The Manitou Springs Penny Arcade

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If you were a kid, you'd lose your mind here. If you are an adult, you might very well lose your mind here. I'll be 53 next month, and I sometimes still lose my mind here. "Here" being the Manitou Springs Arcade, also known as the Penny Arcade, officially Arcade Amusements. It's a very old arcade that encompasses several buildings located in the center of Downtown Manitou. The arcade, which offers up everything from Skee Ball to children's rides to vintage pinball and video games, has seemingly been here forever. Realistically, the arcade began in the 1930's, when John W. "Bingo Jack" Kerns opened a bingo parlor in what is now the Skee Ball room. Kerns soon began purchasing the adjacent buildings and installing coin operated games inside them (the bingo room became a dedicated Skee Ball area in 1962.) Since then, the arcade has been a major tourist draw. High school kids have been coming up from Colorado Springs for decades for fun (we were up here all the time in the early 80's,) and it's always fun to watch tourist kids going off as we drink on the patio of the Royal Tavern, the bar that sits at the edge of the arcade (how much fun, you ask? I can't stand kids, and even I'm amused.) The arcade has my all time favorite game, a pinball-style baseball game that a few of you might just recognize if I'd get off my lazy butt and walk up the street for a photo. If I don't go play it, I'm sneaking away from the Royal for a game or two of Skee Ball. I give the tickets I win to random kids as they walk past the bar patio so they can cash them in for prizes. The historical arcade offers up lots of fun for youngsters and old fogey's alike. It's just one more reason to visit us here in Manitou next time you're in Colorado. (Photo by me) (Info verified by Wikimapia)