One thing I keep hearing friends rave about is one of the newest additions to the park scene in the Lowcountry. Charleston County Parks opened Old Towne Creek County Park at the end of June, and I didn't hear about it until weeks after the fact but every time a friend visits I always hear about it.

The 67 acres at 1400 Old Towne Road in West Ashley were a working farm and riding academy for decades. The landscaping there has been many years in progress, so instead of the usual bare, young trees you get at a new park, there are plenty of live oaks that have been standing there a very long time.

For many families the draw is the trail. There's a one-mile loop with a packed stone surface, which is the detail us moms with young kids that may need a wagon or stroller like to know! Off the loop there are boardwalks and a dock with marsh views out over Old Towne Creek, plus an arboretum, a small amphitheater that doubles as an outdoor classroom, and a welcome center in a restored building the park calls the Rain Hut.

There's also a playground, which is the part that actually decides whether my two will get back in the car willingly. It's built with nature-inspired, accessible play elements rather than the standard plastic tower, so it should feel different from the ones they've memorized.

Admission is $2 per person, free for kids 2 and under and for Gold Pass holders. Through August the park is open 8am to 8pm, and from September it shifts to 8am until sunset. Dogs are welcome on a leash. It's roughly 35 to 40 minutes from downtown Summerville, and it sits directly across Old Towne Road from Charles Towne Landing, so you could reasonably make a morning of both.

We haven't made it out there yet — it's on our list for a cooler Saturday. If you've been already and have a favorite part of the park, let us know!