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Sport Bowl Sioux Falls

Thursday, June 26th, 2008 by Alyice

Avoiding the heat and getting out of the rain is easy thanks to Sport Bowl in Sioux Falls. I must have passed by Sport Bowl a hundred times since my mother-in-law moved towards old downtown Sioux Falls but I never gave it a second thought until last week. The kids and I wanted to get out of the house. We wanted something different to do and we wanted it to be “cheap”. So we decided to give Sport Bowl a try.

Upon entering the facility there is a hint of cigarette smoke lingering in the air, but thanks to the ventilation it’s not enough to send my allergies into an attack. Off to the left is a Pro Shop where one can buy a beginner’s bowling kit for just $99.95—something I plan on getting if we decide to make this a regular habit as my fingers are too fat for the ten pound bowling balls—and on the immediate right are vending machines for drinks and candies. A few steps further has you choosing between the small diner on the right or the pool parlor on the left. Straight ahead are the bowling lanes.

On the first visit, we opted for bowling. The prices were pretty reasonable, too. $1.50 for shoe rentals—which my daughter firmly told me grossed her out and if we were to make this a regular thing, she’d need her own pair of shoes—and $2.50 per person, per game.

I must admit that I am a rather poor bowler. For starters, my fingers have always been on the chubby side (even when I weighed in at 120 pounds) so they don’t fit in bowling balls that I can actually lift with ease. Second, playing once a year doesn’t allow for improved skills. And third, I have a natural tendency to twist my arm as I throw the ball down the lane.

You should see me bowl. It’s quite comical. My form is poor and my balls seem to have a mind of their own. Sometimes my fingers get stuck in the ball causing me to fight for a release, other times the ball simply plops right out of my hand making a little thump sounds as it bounces a time or two before finally rolling down the lane, and then there are my gutter balls. I have more gutter balls than one person should be allowed. And yet, I have fun. I get really excited when I actually knock down more than two pins and my kids don’t seem too embarrassed by my little victory dance.

On our second visit, we opted for shooting pool and at just $5 per hour, per table, it was a steal! The pool tables and pool sticks did look a little beaten, but aside from looks they seemed in top shape.

Honestly, I’m no better at pool than I am at bowling. My son thought he was better off choosing me over his younger sister as a partner—boy was he mistaken! Not only did nearly every turn result in hitting the white ball into a pocket, but I cost us the game once by hitting in the eight ball. My daughter, my son, and my husband can “play them some pool” so it was no surprise that after the second game, I was asked to sit out so they could play “Cut Throat”. Honestly, I didn’t mind. It was fun just to be there as a family and I really did enjoy them succeeding at something I have yet to master—even got a kick out of their jump shots.

As for the arcade Sport Bowl touts…I’d pass. There are only a handful of games. You’re better off taking a drive to Dave & Buster’s in Omaha, Nebraska and making a day of it.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive family outing and can get out during the day—before the evening crowd of smokers and drinkers arrive—it’s worth the trip! They open at nine in the morning and close sometime after eleven in the evening. Visit Sport Bowl online (http://www.siouxfallssportbowl.com) for more information or drive to 1901 Burnside, Sioux Falls, SD or call 605-336-6063.

Until next time…

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Thunder Road

Monday, June 9th, 2008 by Alyice

Now that the thunder storms and heavy rains have finally come to a calm, my daughter’s been asking—no begging—for a trip to Thunder Road Family Fun Center. Soon she’ll be able to legally drive here in the state of South Dakota and practicing on the Go-Karts gives her comfort. I doubt she’ll be getting her driver’s permit anytime soon. After all, she’ll only be fourteen and I’m just not ready to let her behind the wheel at such a young age—I even made my son wait until he was 15 to get his learner’s permit—but letting her practice on a few Go-Karts…I can handle that!

My daughter drags us here every summer to practice her driving skills while my son challenges his dad (my husband) to the batting cages—”Who can hit the most balls at what speed?”

Since I’m not a fan of 70 mph balls flying at my face, I opt for the Go-Karts, too. It’s fun speeding around the track in a battle to the finish line, but I must admit that I am not a fan of all the illegal bumping going on as it can take a real toll on one’s back and neck.

Besides the batting cages and Go-Karts, Thunder Road is the home of the human foosball, miniature golf, water wars, and a climbing wall. Each event is priced separately so come with lots of money.

If your tween is nearing driver’s license age, you may want to check out Thunder Road Family Fun Center—just make sure your doctor gives you the okay if you have neck or back problems. Then visit Thunder Road Family Fun Center online for a location nearest you or drive to 201 N. Kiwanis, Sioux Falls, SD or call 605-334-4181.

Until next time…

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Dave And Buster’s

Thursday, June 5th, 2008 by Alyice

The boys don’t get all the fun thanks to a wonderful place called Dave & Buster’s. Women get to laugh and play and have fun, too. We even get to eat and drink and be very merry. If you’ve never been to a Dave & Buster’s, I highly recommend the place!

We first experienced the adult arcade/restaurant when we lived on the west coast. I still remember the first week it opened—my husband and I were doing our usual mall shopping when he spotted what appeared to be a fancy arcade.

“Is that what I think it is?” he asked.

I thought, “No, no, no! Not another arcade. I hate those places. They’re dirty, most of the machines don’t even work properly, and good luck on trying to get your money back on a broken machine.”

But he was excited and there was no stopping him. As a young child, my husband and his friends spent many days and nights in arcades and at each other’s homes playing board games. So it was only natural that, as an adult, he would try to give his children the same experience. Unfortunately for him, he married a woman who never did much board game playing, let alone arcade hopping.

But that day everything changed.

We walked up to the entrance of Dave & Buster’s and were greeted by a security guard requesting to see our photo IDs—turned out you have to be 21 or older to enter, or with a legal guardian if you’re a minor. Already I liked the place!

As we entered Dave & Buster’s I couldn’t help but feel like I had just left home and went on a mini-vacation. It was like a scene from a Las Vegas movie, but instead of slot machines there were wall to wall video games, virtual reality games, carnival games, pool tables, and card tables. There was even a fancy looking restaurant smack dab in the middle of the place.

That soon became our once a month hang out. We’d start with dinner, then grab a few drinks, and take the kids from game to game. We even grabbed a babysitter a few times so we could experience the “adult” scene—complete with card playing.

Leaving the west coast was easy, leaving Dave & Buster’s behind—not so easy.

So imagine my husband’s joy when he discovered there was a Dave & Buster’s just two hours away from us. No more arcade dives. No more feeling like he was trying to recapture his youth. No more lost coins or broken machines. He couldn’t wait to make the trip, but I, of course, could never justify driving two hours to spend the day in an arcade. I didn’t want to stand around waiting for him to “be done already.”

It’d been nearly ten years since we stepped foot in a Dave & Buster’s and I’d forgotten the excitement that comes from experiencing a day at Dave & Buster’s. All I could think about were the boring, broken down arcades we’ve been to since leaving the west coast and I wasn’t looking forward to the two hour trip, but last Monday my husband decided the trip would be worth it and off we went.

Dave & Buster’s in Omaha, Nebraska isn’t quite as large as the one on the west coast. There weren’t any virtual reality games. There wasn’t a golf simulation game. There weren’t any pool tables. But there was a horse racing game, a virtual bowling game, carnival games, a card playing room, and a hundred or so video games. And if you make it on a Monday night there’s even a “No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament” from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. It was also much more relaxed atmosphere wise—there wasn’t a security guard in sight!

They’ve even made Dave & Buster’s much more affordable than I remember. For $50, you receive 300 chips. Add $3 and you’ll receive a bonus 75 chips. Eat at their restaurant and order one of their specialty meals and you’ll receive $10 more dollars in chips. And let me tell you, eating at their restaurant is worth it. The food is really, really good. And you can’t go wrong with one of their desserts, either.

We spent a hundred dollars total on food, drinks, and chips and spent an entire four hours at Dave & Buster’s laughing, competing against each other, and having a good ‘ol fashioned family bonding session. In fact, it was so much fun that I can’t wait to make another trip out there. We’re even thinking of making it a once-a-month family event!

If you’ve been contemplating getting rid of that pent up energy check out Dave & Buster’s, I highly recommend it—just make sure you bring plenty of cash and a big appetite. Then visit Dave & Buster’s online for a location nearest you or drive to 2502 South 133rd Plaza Omaha , NE 68144 or call 402-778-3915.

Until next time…

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