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We made countless trips up and down I-95 between North Carolina and Florida while stationed at Fort Liberty. And on every trip, we passed South of the Border in Hamer, South Carolina.
You can’t miss it!
If the giant sombrero tower or huge Pedro didn’t get your attention then one of the seemingly hundreds of billboards on the side of I-95 did. This rest stop is bright, colorful, and lit up with tons of lights at night.
It took us more than 2 years to finally stop and look around this iconic roadside attraction and left us wondering why we didn’t do it sooner!
(Check out these 11 Offbeat Adventures Near Fort Liberty for more fun things to do!)
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South of the Border History
More than 70 years ago, in 1949, Mr. Alan Schafer opened a beer stand and named it South of the Border Beer Depot.
At the time, many counties in North Carolina were dry (meaning they didn’t sell alcohol) and his beer depot was very successful. He soon added other attractions, including a fireworks stand (which was also illegal in North Carolina), a small restaurant, and a motel.
Business was booming and his enterprise continued to expand. Mr. Schafer shortened the name to South of the Border and added a go-kart track, a gas station, and a cocktail lounge.
He kept his ‘border theme’ and sold goods imported from Mexico. By the 1960s his business had expanded even more to include a barber shop, post office, drug store, and the 104-foot-tall Pedro!
South of the Border’s business has lessened some but still remains steady today.
There is now an RV park, restaurants, a reptile lagoon, an amusement park, mini golf, multiple souvenir shops, and PLENTY of photo ops at this iconic roadside attraction!
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Things to Do There
There are so many things to do at South of the Border!
We never made the time to do anything other than get gas and look around one of the souvenir shops. But I wish we had taken more time to explore this roadside wonder.
In fact, being only an hour away, it would be a fun day trip from Fort Liberty!
Make sure you ride to the top of the 200-foot sombrero tower in the glass elevator! Or look around the Reptile Lagoon – which is currently the largest indoor reptile display in the United States!
You can also check out the rides at the Pedroland Amusement Park. It would be great for preschool and elementary-age kids!
My two were dying to try out the rides, but we were always in a hurry to get back on the road.
If nothing else, you can always stop for gas and a bite to eat at one of the THREE restaurants there. Or settle for a scoop of ice cream from Pedro’s Ice Cream Fiesta.
And don’t forget a souvenir from one of the SIX shops at South of the Border. My kids could have bankrupted me in the Mexico Shop West.
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Photo Ops
And you can’t leave South of the Border without a picture…or 10!
There are tons of colorful Pedros, dinosaurs, and a variety of animals to pose for pictures with all over the grounds of South of the Border. My kids loved climbing on them!
If you’re headed up or down the east coast on I-95, make sure to stop in and see Pedro!
