You cannot leave South Carolina without a night with Pedro. Under tussled sheets with the hint of tequila on his breath, he waits for you in the tackiest motel in America: South of the Border. From the hundreds of miles of day-glo billboards that entice motorists of god-awful puns (“you never sausage a place”) to the giant neon caricature of Pedro so offensive that the Mexican embassy once complained, South of the Border has grown much since its 1949 beginnings as a beer stand. Featuring 300 rooms, “heir conditioned” honeymoon suites, and a sombrero-shaped restaurant, SOB (yep, that’s what locals call it) absolutely will draw you into its quirky orbit.

Sumter, SC, Motel Postcard (click for larger view)

All text copyright Andrew Wood. Photos copyright Jenny Wood and Andy Wood.