SOUTH OF THE BORDER - What’s there in 2024 - Reptile Lagoon Tour

South Of the Border is one of the oldest, most known roadside attractions in the country having existed at some capacity from as early as 1949. Originally it was a beer stand, capitalizing on selling alcohol to residents of the neighboring county, which was dry at the time. It’s name comes from it being Just south of the North Carolina border (near the town of Rowland, NC) in Hamer, South Carolina (Dillon SC). It was at one point the halfway point for travel between New York and Florida. It’s theming relies heavily on the name, as it’s a Faux Mexican style dotted with sombreros, cacti, burros, and lots of neon. South of the border boasts its own motor inn, motor cross track, convention center, arcade and sombrero tower, truck stop, gas station, casino, souvenir shops, RV park, and reptile lagoon zoo. It formerly had mini golf and a small amusement park but those have been closed for some time.
South of the border had a period of disrepair and neglect that I’m happy to report seems to be in the past fully. All the bad things you read about online doesn’t reflect what I saw when I visited. As a fan of roadside attractions and tourist stops all over this country I am glad to see it returning at least in some aspects to its glory days.
In this one I also visited the Reptile Lagoon and did a full tour. It’s a small zoo and reptarium housing many alligators and crocodiles as well as several species of snakes and turtles.
Thanks for watching!
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[@floridaman964]

Man I was working in DC last year and drove back and forth from my home in FL to DC all the time and would always pass this late at night. Going to NY tomorrow going to head out early to check this out.

[@adventuresofmoonman]

Hope you enjoy it! Such an old piece of roadside gold. Let me know if the sombrero tower is open as it’s better known for being always closed the past 2 decades.

[@chriskelly6559]

Welcome to the sixties. When you got to the Florida border you got free o.j.

[@adventuresofmoonman]

On the I-75 route through Georgia you still can get OJ when you enter Florida. Georgia used to give you a bottle of Coca Cola but they stopped that

[@HighwayGhost]

The first time I went here I had a horrible day at 106 degrees, but the attraction was awesome. However, beware the motel at South of the Border doesn't take cash because of damage threats and my paycheck hadn't hit yet, so I had to stay at a cracked out motel with a singing cricket, while trying to sleep near an AC unit that could chill a keg of beer. There was a broken down shower and nasty bedding and this was my second room. After driving 8 hours I had to sleep on top and under my beach towels and finally bailed out for Myrtle Beach at daylight. Hell has a new name and it's at that horrible motel in South Carolina that's located down the road from this legendary road side attraction. I know now why the place is called Hamer, because you hammer it down to find a better place to sleep.I don't think that having diarrhea on a tilt-a-whirl could suck worse than that night in South Carolina. Nevertheless, I love South of the Border and got some old footage from years ago that I need to post on the channel. Long lived the good times.... HG

[@adventuresofmoonman]

I slept in my car at the welcome center down the road. Since it’s as soon as you enter into South Carolina they upkeep the welcome center nicely and parking lot is pretty private. Polar opposite on temperature as well. It got down to 17 degrees at night while I was in the area and the wind was killer! Still for a January mini road trip it was worth it all. Long live south of the border !

[@wisteriawrappedup]

I love the statues!

[@adventuresofmoonman]

🙏

[@WiltonWanderlust]

Great video! We hope to get from up here in Northern Michigan to South of The Border sometime so we can check it out and get a video of it on our channel. We subbed!

[@adventuresofmoonman]

Thanks for stopping by and I hope y’all enjoy! I will check out your channel as well

[@WiltonWanderlust]

@@adventuresofmoonman Thanks!

[@kathy734]

Where is this exsctly? Loved video

[@adventuresofmoonman]

Just outside Dillon, South Carolina

[@Shaggynative]

Ive been there very awekward place at that time I went. It was just a bunch of random ass weirdos there that day I guess lol.

[@adventuresofmoonman]

There were a bunch of kids being loud on motorized bicycles and dirt bikes when I went. They were just there to cause trouble I think but thankfully the place has a security guard that drives around all night

[@Shaggynative]

@@adventuresofmoonman Then yeah it hasn't changed. That's how the group was there last time I went but they didn't have all the bikes. They were just a bunch of asshats catcalling basically to see if they could start a fight.

[@adventuresofmoonman]

@@Shaggynative pretty sure it’s because there’s not much to do in the town other than go to south of the border. They were definitely locals