Guide to Visiting South of the Border in South Carolina

A must-see for travelers crossing the border of South Carolina into North Carolina is the South of the Border landmark. Standing for more than 50 years, this landmark draws in plenty of curious visitors hoping to find the same excitement as the people before them. There are many free attractions and things to check out at South of the Border. Many people will leave with wonderful souvenirs, unique to the landmark.

To greet visitors is a 97-foot-tall sign of a man named Pedro. Once travelers see the sign looming over the road, they know they’ve arrived at South of the Border. Travelers drive through his legs to find parking. It’s better than stopping at a regular gas station because, unlike gas stations, visitors can see alligators, buy fireworks and good food. It’s the perfect pit stop for a family vacation. The actual place is a mash-up of souvenir shops and weird attractions. It’s like the landmark is trying to appeal to the highest amount of people as possible so it’s got a little bit of everything. Some might find its wide variety of attractions off-putting, but for the right traveler, South of the Border is a unique and unmissable experience.

A few of the attractions include the Sombrero Tower and the massive fireworks warehouse. People from states that don’t allow fireworks to be sold will stock up on fireworks and set them off at nearby beaches. The Sombrero Tower is at the top of Pedro’s Sombrero and is only $2. The view isn’t anything too exciting, but the 200-foot observation deck gives visitors a lot of space to move around.