Santee and Roanoke Rapids by RV: Two Easy I-95 Travel Days (and a Cook Out Habit)

We passed through Santee and Roanoke Rapids in early summer 2026, the second stop of our Oshkosh or Bust RV road trip.

Not every stop on a big road trip is a destination. Some are just about covering ground without wearing everyone out. That’s what these two days were: Florida to South Carolina, then South Carolina to the Virginia line, on the way north to DC.

We expected two forgettable overnights. Instead, we got a farm full of baby animals, the cleanest stopover on I-95, the best pudding of the summer and the start of a Cook Out habit that lasted the whole trip.

Here’s the backstory. We started the summer in Titusville, Florida, and our next real stop was Cherry Hill Park outside Washington, DC. That’s more than 800 miles. We could have pushed it in one brutal day, but with a family and fifth wheel behind us, that’s a recipe for a miserable arrival. So we split it into two days and went looking for easy overnights right off I-95.

We had a few rules for these stops: close to the interstate, easy to get in and out of with a big rig, and full hookups so we didn’t have to think. Anything beyond that was a bonus. As it turned out, we got a lot of bonus.

Travel Day One: Titusville, FL to Santee, SC

This was our longest day of the leg. We drove 378 miles from The Great Outdoors in Titusville to Santee, South Carolina, in about five and a half hours. We switched drivers once and didn’t need a single fuel stop. Long, but easy.

Where We Stayed: Outside Inn Campground (Santee, SC)

Outside Inn was a super pleasant surprise. We picked it because it was convenient, just off I-95 and I-26. What we found was a working family farm.

The owners, Chris and Clair, spent years traveling full time in an RV with their daughters before buying raw land outside Orangeburg and building the campground from scratch. It opened in 2023, and it is definitely a passion project done well.

The animals are the best part. Guests can join the twice-daily feedings, so we did. The owners’ daughters led us around, and Mackenzie got to feed the baby sheep and hold baby rabbits and chickens. And the woolly Highland cow? Awesome.

The campground itself is clean and feels safe. Walking the dog past the farm animals was a fun way to stretch our legs after a long day in the truck. Full hookups, free Starlink Wi-Fi and a little self-serve farmstand round it out. And did you know that some pigs smell like maple syrup? Fun fact we learned while taking a farm tour. 

We would definitely come again, and next time we’d stay longer. Get the full rundown in our Outside Inn Campground review.

Good to know: Feedings are at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. and are free for overnight guests. We paid $63 a night.

A Little Santee Backstory

Santee is a small town, but it sits on some big history. Just north of town, I-95 crosses Lake Marion, the giant lake you drive over on the long bridge. It isn’t a natural lake. It was created in 1941, when the Santee Cooper project dammed the Santee River for hydroelectric power. It’s named for Revolutionary War general Francis Marion, the “Swamp Fox,” and his old plantation home is now somewhere under the water.

Marion fought all over this area. Near the lake, in what is now the Santee National Wildlife Refuge, the British built Fort Watson on top of an ancient Native American mound. In 1781, Marion and Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee laid siege to it. They couldn’t storm the fort, so they built a log tower tall enough for riflemen to shoot down into it, and the British surrendered after eight days.

We didn’t have time to explore on this trip, but between the lake, the refuge and the history, Santee is worth more than a quick overnight.

Travel Day Two: Santee, SC to Roanoke Rapids, NC

Day two was even easier. It was 284 miles, just about four and a half hours, in great weather. I started, Stefan finished, and we didn’t need a diesel stop. There were no events, and everything ran great. That’s exactly what you want on a travel day.

Where We Stayed: The RV Resort at Carolina Crossroads (Roanoke Rapids, NC)

The RV Resort at Carolina Crossroads sits about a mile off I-95, just south of the Virginia line, and it is about as easy as stopovers get. It was very clean, and the pull-throughs were long and level, so setup was a breeze.

To be honest, it feels more like a parking lot than a resort. We wouldn’t vacation here. But that’s not what it’s for. For a one-night stop close to the highway, it’s great.

Fun fact: the name “Carolina Crossroads” comes from a big entertainment district Roanoke Rapids planned right here off I-95 in the mid-2000s. It was anchored by a theater tied to Randy Parton, Dolly Parton’s brother. The partnership ended in 2006, the theater was renamed the Roanoke Rapids Theater, and the city spent years trying to lease or sell it before finally selling it in 2018. The RV resort was built in 2009, right in the middle of all that, and it’s still going strong.

Good to know: Full hookups, 30/50-amp power, a pool, laundry and a fenced dog run. We paid $69.40 a night.

Exploring Roanoke Rapids

With the rig parked early, we had the afternoon to explore. We went to look at the rapids the town is named after and drove around a bit. Then we got Cook Out again (more on that below), and then the real star of the stop…

The rapids are the whole reason the town exists. Roanoke Rapids sits where the Roanoke River drops over the fall line, the edge where the hilly Piedmont meets the flat coastal plain. Boats couldn’t get past the rapids, but the falling water was perfect for powering mills. In the early 1800s, the Roanoke Canal was built to get river traffic around them, and later, textile mills grew up along the water and built the town.

One of those mills has a Hollywood connection. Crystal Lee Sutton, a union organizer at the J.P. Stevens mill here, was the real-life inspiration for the movie Norma Rae. The textile mills are all closed now, but you can still see the history. The Roanoke Canal Museum is in an 1823 canal lock building, and a trail of more than seven miles follows the old canal along the river. We didn’t make it to the museum, so that’s on the list for next time.

Nyomi’s Puddin’

We showed up at Nyomi’s Puddin’ right before closing, and they only had three flavors left. One Cookies & Cream Puddin’, one Biscoff Caramel Puddin’ and Strawberry Crunch Puddin’. They were absolutely amazing and we have not stopped talking about them. Also, the portions were large enough for two sessions of delicious enjoyment.

Nyomi’s puts its own twist on Southern banana pudding. Their signature No-Nanas flavor tastes like classic banana pudding without any actual bananas in it, and people are always surprised by that. The regular lineup also includes Biscoff Caramel, Strawberry Crunch and Cookies & Cream, plus creative rotating flavors like the Brookie Puddin’. You can eat it frozen or thawed.

Brookie Puddin’. Photo courtesy of Nyomi’s Puddin’.

The story behind the shop makes it even sweeter. The owner, Nya, is a single mom and a former award-winning educator in rural eastern North Carolina whose love of cooking started in her grandmother’s kitchen. She named the business for Nyomi, the daughter she lost during a pregnancy in 2021, so every cup carries her name.

It was so good that we’re already looking at how to get back on our next big trip. Even if it means flying in.

Our tip: Get there earlier than we did, so you get the full flavor lineup.

Our Cook Out Habit

If you’ve never driven through the Carolinas, you may not know Cook Out. It’s a burger chain that Morris Reaves started in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1989. It’s still privately owned and still based in North Carolina, and most locations are drive-thru only. It’s known for cheap, generous trays and a ridiculously long milkshake menu with more than 40 flavors.

The thing to know is the Cook Out Tray: one main, two sides and a drink for not much money. Southern Living has called it one of the best deals in fast food, and after a long day of towing, that’s exactly what you want. Cook Out is still a family business, too. Founder Morris Reaves still owns it, and his son Jeremy runs it as CEO. And in summer, keep an eye out for the watermelon milkshake. Its return makes the local news every year.

Our first Cook Out was in Orangeburg, just up the road from Santee. Roanoke Rapids was our second. After that, we stopped at one whenever we could for the rest of the trip.

Tips for Your Own I-95 Travel Days

• Break up the long haul. These two stops split Florida to DC into easy days of four to six hours.
• Pick stopovers close to the highway. Both campgrounds were just a few minutes off the interstate.
• Look for pull-throughs. Long, level sites mean you can stay hitched for a one-night stop.
• Don’t skip the quirky ones. Outside Inn was meant to be a quick overnight, and it turned into a highlight.
• Cook ahead for travel days. Even if Cook Out wins.

Final Thoughts

These were supposed to be the “just get there” days. Instead, we left with baby sheep pictures, a pudding obsession and a fast-food habit we didn’t see coming. Sometimes the in-between stops are the ones you remember.

Next up on Oshkosh or Bust: DC by RV: How We Made Cherry Hill Our Basecamp.

Have a favorite stopover on I-95? Or a Cook Out order we need to try? Share it in the comments below!