shops selling all the usual beach goodies such as inflatables, buckets and spades etc.
There is a large and challenging crazy-golf course behind the beach front as well as a mini-golf course. There is also a mini road train that cruises up and down the prom in the summer season.

[pisspants]

it is a very normal beach just has some pricey houses nearby - has a pretty standard cafe there which is similar to most beach cafes - jacket potatoes, chips etc

[Thisismyusernamefornow]

If sunny, to as early as possible as the car park is often full by 10

[jomaIone]

Can you not just Google it?? It's just a beach FGS 😒

[pisspants]

should have added in the beach cafe which is by the car park you would be fine there in beach stuff

[Shufflebumnessie]

Thank you very much to those who took the time to post very helpful replies. It was exactly the type of information that I was looking for (but struggling to find using Google). Sometimes you just need to ask someone who's already been there!

[Funf]

Wish I was going