Pretty towns near NC/SC border?

Old Jan 31st, 2008, 09:12 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,003
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Pretty towns near NC/SC border?

Can anyone recommend a pretty, interesting town with good restaurants not too far off of I-95 in lower NC or upper SC to stop for the night. My mother and I seem to be driving from Philadelphia to St. Augustine next week, and we are definitely not going to drive straight through (although DH does), and even Charleston is too far in one day. All we've been able to come up with is Lumberton and/or Santee, and would like to know if there is something cute in between them.
persimmondeb is offline  
Old Jan 31st, 2008, 09:18 AM
  #2  
GoTravel
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
NO! Definitely not Lumberton. Ug.

Rocky Mount would be the quaintest place but it is closer to Virginia.

I can't think of anything off I-95 near Santee.

In all honesty, there really aren't any 'quaint' towns off I-95 unless you want to drive for an hour.

My suggestion would be to stay in Florence South Carolina. There are lots of hotels and restaurants right off I-95.
 
Old Jan 31st, 2008, 09:24 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,473
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Due partly to its proximity to Route 95, Lumberton is a rotten little place that often serves as a hangout for drug runners.

As for nice towns, Florence, South Carolina might be all right. Haven't been there in forty years though.
GeorgeW is offline  
Old Jan 31st, 2008, 09:30 AM
  #4  
GoTravel
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
I go through Florence all the time on my way to Florida or just about anywhere else. It is a fine town.
 
Old Jan 31st, 2008, 09:39 AM
  #5  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,003
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks. I never had thought there was too much off of 95 there, but I was hoping I was wrong. Florence is ok, but we had been hoping to find something else.
persimmondeb is offline  
Old Jan 31st, 2008, 10:56 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,491
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
See the thread about where to stop half-way between DC and Charleston -- essentially the same question.

Otherwise, ditto what everyone has said here. We've stayed in Florence and Santee and both are more or less okay, but no, nothing in between.

Unless you have a craving for South of the Border ultra-extreme-kitsch.... ;-)
soccr is offline  
Old Jan 31st, 2008, 11:00 AM
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,003
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I suppose South-of-the-Border would be an experience, but I don't think my mom would go for that! We're thinking it'll probably be Santee, but we'll see what happens.
persimmondeb is offline  
Old Jan 31st, 2008, 11:23 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 23,138
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I95exitguide.com is a site suggested to me here - it gives all sorts of info on hotels, food, etc along I95 in different states - by mileage so you can decide how far you want to travel in a day.
gail is offline  
Old Jan 31st, 2008, 12:43 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The I95exitguide lists Lumberton, NC as a stop over. No, No, No.

You might want to look at Rocky Mount, NC or as you noted Santee.

If interested in a side trip, the area around Little River, SC and N. Myrle Beach (Cherry Grove) have some nice places and very good restaurants. Particularly the Parsons Table.
NW_Native is offline  
Old Jan 31st, 2008, 01:13 PM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 23,138
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
And be sure to stop at South of the Border so your mother can stock up on illegal fireworks.

I have driven that part of I95 fairly often and once you get into SC, civilization is scarce - I remember being in desparate need for some coffee and ended up at a rest stop vending machine. Some of the areas off the exits are a little sketchy looking - probably not unsafe, but as I make the trip most often alone, not places I felt very comfortable in.
gail is offline  
Old Jan 31st, 2008, 01:19 PM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,473
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Smithfield, NC has an Ava Gardner museum if that's your cup of tea. Foulest mouth in Hollywood, male or female.
GeorgeW is offline  
Old Jan 31st, 2008, 01:29 PM
  #12  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,003
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Oh yeah, if she realised that they even sold fireworks, she'd be afraid to get gas, let alone stay at the place or enter any of the buildings. She nearly had a heart attack when we let DS have a sparkler.
An Ava Gardner museum might be interesting, but I don't think it really fills the bill of what we were looking for.
persimmondeb is offline  
Old Jan 31st, 2008, 01:48 PM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 23,138
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re fireworks - point out to her that many of the places that sell fireworks in SC are in the parking lots of gas stations. Always seemed like an odd combination to me.
gail is offline  
Old Jan 31st, 2008, 01:58 PM
  #14  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,003
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Me too, although my favorite combination business has to be a bait shop/bar near Ladson, SC where some of DH's relative's live. Even better, we once stopped there in an attempt to buy bait, and it was closed for a wedding reception. We just won't dwell on fireworks with my mom, especially since gas is a little problematic for us anyway.
persimmondeb is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
wrenwood
Europe
21
Jul 29th, 2012 07:49 AM
Ann41
United States
4
Mar 3rd, 2008 06:15 AM
zzalexzz
Europe
7
Mar 8th, 2007 05:06 AM
quinn1
Europe
9
Mar 30th, 2005 04:56 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -