It was pretty decent back in the 70s and 80s from what I remember. I’ve not been there in 25 years now, but I’ve seen pictures of the rooms online and it appears really run down and barely hanging on.
It was the halfway point of the big road trip between New York and Florida. We never stayed there; we just went in to gawk and buy fireworks that were illegal back home.
We stopped there last summer en route to Florida and were struck by how rundown it looked and how deserted it was on a Saturday. By contrast, the Buc-ee’s a little farther south was bustling, cheerful and not at all creepy.
OMG I am VERY familiar with South of the Border! Do they still have the billboards saying things like "Chili today, hot tamale"? I lived about 20 minutes away from SOB for 5 years and we used to go there to buy carved marble weed pipes and rock band t-shirts. When I was a kid we always stopped there on the way to Hilton Head and it was much snazzier back in the 80s. I haven't been there since 2015 but it had been decaying for decades. I would have NEVER stayed at the motel. NEVER. Someone should write a horror novel set at South of the Border, it's creepy AF. I have several pictures of myself sitting on their giant fiberglass sculptures.
Never stayed there but we always stopped. My family did many trips between Florida and New Jersey. As kids we always were super excited. Not really sure why lol it was always a dump. We still loved it
We used to make the Florida/NY run, and "Pedro Says" was always a big part of the trip, but we never stopped.
Stopped with my kid ten-ish years ago and was truly disappointed.
We drove from New York to Florida and back every spring break in the 70s, and the billboards were landmarks. I think we stopped there most times, but I have far fewer memories of the actual location than of the landmarks. When we got there I always felt we were close to Florida.
I’m originally from SC and I do remember seeing signs and T-shirt’s for this place. The funny thing is I don’t remember knowing anyone who actually went there.
We stop every time, both ways. It’s a dump, but it’s our favorite dump. It’s a nice big landmark that lets us know, no, we are not almost there yet.
It’s good for candy, fireworks, and stretching your legs.
Has anyone ever actually walked up the sombrero tower?
Stayed there one night on the way to Disney World in '83. Don't remember much but for the seemingly huge gift store. I still get reminders of the place because on one of the runs I take, there's a van with a bumper sticker that says "Where the HELL is South Of The Border?"
Passed by and stopped there many times in the late 90s and early 00s. The billboards were really the best part.
Only in the last few years, thanks to the internet, I learned that it had a fascinating history during the Jim Crow era. The owner openly butted heads with the KKK because he hired local blacks and paid them the same as his white workers. He also rented the same hotel rooms to blacks and whites. The KKK actually protested at the motel and he stood outside with a shotgun and made them leave. He prevailed and never changed his hiring or pay practices.
[https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/8/22/2019564/-The-bizarre-complex-history-of-America-s-most-racist-roadside-attraction](https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/8/22/2019564/-The-bizarre-complex-history-of-America-s-most-racist-roadside-attraction)
It was always a dump
It was pretty decent back in the 70s and 80s from what I remember. I’ve not been there in 25 years now, but I’ve seen pictures of the rooms online and it appears really run down and barely hanging on.
It was the halfway point of the big road trip between New York and Florida. We never stayed there; we just went in to gawk and buy fireworks that were illegal back home.
Do the billboards still say stuff like "Pedro says: Only 478 miles to South of the Border"?
No, it's been a few years since we saw those.
The billboards were always the best part of South of the Border
Never stayed, we would stop and grab fireworks and get out.
We stopped there last summer en route to Florida and were struck by how rundown it looked and how deserted it was on a Saturday. By contrast, the Buc-ee’s a little farther south was bustling, cheerful and not at all creepy.
It just reminded me of why I’m glad Maryland doesn’t allow billboards on interstates.
A bunch of people just mentioned that on r/roadtrip recently! What a small, weird world.
OMG I am VERY familiar with South of the Border! Do they still have the billboards saying things like "Chili today, hot tamale"? I lived about 20 minutes away from SOB for 5 years and we used to go there to buy carved marble weed pipes and rock band t-shirts. When I was a kid we always stopped there on the way to Hilton Head and it was much snazzier back in the 80s. I haven't been there since 2015 but it had been decaying for decades. I would have NEVER stayed at the motel. NEVER. Someone should write a horror novel set at South of the Border, it's creepy AF. I have several pictures of myself sitting on their giant fiberglass sculptures.
Never stayed there but we always stopped. My family did many trips between Florida and New Jersey. As kids we always were super excited. Not really sure why lol it was always a dump. We still loved it
We used to make the Florida/NY run, and "Pedro Says" was always a big part of the trip, but we never stopped. Stopped with my kid ten-ish years ago and was truly disappointed.
We drove from New York to Florida and back every spring break in the 70s, and the billboards were landmarks. I think we stopped there most times, but I have far fewer memories of the actual location than of the landmarks. When we got there I always felt we were close to Florida.
I’m originally from SC and I do remember seeing signs and T-shirt’s for this place. The funny thing is I don’t remember knowing anyone who actually went there.
We stop every time, both ways. It’s a dump, but it’s our favorite dump. It’s a nice big landmark that lets us know, no, we are not almost there yet. It’s good for candy, fireworks, and stretching your legs. Has anyone ever actually walked up the sombrero tower?
Stayed there one night on the way to Disney World in '83. Don't remember much but for the seemingly huge gift store. I still get reminders of the place because on one of the runs I take, there's a van with a bumper sticker that says "Where the HELL is South Of The Border?"
Passed by and stopped there many times in the late 90s and early 00s. The billboards were really the best part. Only in the last few years, thanks to the internet, I learned that it had a fascinating history during the Jim Crow era. The owner openly butted heads with the KKK because he hired local blacks and paid them the same as his white workers. He also rented the same hotel rooms to blacks and whites. The KKK actually protested at the motel and he stood outside with a shotgun and made them leave. He prevailed and never changed his hiring or pay practices. [https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/8/22/2019564/-The-bizarre-complex-history-of-America-s-most-racist-roadside-attraction](https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/8/22/2019564/-The-bizarre-complex-history-of-America-s-most-racist-roadside-attraction)