South of the Border

[Foiled Again]

Heading to Florida and decided I owe it to myself to stay.at the tackiest place on earth tonight. SC and Pedro here I come.

PAULA

[GCinSC2]

Paula,

Looking forward to 1st hand review of one of the tackiest tourist trap candidates. You're staying tonight? Not exactly chamber of commerce weather, humid yuck.

I've driven past it but tank was always full and we just left home about 1.5 hours before that.

Billboards galore.

Needs pic's.

Gary

[brokeboater]

We stopped intending to stay once. I can't remember why but we took a close look and headed on down to the next exit.

[Foiled Again]

I came, I saw, I fled.

This MIGHT be fun for a rally... for families and/or with enough margaritas and five or six friends with an active appreciation of kitchiness, but the campground has limited shaded spots, all occupied, and the open area is just a parking lot.

I am only staying over night, and if I wanted to go anywhere I would.have to unhook. No obvious trams, busses, or even golf cart rentals.

Will think about starting a rally thread once I get settled in Fl.

Paula

Pictures? Meh.

[GCinSC2]

Paula

Only been in SC since 2002 so not a tour guide.

IMHO that’s a bit of farm land, and a bit weak on scenery unless you like pine stands. No hills, not near the coast, kinda on the way N to S and back.

But it’s a place that real people can call it home.

When you head S on 95 and see signs for Darlington raceway or the Cracker Barrel I’m about 25 min W of there.

Safe travels.

Gary

So gonna at least get a t shirt?

[AirstreamJim]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

I came, I saw, I fled.

We did the same. We called ahead, told them we needed an overnight site to accommodate TV and 25’ trailer without unhitching, and they said the had one site available, a nice long site for us. Got there, drove to the site, and didn’t think the trailer alone would fit in the site, much less with TV hitched. Asked them to process a refund and went to the Walmart at the next exit south of there.

Aside from the site being too small, the place didn’t appear to be appealing at all, although for an overnight, that’s not a primary concern.

Now we know better.

Jim

[Mike1997]

I was there last May on my way to Charleston for Memorial Day.....hot as heck!!! Place was very run down but I stopped for to eat, drink, and peak out my windows from inside the Airstream

Actually I did buy a lottery ticket while there but nothing else. Years ago it was a busy place but it has not been kept up well. Even the truckers stop at the Welcome Center vs SOB.

[kendrick.l.j]

<~~~~laughing.

No way, no how and there’s not enough margaritas in Mexico that would make that place appealing. lol

[SteveSueMac]

Sorry - I’m totally lost. What is this mystical place???

[AirstreamJim]

https://www.sobpedro.com/

If you’ve ever driven I-95 through the Carolinas you would instantly know what it is...there are literally dozens of billboards advertising it. You kind of have to experience that to understand, even if you don’t stop there on your way through; the website is but a barely reasonable facsimile of the real thing.

Jim

[bweybright]

It is a tourist trap extraordinaire. When you drive the route as many times as a lot of people have and you see the Burma Shave sign style that they do a full state away it gives you something to look at, ponder, look forward to seeing....and sliding right on by instead of just a bumper in front of you. Much like Wall Drug in the west, except that Wall Drug is a town and has some reasonable restaurants. South of the Border is just that.
And, it is one of those things that been there once, done and enough. Got gas and I was good to go. I went, I saw, I conquered, I didn't stay long, I survived.
I find it a bit of humor before I hit the traffic of Georgia getting into Florida.....if I didn't have family living there I would not have done the drive two hundred and fifty thousand billion times.....at least it seems that many.

[SteveSueMac]

Thanks. I feel more educated now! [emoji3]

[lsbrodsky]

I am going to dissent a little here. We have been staying there in March for a few years on our way to and from Charleston. I always ask for a site up front so we can walk to Peddler's Steak House. The place is worn, but never crowded and hookups are on both sides of the trailer. Sun or shade does not matter in March. However, the just increased their rates to about the same as the KOA up 95 in NC so we won't be staying there again. It has worked as an acceptable overnight stop for us.
Larry

[OTRA15]

In the 50's and 60's, it was a rite of passage that you stop and buy as many fireworks as you felt safe transporting across state lines.



If you arrived back up north, without a decent arsenal for the Fourth, folks considered your trip south a failure . . .

[DoublTrouble]

OTRA15 has it right. I have a fond memory of the place. Our family stopped there once in the mid 60s while returning from Florida. I remember bbq ribs, silly souvenirs and fireworks.

Of course it may look different now but through the eyes of a 9 year old, it was awsome.

[Reno Classic]

In the late 50's my dad would always stop there on our way to Florida. I seem to remember it had five swimming pools which was incredible. After reading their billboards for what seemed hundreds of miles I remember the last one that said "Go back Amigo, You missed it." Thanks for the memory...

-Gary-

[jimfa440]

I saw where the NC county across the border used to be dry. The original SOB got it's start as a beer stop.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Reno Classic

. . .
After reading their billboards for what seemed hundreds of miles I remember the last one that said "Go back Amigo, You missed it." Thanks for the memory...
. . .

Copy that!

[Ray Walker]

To me it looks like it might have been ok 50 years ago. Seems kind of a sketchy place now. There is a little over night spot at the next exit south called Bass Lake. Probably a few bucks more but seems a lot cleaner and safer.
Also, Lee state Park about 15-18 miles west on I-20 when you get to Florence. Haven't looked lately, but I paid like $12 for 30 amps and water site. They use the honor system for the most part and you can pretty much pick your own site.

[bibbs]

I have a wry sense of humor, so 1 overnight was “interesting” it was in 8 years ago in March not crowded, had a good experience. the alternative places sound better.