Top recommendations: hidden local entertainment spots

Golfland

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Loction: 855 E El Camino Real, Sunnyvale

Drive Time: ~15 min

Price: $11.50 – $13.50 per person

Golfland is the perfect place for a spur-of-the-moment, late-night adventure, since it stays open until midnight. The classic attraction is filled with whimsical sculptures paired with fun, lighthearted competition.  

It is also relatively cheap: $11.50 for 18 holes Monday-Friday and $13.50 on weekends. Eighteen holes take roughly one hour to complete, depending on the player’s skill. Each hole has an interesting aspect that makes it unique, whether it be putting the ball through a loop-de-loop or into a windmill.

Quick tip: Skip the food and enjoy the putting. Golfland is an affordable outing that will leave visitors with smile on their faces.

 

LvL Up

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Location: 400 E Campbell Ave, Campbell

Drive Time: ~10 min

Price: Varies

Walking through the building’s overly grand doors, faint ‘80s music filled my ears. On Yelp, Lvl Up is listed as a arcade bar/restaurant; however, I would describe it as primarily a bar/restaurant with the after-thought of an arcade.

In total, LvL Up had about 20 arcade games, mainly the classics (Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Mario Kart etc.), along with a handful of pinball machines and a variety of board games. Despite the relatively small selection of arcade games as opposed to larger arcades, the experience was an overall pleasant one.  

The food seemed to be their main focus. LvL Up serves classy, well-priced bar food: chicken wings, pork sliders, salads and sandwiches. All of it was fairly tasty across the board.  I do, however, recommend staying away from the soggy glob they call a chicken sandwich.

There are also some inconveniences that take away from the experience. After 8 p.m., the restaurant turns into a bar, meaning no one under 21 is allowed in, making it problematic if you’re looking for something fun to do late at night. Money spent at the arcade also begins to add up after playing just a few rounds of Pac-Man.  

LvL Up was a nice experience with a fun atmosphere, good food and relatively few downsides.  

 

Sky High

Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

Location: 2880 Mead Ave, Santa Clara

Drive Time: ~20 min

Price: ~ $36

Sky High is a place of nostalgia, reminding many of past birthday parties. The experience itself, bouncing recklessly without reprimand, is still extremely entertaining. However, after revisiting Sky High, I discovered numerous downsides that detract from its fun factor.

During the day, the place is swarming with small children constantly kicking, shoving and screaming each other. Additionally, with the majority of people wanting to go there being under 18, you need a parent-signed waiver, which is extremely inconvenient if you decide to go to there on a whim.

It is also not inexpensive: $17 per hour plus the two dollars for special socks you have to wear when there. The food is also unreasonably overpriced and mediocre at best.

The premise of Sky High is a great idea that could be very enjoyable; however, the high price and dirty facility teeming with kids makes Sky High a fairly unpleasant experience.

 

Beat the Lock

Rating: 5/5

Location: 2131 The Alameda Suite A, San Jose

Drive Time: ~ 15 min

Price: $30 per person

From its sketchy facade Beat the Lock does not look like much— when walking into the lobby the white walls are barren with the exception of a single sign reading ‘Beat the Lock’. But upon walking into the escape room the consideration and cleverness of the company is clear.

Some may be intimidated to participate in a escape room because getting out of the room seems nearly impossible. . However, Beat the Lock makes the experience entertaining even if you don’t escape.

The staff was extremely friendly and helpful, giving us additional clues when we were struggling, and even accommodating when I was 15 minutes late.     

The pricing is fairly affordable at about $30 per person. Generally participants are given about an hour to escape but depending on your wit the time varies.

Overall, I recommend going to Beat the Lock. The rooms are well thought out with a level of difficulty that is challenging yet solvable. With the addition of accommodating staff and low prices, Beat the Lock is the place to beat.