![]() ![]() Thanks to Silverball, that era looks to remain alive for the foreseeable future. From the old-school pinball memorabilia on the walls to the historical placards placed over each machine to the nostalgic clings and clangs that call out at every corner, every inch is packed with signs of a bygone time. It’s an attraction in every sense of the word, a magnetic place with literally nothing but fun and games, plus a little history along the way. Robinson’s perspective is a common sentiment among those who visit this blinking blast from the past, the Silverball Museum Arcade. Historical placards over each machine outline the game’s place in pinball lore. I’ve been playing pinball since I was 7 or 8 years old, and they still have machines in here that I played when I was a kid. “If I got a quarter from my grandparents, I’d go to the corner store in South Philly, put the quarter in (I could play 5 games per quarter) and start playing. “I played pinball all the time as a kid,” Robinson said. With each ring-a-ding-ding, he bounces back to the fond memories of his childhood. He steps up to one of his favorites, the 1967 “Melody” machine, coils back the plunger and starts pressing those flipper buttons like there’s no tomorrow. ![]() The noise grows louder as he gets closer.Īs he turns the corner and passes through double doors, there it is: A wall of pinball machines decked out in all their vintage glory, with frenetic lights, funky music and flashy cartoon characters - the bells and whistles he loves. ![]() He listens to the waves, the squawks of the seagulls, the hum of human chatter, then finally - the sound he’s come for faintly emerges. Photo by Joseph MurphyĮvery week, Paul Robinson can’t wait for the moment that makes him feel like a kid again.Īfter trekking 90 miles one-way from his apartment in Holmes, Pa., he parks along picturesque Ocean Avenue in Asbury Park and heads straight for the boardwalk. Of the 180, about 140 of them are pinball. There are often taxis meeting the arriving trains.Around 180 games are available for play at a given time at the Silverball Museum Arcade. It is a 15-20 minute walk from the Asbury Park Station to the Boardwalk. It is also accessible by train, taking NJ Transit from Penn Station to Asbury Park. It took about an hour to reach Asbury Park from our Manhattan home by car via the Garden State Parkway. A decent playground facing the ocean was a nice diversion. We vowed to give it a try when we return in warmer weather. There’s a bicycle shop, Brielle Cycles, that was renting canopy bikes for up to 4 people, but it was too windy for us to attempt a ride. When you get hungry, several casual restaurants line the Boardwalk, open year-round. Fan’s of rock music will want to make a pilgrimage to The Stone Pony, the legendary club where Jersey natives Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi played early in their careers. The kids got a kick out of Madam Marie and other fortune-tellers and palm readers, whose tiny shops add an authentic sense of seaside kitsch to this town. We loved exploring the recently restored Asbury Park Boardwalk, in spite of the chilly temperatures. There are several pricing plans, so please refer to the website for current pricing. ![]()
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