South of the Border

[htomc42]

People who drive along I-95 along the east coast should be very familiar with "South of the Border", the kitzchy tourist trap right on the NC/SC border. I just drove by there this past weekend and noticed some changes:

 

1) Their "Sombrero" ride, a rare Soriani-Moser polyp type spinner, appears to be gone.

 

2) The L&T Crazy Mouse, that has sat inoperable for years, possibly since 2001, has been dismantled. No idea where that might be going. I drove down I-95 late Friday afternoon and saw it all apart except for the loading platform and lift hill; when I can back the other way on Sunday, the lift hill was almost completely apart.

 

A great place to see pictures of this is: jimvid.smugmug.com/Amusement-Park/South-of-the-Border-41506/1374946_68h5R/2/64892581_gZQXj#64892629_y8n87

 

3) The arcade has been moved to the building right under the huge Sombrero Tower. I think it might be free now; at one time, they charged to go up it.

 

4) They once had what they called the "world's largest indoor miniature golf course". That was later turned into an antique store, right on the miniature golf course- they didn't take out any of the holes or anything. That is now completely gone, the building has been torn down and nothing remains.

 

5) Their big new attraction is the "Reptile Lagoon". I didn't go in, but it sure sounds like the same sort of "Alligator Farm" attraction that was big in Florida 40-50 years ago.

[YoshiFan]

I'm surprised the place is still open. I stopped there a few years ago on the way to Orlando and the place was empty except for a wedding that was taking place there.

[Band-Aid]

I'm surprised the place is still open. I stopped there a few years ago on the way to Orlando and the place was empty except for a wedding that was taking place there.

...A wedding? At South Of The Border? LOL

 

I remember driving past it all the time, and even stopping there once. My family went up the observation tower. It was so filthy. It just seems too tacky and outdated to last much longer. I hope that one day someone will buy the property and put something new there. Perhaps a small REAL amusement/thrill park? I mean, it's the perfect spot, right off of I-95.

[JEdMc91]

Actually the building that housed the supposedly "Largest Indoor Miniature Golf Course," IS the home of the new Reptile Lagoon. I went in the new lagoon last year, and they did a good job with it, but it is not worth the $8 I paid to get into it . When I came to this place as a kid, it was great, but it has since gone downhill.

[netdvn]

I actually made a thread about South of the Border when I found a retro documentary about it on YouTube.

Clicky

 

The billboards are definitely a nice touch on an otherwise desolate interstate. Most of the exits seem to have some abandoned something sitting on the side and it looks depressing. The new billboards are nice and colorful, a great change of pace.

 

The place itself was decent. A little rundown and a little tacky but bright and colorful like the billboards. Compared to the disgusting-looking motels across the highway (and pretty much everywhere else in the Carolinas/VA), I would've spent the night there in a heartbeat.

 

Looking at vintage pictures of the place, it looks like it's seen better days, but it might be coming back.

[deathbydinn]

^ The motel there actually looks shockingly nice compared to the rest of place.

http://www.thesouthoftheborder.com/gallery/?album=2&gallery=9

 

If they could have put as much effort into the park, as they did the motel, it might actually not be that bad of a place.

[Josh Linn]

I drove past it in May on the way to Florida and was surprised at how dead and barren it was. The last time I drove by (2003), it looked like there were signs of life at least.

[netdvn]

^ I visited last year (mid-August) and it was hopping with tourists. I guess it depends on when you go.

 

^^ That motel really DOES look nice. Much better than what they had in the brochure (which literally looks like it hasn't been updated since the 80s). In contrast, the motels across the street were covered with excessive graffiti (kinda weird for a place out in the middle of nowhere like Dillon).