Exploring South of the Border: Hidden Gems, Abandoned Motels, and Nostalgic Wonders
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ค. 2024
- In today's adventure, we're exploring the Mexican-themed truck stop/roadside attraction South of the Border just south of the border between North and South Carolina along Interstate 95. This one booming rest stop for travelers trekking along the east coast of the United States is now just a shell of it's former self. What's left of this place decades after it peaked?
00:00 Intro
03:38 Mexican Shop West
08:01 Reptile Lagoon
14:13 Abandoned Amusement Park and Motel
18:27 Mexican Shop East
23:10 Pantry Shop
25:42 Sombrero Tower and Arcade
28:53 Outro
So I've been a bit obsessed over South of the Border for years. My parents always encouraged me to look for "Pedro signs" on the drive down 95 each summer, but they never let us stop. Once I started making the trip as an adult in college, I not only stopped every time, I've stayed there numerous times dating back to 2002. I can shed a little light on some of what you saw.
1. The west side motel hasn't been used much in many years. I think technically they still kept it open for when bigger events or the height of summer holiday vacations were happening, but they mostly focus on the motor inn on the east side of the property. The part of the west side motel rooms block that is gone was torn down sometime in 2021.
2. The fountain you thought was a pool with the whale was in fact a pool at one time, but we're talking early 80's or before.
3. Most of the animals in the reptile lagoon are very sluggish and inactive in the winter time. They don't even really need to eat during the winter when they're metabolism slows down. Most of the animals there are likely rescues from people who owned them illegally as pets and are unable to be released into the wild. I agree for some of the bigger ones, a little more vegetation and soil to lay on would be great, but these aren't super active animals for much of the year.
4. While it looks kind of "run down" and in some places, it is, a surprising amount of upkeep and refreshing is constantly happening. The big animal statues and Pedro's get new paint jobs often. The east side Motor Inn has been completely renovated within the last 10 years. They've torn down a number of older buildings that had been around forever but really sold just more of the same junky kitsch in an effort to consolidate funds towards upkeep of the rest of it. There used to be an Ice Cream Shop, a Leather Shop, a hot dog stand, a Tshirt Shop, and a Saloon/antiques store, all separate buildings that have been torn down in the last 15 years. The empty building near the Reptile Lagoon was a bank.
5. The sombrero tower elevator was down for a long period between 2019 and 2023. It had been having issues for years before 2019 and they finally closed it semi-permanently until a total maintenance and parts repair/replace could be done. It re-opened in 2023 and was noticeably faster and smoother going up and down than in the years before the fix. It's an old style and very unique, so hard to keep maintained and repaired.
6. Their ginger ale is awesome, I get some every time.
7. Part of the way they stay in business is the campground for RV's does a fairly brisk business, and there is a popular Motocross track behind SOTB proper that gets a lot of use.
Retired over the road trucker. Back in the 70's this place was really an attraction.
That. Place. Rules. Simple and plain.
Glad I’m not the only one who feels this way!
" Depressive nostalgia " ... Wow, what an apt term! I am old enough to remember when S.O.B. was a busy place. Funny, even back in the late 70's and early 80''s, it had that exact same vibe you just described. It was just a lot busier... I grew up in MD with grandparents in FL who would meet us halfway right there every trip, twice a year. 💯
I live in MD. but i passed by there many times. Sad to see the bad times now. I do not think it will open to much longer.
wow that was the place to buy fireworks when i was a kid (im 54 now) i grew up in CT and when fireworks were illegal in most places people would go down there buy them for nothing and bring them back to CT and sell them at like 10x the price; i also remember how dirty the taco place was
Hilarious video Ian!!! You gotta do a part 2😅 although long drive from Maryland The black cashier was really digging you can’t imagine having to work there though like how polite you were to everyone total class on your end because I’m sure they deal with alot of nuckleheads
Thanks as always for the support! I’m already thinking about how to get down there to stay overnight and make a part 2! I bet you’re right too about the workers. For every decent person they get they probably get 20-30 awful ones.
Wow! Talk about a hot tub time machine experience! I haven't been there since I was a kid!
It was quite the Time Machine journey for me too. I didn’t remember it being quite so… well, yeah, the way it is
I will confidently say that NONE of those poor living creatures should be held in captivity there.
Glad I’m not the only one!
I lived in Fayetteville, NC in the 80s and my dad and I would make a run down there to buy fireworks for the 4th of July. Looks like hardly anything has changed.
That’s crazy that it’s been like that for so long! I wonder when it was booming? Was it ever booming?
@@IanMartinExploration I know that the fireworks laws (at least at one time) were pretty tight in North Carolina, which was why so many people would run down there and buy fireworks.
Also, at one time, Robison County, NC (which is the county right over the border) was a dry county and people would make alcohol runs down there. But the alcohol laws have changed and we can find fireworks in Wal Mart parking lots now days...
I always stop at JABS Fireworks whenever I run down to Florida. It doesn’t look like much has changed since I was a kid given that the only income for people in that part of South Carolina is from travelers and Firework sales. It’s a very very poor region of the state
Great video but if you had bought something from that first gift shop, you would have made that lady’s day. You probably would have been the first customer she has rung up in a week. That whole place looks dead
I totally should have! I actually felt bad watching through the footage seeing her and not getting anything. Thanks for watching!
Yes i would have !!
Roasting in comments... Go to a school that has trailers as classrooms and you will feel the same way...
I appreciate the roasting. You’re totally right too. Those portable classrooms are the worst.