The Pinball Hall of Fame is one of my family's favorite Las Vegas activities. It's unique to Las Vegas, it's not expensive, and it's fun for both kids and adults.
My husband spent his teen years playing pinball games in arcades. My two children (ages 11 and 14 on our first visit) loved trying Medieval Madness, Addams Family, and other games that he played when he was their age. It was also fun to play older games from the 1960s and brand-new games.
We have visited the Pinball Hall of Fame three times. And we will probably go back – with or without our kids.
Here are my tips for making the most of your visit to the Pinball Hall of Fame in Las Vegas.
Bring cash
You'll need quarters to play the games, and you'll see change machines (dollar bills to quarters) and an ATM as soon as you walk in the door. The change machines will take $1, $5, $10, or $20 bills.
The Pinball Hall of Fame is an inexpensive family activity. It cost nothing to walk in and look around. You can play one game or many – whatever your time and budget allow.
Individual games vary in price, depending on the age of the game. Prices range from about 25 cents to $1 per game.
I would budget about $5-10 per person for 1-2 hours of casual play. That assumes that you'll spend some time walking around and watching other family members play too.
You'll find a few video games and other games, in addition to pinball. My kids spent some of their money on the “Winner Every Time” machine where they won some collectible patches.
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Look for Rare Games
If there is a hard-to-find pinball game you've wanted to play, the Pinball Hall of Fame probably has it. One of these is The Pinball Circus. It was a vertical pinball game built in 1993, but only two machines were ever made. You can play it at the Pinball Hall of Fame, and it's a lot of fun.
Another rare “game” is a 1921 photo flipper of a Jack Dempsey fight. It costs just a quarter.
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When to Go
On our first visit, we arrived just before opening time on a Thursday in October. There were already several other people in the parking lot, just waiting for the pinball museum to open. A steady stream of visitors arrived after us, but the building is large, with many machines.
On our most recent visit, we dropped by on a Saturday afternoon. The parking lot was full and the Pinball Hall of Fame was busy. But there are so many games that we never had trouble finding an open game, and we eventually got a turn on all our favorites.
There were plenty of kids at the Pinball Hall of Fame, but it's mostly adults. All minors must be accompanied by an adult.
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No Frills Fun
The Pinball Hall of Fame has a new location at the south end of the famous Las Vegas Strip. But it's still just a big warehouse full of pinball machines. They don't sell any food or drinks, except a little candy.
The pinball museum is easy to find. It's located between the Welcome to Las Vegas sign and Mandalay Bay, and it has a HUGE sign. Parking is free.
The Pinball Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization. They donate all profits to the Salvation Army. It's one more reason to like this Las Vegas destination.
Conclusion
My family loves the Pinball Hall of Fame and we will probably go back every time we visit Las Vegas. My husband is a huge fan and it's fun with kids and teens. I'm terrible at pinball, but it's still fun to play.
I hope that our experience helps your family plan a great trip to Las Vegas! If you have any questions or Pinball Hall of Fame tips to share, please use the comments below.
Happy travels!
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More Las Vegas Tips
Need a place to stay? We have stayed in several Las Vegas resorts, but Tahiti Village – not far from the Pinball Hall of Fame – is my favorite so far. Click the button below to see rates and availability for Tahiti Village and other Las Vegas hotels on TripAdvisor.com.
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