Overnight Pit Stop

slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
On 8/19, my GF & I are leaving my sister's in PA and driving down for an 8-night stay at SSR, followed by 3 nights in Hilton Head. We are arriving 8/20.

Last time we went, we drove straight down, and while it didn't kill me, I must admit, we probably would've had more fun the first day or two had we stopped off somewhere and gotten at least half-a-night's shut eye.

So the plan now is to leave PA (I think the town's name is Elverson) around 7 or 8, work our way down to 95, take leg-stretching & meal breaks, and call it a night no earlier than 10pm (later if we feel we're on a roll, OR if we got stuck in traffic and want to make up for lost time.

Bearing in mind, we're just looking for a semi-decent place to crash, can anyone recommend a good place to try to reach before the end of the night?
 
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luvGoofy

luvGoofy

New Member
We live in Ocean City Maryland and drove down to Florence South Carolina which is not far past south of the border and stayed at Country inn & suites which is right off the exit. It was clean and comfortable and they have a pretty decent continental breakfast before you leave in the morning. Hope this helps.
 
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daveemtdave

daveemtdave

New Member
We traveled from Ohio down and stopped in Brunswick, GA for overnight. We stayed at a hotel called Microtel Inn and Suites - reserved through our AAA. Unbelievably FANTASTIC AMD REASONABLE. We had a great room with breakfast and it was around 60.00 for 5 adults. On our next trip we will not travel as much on day one; but this place was great. If you are a member of AAA, see what they have available.
 
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lamarvenoy

lamarvenoy

New Member
I also have fond memories of South of the Border as a kid, we would always stop and stay the night on the way down to Florida and pick up fireworks for our private illegal New Jersey display on the 4th of July! That was the early 80's and from what friends have told me it has plummeted since then.I remember we always stayed in room 357 because it was right by the bridge to cross the road and out the backdoor a few steps was the indoor pool(pretty nice in November). It was a tourist trap even back then (my Dad started going there in the 1950's) but that was part of its alure and the country was much less politically correct back then.
 
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lamarvenoy

lamarvenoy

New Member
Also at SOB there was a small fireworks store at the very end of the property line NOT owned by SOB called Jebs or Jabs. They got bought by SOB after a couple of years, anyway they sold the "real" cherry bombs if you asked for them from behind the counter. They were really expensive like $25 for a bag of 36 of them but they were in fact real solid cherry bombs and not the half styrofoam or mostly paper firecrackers. I'm lucky I still have all my fingers cause I did ALOT of stupid things with those,when I was moving into my new house 5 years ago I found a bag up in my attic still sealed,which I disposed of properly since I'm not a stupid kid anymore :D sorry for the drift....just bringing back memories.
 
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wilary

wilary

New Member
Ah yes....those cheesy South of the Border billboards always made the Jungle Cruise jokes seem funny...

"Pedro's Weather Forecast: Chili Today, Hot Tamale at South of the Border"
 
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M

mrsswat

New Member
From New Jersey

We drive from just outside of Philadelphia - in 12 hours we usually stop at Kingston, GA. There are several hotels there - Hampton Inn being one of them. This is only about 1 mile from the Florida border, and the next morning we are there before you know it. Since you're 2 adults, you might be able to do this just fine. I don't know how far you are from Washington, DC, but I would definitely avoid that area anytime from 7am - 10 am. Good luck!! :)
 
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D

disneyguy79

New Member
I've usually stopped in Santee, SC. In fact, there is a restaurant there, Clark's, which has great Southern cooking, as well as a very decent hotel which is inexpensive (around $65 per night). I'll tell you, it's not a bad place to rest up and you're only about 6-7 hours away from WDW!
 
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tigsmom

tigsmom

Well-Known Member
MKCP 1985 said:
South of the Border is one of the only places I've ever personally seen with pay-toilets. Tourist trap - you bet!
Click to expand...

They must have changed things because we did not have to pay to use them last March... we won't be using them again either. :zipit:
 
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MKCP 1985

MKCP 1985

Well-Known Member
They've probably gotten rid of the pay toilets, but I promise you they once had them. It would cost you either 25 or 50 cents to get into the stall. :(
 
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wdwdave09

wdwdave09

New Member
I-95 pit stop

I'm not sure how much driving you can take in one day but I'd try to get as far south as possible before stopping. From my house just outside DC (2 miles north of the "mixing bowl" where I-395/I-495/I-95 meet), it takes us 14 hours to get to WDW (myself, wife, 7 yr old son and 11 yr old daughter).

If you must stop, we've stopped at the following places and have been happy:

1) Florence, SC
2) Walterboro, SC
3) Santee, SC. We usually stay at the Hampton Inn here. My neighbor also stays here on his way down to FL. Clean and quiet.
4) Hardeeville, SC. Large selection of hotels & restaurants (though mostly fast food type). Last exit in SC before you hit Georgia. We stayed at a Days Inn here before but it was close to highway and we could hear traffic, especially large trucks.
5) Savannah, GA. I wouldn't stay in Savannah per se, but at one of the exits leading up to Savannah.

I ususally stay at Hampton Inn or equivalent. I always look for inside hallways vice doors opening outside.

Good luck and let us know what you chose.

P.S. What is GF? girl fiance?
 
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diddy_mouse

diddy_mouse

Well-Known Member
When my family went to FL (we were coming from Northern VA, near DC) we stopped off at my grandparents house in SC. They are NW of Charleston. I would suggest stopping in southern SC or in GA...try to find a good halfway point, that way when you hit FL it won't seem as too much longer of a drive.

Oh and South of the Border is something that we wold laugh at on our road trips...it became a tradition to look for the start of those horrible billboards. "You never SAUSAGE a place!" :lol: :dazzle: That place creeps me out...
 
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slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Dave...

GF=Girlfriend, NOT girl fiancee. At least, not as far as she knows, heh heh. Now all I gotta do is find a place to hide the ring so she won't see it as she "helps" me unpack.

And the plan, at least as far as I'm concerned, is to get as far down as possible, at least south Georgia if not Florida.
 
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