South of the Border

South of the Border started small. In the late 1940s a man named Alan Schafer opened a modest beer stand at this spot on the state line, taking advantage of the fact that neighboring counties across the border were dry. From that humble beginning he expanded steadily, adding a motel, restaurants, gas, and gift shops, and wrapping the whole enterprise in a lighthearted Mexican theme, complete with the mascot Pedro.

When Interstate 95 was built through the area, it turned the little stop into a natural break point on the great East Coast highway, roughly halfway between New York and Miami. Schafer became famous for his marketing, blanketing the interstate for miles in each direction with a countdown of corny, pun-filled billboards that made stopping feel almost inevitable. Over the decades the complex kept growing into the sprawling roadside city it is today.

The signature landmark is the Sombrero Tower, a tall observation tower rising some 200 feet with a giant neon sombrero perched on top and an observation deck beneath it. From up there, travelers get a wide view over the flat Pee Dee farmland and the ribbon of interstate stretching to the horizon in both directions. At its base and all around the grounds stand statues, arches, and figures of Pedro in every size, most spectacular of all after dark when the whole place blazes with neon.

Beyond the tower, the complex holds gift shops crammed with souvenirs, eateries, an amusement area with rides, and all manner of oddball roadside spectacle. It is a place built to be photographed, a riot of color and kitsch that captures a particular exuberant era of American highway culture that has largely vanished elsewhere.

There is no getting around the fact that South of the Border's theme rests on broad Mexican caricature, from the mascot's exaggerated accent in the old billboards to the stereotyped imagery throughout the grounds. What read as harmless fun to many travelers in the mid-twentieth century strikes many modern visitors as dated and insensitive, and the attraction has drawn thoughtful criticism on those grounds.

At the same time, it survives as a genuine artifact of a bygone roadside America, a time capsule of the era when a long car trip meant billboards, neon, and quirky stops rather than identical exits. Many people visit precisely because it is a living relic of that vanished culture, aware of its awkward legacy yet drawn to its unrepentant, larger-than-life charm.

For most travelers, South of the Border is exactly what it has always been, a place to fuel up, stretch, grab a bite, and snap a photo beside Pedro before getting back on the road. Sitting right at the North Carolina line on I-95, it remains an easy and logical break on one of the busiest drives in the country, whether you are heading to the beaches of the Carolinas or on toward Florida.

It is a year-round stop, though the neon is at its best after dark and the flat Pee Dee country around it can be brutally hot in high summer. Whatever season you pass through, pulling off here for a few minutes is a small tradition shared by countless road-trippers over the decades, a bit of camp and color in the middle of a long haul.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

South of the Border, near the town of Dillon in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina just below the North Carolina line, is a famous and gloriously kitschy roadside attraction and rest stop on Interstate 95, a beloved icon of American road-trip culture. Marked for miles by its punny billboards featuring the mascot Pedro, the sprawling Mexican-themed complex features a towering observation tower shaped like a sombrero, colorful statues, shops, restaurants, motels, an amusement area, and endless quirky Americana. Over-the-top and unforgettable, it is a quintessential road-trip stop. With its kitschy charm and famous billboards, South of the Border offers a fun destination in South Carolina.

You can climb or ride up the towering sombrero-shaped observation tower for views, browse the many shops full of souvenirs and quirky goods, dine at the restaurants, enjoy the amusement rides and attractions, photograph the colorful statues and the mascot Pedro, and soak up the gloriously over-the-top roadside Americana. The sombrero tower, the shops, and the sheer kitschy spectacle are the draws, a fun and unforgettable break on a road trip. It is a nostalgic icon of Interstate 95. With its tower, shops, and kitschy charm, South of the Border offers an entertaining stop in South Carolina.

South of the Border is famous as one of the most iconic and beloved kitschy roadside attractions in the country, known especially for its hundreds of humorous, pun-filled billboards that line Interstate 95 for many miles in both directions, building anticipation with the mascot Pedro. A staple of East Coast road trips for generations, the sprawling, colorful complex has become a nostalgic cultural landmark, over-the-top and unmistakable. Its billboards, its sombrero tower, and its unabashed kitsch have made it legendary. This fame as a quintessential road-trip icon makes South of the Border a memorable stop in South Carolina.

As a roadside stop and attraction, South of the Border is open year-round and useful whenever you are traveling Interstate 95 through the area, offering a fun break in any season, though the warmer months from spring through fall are best for the outdoor attractions and amusement area. Some attractions may be seasonal, so checking before you go is wise. For the fullest experience with the outdoor attractions open, aim for the warmer months, though South of the Border makes a fun stop any time on a road trip in South Carolina.

South of the Border is near Dillon in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina, just south of the North Carolina border on Interstate 95, within reach of the Pee Dee region, Florence with its county museum, and the route toward the coast. That makes South of the Border a fun roadside stop to combine with the Florence area and the other attractions of the Pee Dee region on a visit to South Carolina.