Happy Friday, Summerville!

We're officially in the final days of summer, and I can feel it! I keep doing the math on how many slow mornings we have left before the school-year routine takes back over. Not many. We hope you all can enjoy the final days of summer with your families!

A couple celebrations around town to remember as we wrap up summer break:

This week we feature a cool, canopy-covered walk the boys can actually do themselves, the information you need for the back-to-school fests in the area, plus the details about camping as a family at Ashley River Park this fall. We also are featuring a Summerville staple restaurant that we’ve somehow never covered before.

Enjoy!

When the forecast says 95° and the boys still have energy to burn, my new trick is to go where the trees do the work. If you’re like us, we’re a little “watered out” at this point but if you’re going to do something outside, shade is your best friend!

The Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest, about 40 minutes up in Harleyville, is a 1.75-mile boardwalk looping through one of the largest remaining old-growth cypress-tupelo swamps in the country — and under that canopy it runs noticeably cooler than anywhere out in the open.

The whole loop is a flat, ADA-compliant boardwalk, which is the part that is amazing if you want to bring a stroller or wagon along. No mud, no roots, no fighting a stroller the entire way. My 4-year-old can walk it himself, and there's a rail the whole route, so I'm not nervous over the water. You'll likely spot turtles, herons, and if you're lucky an owl or a gator further out. Frame it like a nature treasure hunt and little kids are locked in!

A few honest logistics, because this is a swamp in August: go right at open, bring water, and do not forget bug spray — the shade is a gift, the mosquitoes are not. The visitor center has clean restrooms and a small nature exhibit that's a good cool-down at the end.

Hours are Wednesday–Saturday 9am–5pm and Sunday 11am–4pm (closed Monday and Tuesday). Admission is $12 for adults, $7 for kids 6–12, and free for under 6. The insider bit: the second Saturday of every month is free for everyone, and this month that's August 8 — a perfect day to try it before committing. Buy tickets 24 hours ahead online and they discount a dollar off each.

Hi everyone! I’m Jessica, a local Summerville mom and owner of Custom Created by Jess. As back-to-school season approaches, I’d love to help you check a few things off your list!

I create personalized acrylic bag tags and keychains that are perfect for:
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I also make personalized teacher gifts, including car charms, bookmarks, keychains, and other thoughtful keepsakes to celebrate the amazing educators in your child’s life.

Everything is handmade right here in Summerville with care and attention to detail. I offer local pickup, local delivery (small fee), and free shipping on orders over $35.

Use code PALMETTOPARENTS15 for 15% off your order!

Visit www.customcreatedbyjess.com and send me a message with any questions or custom requests.

Thank you for supporting a local Summerville mom and small business! ❤️

The OneBerkeley Back to School Festival is happening tomorrow, August 1 at the Moncks Corner Regional Recreation Complex from 9am to noon. The big draw is the bookbag giveaway — the district has 3,000 bookbags stuffed with basic school supplies to hand out, first come, first served. Beyond that, families can enjoy 22 tents with games and prizes, jump castles, face painters, and a performance from the Berkeley High Blue Brigade. Free food will be available too, including pizza, chicken biscuits, fruit, and water from BCSD's Child Nutrition Services, plus Kona Ice and Travelin' Tom's Coffee trucks on-site. A great free way to send the kids into the new school year ready to go.

Tomorrow, August 1st, there’s a back-to-school kids fest happening at Central Creek Park from 5-8pm. This free event is a short drive away, hosted by Goose Creek Parks & Recreation. There will be vendors handing out school supplies, live music and entertainment, kids’ activities and crafts, and food trucks! Central Creek Park is located at 147 Old Moncks Corner Rd, Goose Creek.

One of the more unique programs Dorchester County Parks & Rec puts on is an occasional family camping night at Ashley River Park, and the next one is coming up Friday, October 9 through Saturday, October 10.

You might be wondering why we're telling you about an October event at the start of August. Here's the reason: registration opens tomorrow, August 1, and these spots fill up fast. Tent sites are limited, so if an overnight adventure sounds like your family's kind of thing, you'll want to grab a spot before they're gone. If I wasn’t going to be wildly pregnant at this time, we would definitely be signing our family up! If your kids have never camped before, this is a great first experience — structured enough that there's always something to do, but relaxed enough to just enjoy the evening together.

Here's how it works: You pack your tent and camping gear, and check-in begins in the early afternoon. From there, campers can enjoy a full lineup of activities including guided nature walks, crafts, s'mores making, fire building, geocaching, and games. It's the kind of low-key, screen-free evening that's genuinely hard to come by, and Ashley River Park is a beautiful setting for it especially in October, when the weather finally starts to cooperate.

A couple of things to know before you register: pre-registration is required, and dinner is not provided, so plan to bring your own food and drinks for the evening. Otherwise, all you need to do is show up with your gear and settle in for a night under the stars.

Somehow, in all these years, we've never given Oscar's its spotlight — and it's been feeding Summerville families for over 40 years and is a favorite of many longtime Summerville residents. It’s located at 207 W. 5th North Street right near downtown Summerville and it's the kind of place people around here save for the nights that matter: birthdays, first days, grandparents in town, or just a dinner where you actually sit down.

It leans a touch nicer than your average weeknight spot — Lowcountry-Southern done well, with Charleston-style shrimp and grits, fresh seafood, steaks, and their namesake Steak Oscar. But it still works with kids: they've been at this a long time, there's a kids' menu (mac and cheese is the crowd favorite), portions are generous, and the staff has the easy patience that comes from four decades of practice. There's outdoor seating too, which has been our go-to there to enjoy delicious food in a more relaxed atmosphere.

It's open Monday–Thursday 11am–9pm, Friday–Saturday until 10pm, and Sunday 11am–8pm. It's popular on weekend evenings, so reservations are smart. Bringing the whole crew with a youngest still in the meltdown-at-7pm phase (solidarity)? Aim for an earlier seating and ask for the porch. It's not the cheapest night out, but for a real sit-down where the food and the service show up, it’s worth it.

I'm not ready for summer to end. My boys are young, so it's not like we've had years and years of carefree summers to compare this one to. But even now, I find myself becoming more aware of just how limited these seasons are.

Right now, I get to dream up our adventures. A trip to the splash pad? They're all in. A morning at the beach? The best day ever. Picking flowers, riding bikes, grabbing Italian ice after dinner... they're just excited to be together.

This fall will bring a new rhythm for our family. For the first time, both boys will be in school. Our days will have more structure, earlier bedtimes, and fewer opportunities to decide on a whim that today is a good day for a new adventure. There's something bittersweet about that. At the same time, I know a new season doesn't mean the end of making memories—it just means we'll have to be more intentional about them.

Maybe they'll happen on Friday pizza nights instead of Tuesday mornings. Maybe they'll look like after-school ice cream, Saturday morning beach days, or cheering from the sidelines at fall sports. Every season has memories waiting to be built.

So while I'm soaking up these last days of summer, I'm also looking forward to discovering what our family rhythms will become this fall.

I'd love to hear from those of you who have walked this road before. What traditions have helped your family stay connected during the school year? What are your favorite ways to make memories when life gets a little busier?

Love,

Courtney, Daniel, and the Berk Boys

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