Good morning, Palmetto Parents!

We hope you all had a wonderful week soaking up the sunshine! As a reminder, the Palmetto Parents Spring Bingo Board is still live—and we don’t have a winner yet! Be the first family to get a bingo and you’ll win a $50 gift card to Odd Duck Market in Summerville. Simply snap photos of your activities and email them to [email protected] to claim your prize.

We’ll be featuring this event more next week, but for now, go ahead and save the date for next Saturday, April 25th, for Springfest with Katie’s Krops. It was such a memorable event for our family last year and is a great way to get outside together while supporting an incredible organization serving our Summerville community.

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We see this question come up constantly in Summerville parent groups this time of year, and honestly it makes sense because different parks run on different schedules, some are already open and some aren't yet, and it can be hard to find straight answers in one place. So here's a quick rundown of what's open, what's coming, and what you need to know before you load up the car.

First Citizens Splash Pad at Doty Park | 320 N. Laurel St, Summerville | Free

This one is already open and right in the heart of Summerville. It opened for the season on March 28 and runs through September 30. It’s open daily until April 20th and then will move to a modified schedule from April 21-May 25 which includes weekends, Monday Tot Times from 10am–noon, and Homeschool Wednesdays from 10am–noon. Full daily summer hours kick in on May 30 to August 12 and then will transition back to modified hours until September 30. One thing worth knowing: if lightning strikes within 10 miles of the park, the splash pad shuts off and won't resume until 30 minutes after the last strike, so check the weather before heading out. Doty Park also has a water wheelchair available free of charge, contact the Rollins Edwards Community Center at (843) 510-0005 to reserve it ahead of your visit.

Ashley River Park Splash Pad | 200 Renken Rd, Summerville | $2/person ages 3 and up

Also already open as of March 28. This one runs daily from 9am–6pm, which makes it one of the most flexible options in the area right now for families who want to go any day of the week. One heads up from other parents who've been there: if it looks like the water isn't running when you arrive, look for the button — you have to press it to activate it. The $2 admission covers the whole park, not just the splash pad, so you also get access to the playgrounds, trails, dog parks, and more.

Splash Creek at Central Creek Park | 147 Old Moncks Corner Rd, Goose Creek | Free

About 20 minutes from Summerville, and worth the drive. Splash Creek is currently on its spring weekend schedule: open Saturdays and Sundays from 10am–6pm. There's also a Toddler & Tot Time (ages 4 and under) on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9–10am if you want a quieter window for littles. Once Memorial Day hits, it goes to daily hours from 10am–6pm through Labor Day. Splash Creek is an all-abilities design meaning the features are accessible for kids in wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers, and the interactive elements like the Mr. Claw crab and Big Kahuna Wave make it a genuinely fun setup. One practical note: parking fills up fast, especially on warm weekends. Arriving right at 10am makes a real difference.

Splash Pad at Wannamaker County Park | 8888 University Blvd, North Charleston | $2/person ages 2 and up

This one opened for the season April 4 and runs through September 27. Hours are 10am–6pm daily, with one exception: Wednesdays it opens at 11am instead of 10. A quick note for anyone newer to Wannamaker — the park is also home to Whirlin' Waters Adventure Waterpark, which is a separate, ticketed waterpark with slides and a wave pool. The splash pad (sometimes called "the sprinkler area") is a different, lower-key feature included with general park admission. Worth knowing before you pack for a waterpark day and show up expecting something different.

Cypress Gardens Splash Pad | 3030 Cypress Gardens Rd, Moncks Corner | Included with park admission (adults $10, ages 6–17 $5, under 6 free)

Here's the one that isn't open yet. Cypress Gardens added their splash pad in 2025 and it was a big hit — spray cannons, a tipping bucket, a shaded picnic area nearby. When it's running, hours are 9am–4:45pm daily with last admission to the park at 4pm. The 2026 opening will be Memorial Day weekend. Admission also gets you into the butterfly house, swamparium, boat rides, and walking trails — so it's worth a full day trip once it opens.

Saturday, April 18 | Oakbrook Family Center: 9am–12pm | Cane Bay Family Center: 10am–1pm | Free and open to the public | Registration encouraged summervilleymca.org/healthy-kids-day

If you're looking for something to do with the kids this Saturday, this is a solid one. The Summerville Family YMCA is hosting its annual Healthy Kids Day — a free, community-wide event that the Y has put on nationally for over 30 years as its unofficial kickoff to summer. No membership required, no cost at the door.

The Oakbrook Family Center at 900 Crosscreek Drive is running their event from 9am to noon. Expect kids and family fitness activities, youth sports, water safety sessions, STEM activities, face painting, healthy snacks, and a Camp Corner where you can get a preview of the Y's summer camp programs if that's on your radar. There will also be giveaways and membership specials throughout the morning. Registration is free but worth doing ahead of time — the first 100 kids to register receive a prize. Head to summervilleymca.org/healthy-kids-day to sign up.

If you're on the Cane Bay side of town, the Cane Bay Family YMCA at 1655 Cane Bay Blvd is also hosting their own Healthy Kids Day the same morning from 10am to 1pm, with an obstacle course, arts and crafts, water safety demonstrations, and DJ entertainment.

Written by: Luanne Berk

The Codfather started making its mark in Summerville in 2022, after having success in other locations in the Lowcountry.

We LOVE the name, Codfather - so easy to remember, and a nod to one of our favorite movies! But the real magic is in the food. Freshly prepared, hand breaded fish with a nice crunchy exterior and seasoned just right, always piping hot! As if that weren’t enough, it’s accompanied by a giant mound of delicious fried “chips” (potato wedges) with a generous portion of house-prepared tartar sauce in a cup on the side.

It’s one of our go-to places and it never disappoints. No-nonsense, quick, reliable service and delicious food. The casual, laid back environment keeps bringing us back, and the unique British décor and shoutout to service members with memorabilia visibly displayed (military and first responders) makes us
want to be loyal customers. We never feel uncomfortable – we’ve even gone there after T-ball practice in our sweats and felt completely at home.

A full order of fish and chips usually requires a split between the two of us, but if you’re really hungry, go for the full order. We generally sit at one of the bar-height tables in the dining area, but there is a full bar in a separate room if you would prefer to eat (and drink) there. If I were ordering for a family with kids, I would probably split one of the half orders of fish and chips between a couple of kids – it’s a lot of food. Another fish option is the Fish Butty which is more of a sandwich.

There are other menu options: Lamb, The Manchester Special (Chips with cheese and gravy), Fish Butty and Chips (a sandwich), a Chicken Curry Pie (housemade), Meat Pies, a Sausage Roll and an apple turnover for dessert. I have not tried these other menu items, but the online reviews are positive.

The Codfather is located in the Nexton Square area of Summerville tucked into a small space across from. Poogan’s Kitchen. As a bonus, if you live in the Nexton area, you can get there via golf cart.

Love,

Courtney, Daniel, and the Berk Boys

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