Rest Stop I 95 North — Local services in Manning

This is the Santee rest area along I-95 North at mile marker 99 in Santee, which is in Orangeburg County, SC. This isn't a big rest area, but it gets the job done. It is located just south of the Lake Marion Bridge on I-95. Upon entry, trucks will go to the right (back) while cars go to the left (front) of the rest area. My visit to this rest area was on August 27, 2022.

As I noted in the intro, this is not an overly large rest area. This may be due to how close it is to Lake Marion. Even though it isn't overly big, there is still enough room to get things done. Restrooms and vending are available inside the rest area building. The restrooms were in working order and could tell that they are regularly maintained.

After taking care of business inside, I went outside for a bit to see the sights around the rest area. There is still a good amount of open space to walk around, stretch the legs, and more. There are covered and uncovered picnic tables available here too. There are plenty of trash cans, and they also have a pet waste station, where you can get a bag to clean up any mess your pet may make during the visit. There is a trash can right there for you to throw it away too.

This rest area also has another spot here called the Liberty Garden. It was dedicated exactly one year after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. There is a fountain in the middle. There is a quote rounding the inside of the garden, and the different presidents are also listed on the ground too. It was dedicated by the South Carolina Department of Transportation. Even though it doesn't say directly, I do believe it is a dedication to those who were affected in the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Overall, this is a very nice rest area. Even though some can think it may be unassuming, there is actually more to this rest area than you think. If your travels take you this way and need a break, it is totally worth making that stop before moving on with...

Very clean ground. Custodians were cleaning the restrooms when we were there. One of them (a woman), was abrasive and chided me in front of my child for my alternative approach to flushing the toilet (that wasn't cleaned yet). With little girls and the pandemic, I don't touch the lever. Since the stalls were small, it was difficult to navigate safely inside them and maintain "bottoms that didn't touch to seat". A simple "please don't use your foot to flush the stalls, they flush automatically" would have been sufficient. This particular woman started scolding me like I was a child. Then, after I said sorry and walked into the stall, she continued to complain about having to call maintenance to fix broken toilets because of other people "like me" who wouldn't "use the toilet the right way." I wasn't aggressive in my gentle tip-of-the-shoe touch to the button. That is counter productive to responsible role modeling. She only stopped scolding/complaining after I stated, from inside the stall with my 7 yo daughter, that I would use a piece of tissue paper in the future! Her.... speech was accusational. I didn't attempt to destroy property. I was demonstrating one of various ways to avoid germs while using public restrooms. Otherwise, the bathroom break/ snack stop/ play space for my family was a good experience tainted by a rude woman. She did, later hold the door open for me and my 3 yo daughter. Maybe, she was having a bad day? Next time, please, like germs,...

I walked the dog, then my husband took her, so I could use the facility. While in the stall, the attendant was dry mopping the floors, and my feet. I didn't say anything at the time. But I was totally grossed out, but she didn't even acknowledge it. My husband took his service dog from the dog area to the water fountain, to get her a drink. She couldn't wait any longer, having been in the car from Central Florida. So he gave her the vital. The 'lady" screamed and caused a scene that she had to be in the d dog area. My husband pointed out there was no fountain for water in the dog area. Our dog was not wearing her vest, but it shouldn't matter. If the attendant would have come over and asked us to move we would have. Had she been mopping with a nasty wet mop, there would have been a scene in the bathroom. As it was, I had to sanitize my feet...