Pretty towns near NC/SC border?
#1
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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.
#2
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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.
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.
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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.
As for nice towns, Florence, South Carolina might be all right. Haven't been there in forty years though.
#6
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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.... ;-)
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.... ;-)
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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.
#9
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
An Ava Gardner museum might be interesting, but I don't think it really fills the bill of what we were looking for.
#14
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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.