South of the Border Motor Inn — Attraction in Dillon

South of the Border in South Carolina is one of those places that you either love or you... well, you definitely remember it. While some might dismiss it as just a kitschy roadside attraction, give it a chance, and you'll find it's an alright little stop with some surprising hidden gems. Sure, the massive Pedro statues and endless billboards might scream "tourist trap," but there's a certain charm to its unapologetic, retro Americana vibe. It's a place where you can stretch your legs, grab some gas, and experience a slice of quirky highway history. Beyond the obvious, though, are some genuinely interesting finds. The Reptile Lagoon is a standout, boasting the largest indoor reptile display in the US. You can get surprisingly close to alligators, crocodiles, and an impressive variety of snakes. For a unique view, take a ride up the Sombrero Tower, a 200-foot observation tower that offers panoramic views of the entire complex and surrounding landscape. It's a great way to appreciate the sheer scale of this roadside marvel. And for families, Pedroland Park offers a collection of classic amusement rides, perfect for the younger crowd. One of the most appealing aspects for many visitors is the shopping, particularly in the Mexico Shops. Here, you'll discover a treasure trove of souvenirs, gifts, and, yes, a remarkable selection of Mexican-themed apparel and trinkets. While "authentic" can be a subjective term for items sold at a roadside attraction, South of the Border has a long history of importing items. You can find colorful serapes, intricate embroidered shirts, wide-brimmed sombreros, and other vibrant pieces that capture the spirit of Mexican folk art and clothing. It's a fun opportunity to pick up something unique that you won't find at every other gift shop along the interstate. So, if you're driving along I-95 in South Carolina and those ubiquitous Pedro billboards start calling your name, consider stopping. South of the Border might be a little rough around the edges, but it's a memorable, entertaining break from the road with a few unexpected delights, especially if you're looking to add some vibrant, Mexican-inspired flair to...

Stop and enjoy the historic nostalgia of 1950's kitsch but do not spend money on old dilapidated rooms which have not been upgraded SINCE THEN!!!!! Let's start with the POSITIVES: Unmistakable applause for the AMERICAN third generation family who has kept their grandfather's whimsical fantasyland viable for so long and especially surviving the COVID CRISIS!!! Cheers for this attraction which has provided employment for decades to locals and a definite baseline profit to the local power grid providing the electricity for all this wonderful illumination. Oh yes....and jobs to the billboard companies who produce the PEDRO SIGNS we are subjected to for miles and miles along the I-95!!!! But charging today's prices for basically maintained but HORRIBLY OUTDATED rooms which have not had ONE BIT of renovation or updating (other than a flat screen TV) since the 1950's is truly despicable. When I saw the industrial type "carports" which were cute in an old movie in the 1950'a and 60's I was shocked. Walking into ROOM 105 I was even more unsettled. Despite the appearance being absolutely dismal the main lock on the second door to the pool area was not functioning and there are no secondary deadbolts for security meaning my room was wide open!!! Complaining to the RECEPTION they called SECURITY and NOT MAINTENANCE...go figure! Even the security guy couldn't figure THAT one out!!! Demanding a move to another room (ROOM 107) it was not much better. The washroom was horribly dated and worn out and the HVAC unit stopped working in the middle of the night. (If I had not known about the reset button on the plug head I would have been VERYYY COLLD!!!!) The rest of the area is worth a walkabout. The SOMBRERO ROOM bar is nice and a shout out to Michelle B. for some great service and interesting conversation to make this dismal visit more worthwhile. The PEDDLER STEAKHOUSE is worth a visit serving up some good (but a bit pricy) meat. (see a separate review). BOTTOM LINE: This "resort " is surfing on nostalgia and is worth a visit. But if you stay you REALLY have to be living...

I visited years ago on the way to Carolina Beach and swore at that time I would never come back. Everything was broken and run down back then, arcade took half the tokens in games that did not work. ||||Here we are 15 years later and my son races MX so we end up at SOBMX for area qualifiers. The track is perfect, Victory sports does a great job on most things. They need to get quicker at sign ups but that is a different ball game. We will be back for the MX part. ||||I had some friends racing and they booked at SOB Motor Inn. I told him that place was a dump but he said go take a look at their page. It showed freshly remodeled rooms with beautiful pictures so against my gut feeling I booked a room also. Upon check in they put us in a room way over on the other side behind the reptile house. The building and room have not seen a remodel for a long time but we were there so we sucked it up and stayed thursday night. Fri am we left the room at 6 am and went to the mx track till around 530 pm. We came back to the room and soon as I flushed the toilet it almost over flowed. I called the front desk and was put on eternal hold. I said the heck with it and went to get a plunger to fix the plumbing myself. That did not work so I called back up to front desk and explained the issue. I was told "We do not have any other rooms, we are booked full". I told them no worries, just send someone to fix this one and was told "We let all of maintenance go home". I said ok then refund me my money and i'll go 23 miles up the road to Lumberton and get a room. She said "the manager is not here and I can not refund you". I replied with then get someone on the phone who can only to be put on eternal hold. I loaded up our stuff and went to the front desk. I had paid for Thur, Fri and Sat night but she said she would only refund me for sat night because check out for fri was 3 pm (we were in the room long enough to use the restroom fri, no other time). I took the refund and will dispute the rest but I do not recommend anyone use this establishment for the motor inn or...