Entry No. 60 — the Colorado Springs file — filed under: vintage-arcade
Penny Arcade
A working open-air arcade with 400+ coin-operated machines spanning more than a century — antique fortune tellers, mechanical oddities, vintage pinball, and ancient video games, some genuinely worth thousands.
The story
In 1933, Jack Kerns opened a downtown gaming hall called Bingo Jacks. When Colorado’s attorney general outlawed for-profit bingo as illegal gambling, Kerns didn't shutter the business—he swapped out bingo cards for coin-operated photo booths, mechanical novelties, and penny games. What started as a legal pivot grew over nine decades and two generations of the Kerns family into one of the largest working collections of vintage coin-op machinery in the West, occupying eight separate historic storefronts and open-air breezeways along Manitou Avenue.
Instead of sealing these relics behind glass, the arcade keeps them plugged in and functional. Walk the creaky wooden floorboards under exposed rafters and you're navigating a working timeline of coin-op history: turn-of-the-century flip-book Mutoscopes, 1940s baseball games complete with metal cigarette holders affixed to the casing, antique fortune tellers, wooden-ball Skee-Ball lanes, and pristine 1980s pinball cabinets. When the Kerns family sold the property in May 2025 to local publisher John Weiss, the new owner committed to keeping three-quarters of the arcade exactly as it was, preserving the rattle of gears and the scent of ozone and aging wood.
What makes the space truly offbeat is its absolute refusal to modernize its core experience. You won't find digital swipe cards, plastic wristbands, or ticket-scanning kiosks here. You are feeding real physical nickels, dimes, and quarters into machines that are older than your grandparents, some valued at thousands of dollars by collectors but left sitting along open walkways for anyone with a pocketful of change to play.
What it's like
You won't find a polished main lobby or a single entrance—the arcade sprawls across an open-air maze of eight connected historic storefronts mid-strip on Manitou Avenue. Expect a loud, sensory tumble of clacking wooden Skee-Balls, ringing pinball bells, and whirring gearboxes as you move between indoor rooms and covered outdoor breezeways. Because so much of the floor plan is exposed to the elements, severe weather or freezing winter temperatures will shut down outdoor sections and rides, making clear, warm days the best time to visit. Cash is mandatory: change machines convert dollars to quarters, but if you want to play the oldest penny, nickel, or dime machines, you’ll need to flag down floor staff wearing vintage coin-dispenser belts. If your cash runs out, be warned that the lone on-site ATM dispenses only ten-dollar bills.
The move: Bring a roll of quarters and pennies, hunt down the oldest machine you can find together, and settle a friendly rivalry on a century-old game.
📍 Before you go It is not one room — the arcade sprawls through eight historic buildings and open-air breezeways mid-strip on Manitou Avenue, and because so much of it sits outside, it shuts down in bad weather and is best in the warmer months. Bring cash: change machines spit out quarters, but the antique penny, nickel, and dime machines mean flagging down staff wearing coin-dispenser belts, and the lone on-site ATM only dispenses $10 bills. The small lot behind the arcade off Cañon Avenue is the closest parking; downtown lots are paid and fill fast on summer weekends, residential “Resident Parking Only” zones are enforced with tow trucks, and a free shuttle loops Manitou Avenue in season. You are in the middle of downtown, steps from the town’s mineral-spring fountains, so pair a pocketful of coins with a tasting walk.
- 📍 Manitou Springs
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 930 Manitou Ave, Manitou Springs, CO 80829
Hours: Added 2026-06-09 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Miramont Castle — Walk ten minutes up the hill from the arcade to explore an eccentric 1895 mansion built in nine distinct architectural styles.
- Iron Springs Chateau Melodrama — Trade retro arcade cabinets for Victorian melodrama at a historic theater built directly over a capped mineral spring up Ruxton Avenue.
- Crystal Valley Cemetery — Head less than a mile south from the arcade to visit Manitou's terraced 1882 hillside cemetery, the final resting place of local pioneer Emma Crawford.
- Red Mountain — Escape the arcade's noise by hiking the quiet, overlooked trail up Red Mountain directly across the canyon from the crowded Manitou Incline.
Good to know
How do I get coins for the older penny, nickel, and dime machines?
While standard change machines throughout the buildings dispense quarters, playing the antique penny, nickel, and dime machines requires flagging down staff members who walk the floor wearing coin-dispenser belts.
Is the Penny Arcade open during rainy or cold weather?
Only partially. Because the arcade spans outdoor breezeways and open-air pavilions, staff close down outdoor games and rides during rain, snow, or low temperatures. It is best visited on warm, dry days, and you should check current hours before visiting.
Where should I park when visiting?
The closest option is the small lot behind the arcade off Cañon Avenue. Paid downtown lots fill fast on summer weekends, and residential 'Resident Parking Only' zones are strictly enforced with tow trucks. A free shuttle loops Manitou Avenue during peak season.
What kind of rides are available for young kids?
The arcade features an outdoor area packed with dozens of vintage, coin-operated kiddie rides—including classic Batmobiles, rocket ships, and mini fire engines—most costing just 25 or 50 cents per ride.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Yelp · manitousprings.org · Westword · Atlas Obscura · uncovercolorado.com
last checked: 2026-06-09