quiet eyes
Member
Will check this out too, thank you!
Pool road trip USA — best pool halls, best action, best spots 2022
- Thread starter quiet eyes
- Start date
quiet eyes
Member
Great, it is exactly on our way from Portland to Redwood National Park.
quiet eyes
Member
Also we are very densely populated. BTW, you really live up to your name.
quiet eyes
Member
Yeah, I know about Chris's. It is still there and I would like to stop by if possible. In Canada I am going to stay in the Toronto area exclusively and won't be able to travel west. I will put TopShots on my list anyway, maybe for another time. Thanks!
quiet eyes
Member
Just want to say thank you for all the positivity and the great tips so far. Although, I won't be able to visit every spot this time, I hope this thread will also be useful to others intending to go on the road in the future. And I am sure I will meet some of you AZB'ers during my trip. 
Chicago- Chris’s Billiards (Where the Color of Money was filmed)edited in blue
Hi everyone,
in just a few months from September 2022 until February 2023 I'll have the privilege to visit the US. The main theme of my journey is playing pool and exploring the country and its people. Needless to say, I am thrilled.
Now, I would like to ask you about places in the US that have a lively pool scene (tournaments, playing for a few bucks) that also are nice to visit. And meeting fellow AZ folks is always appreciated.
My itinerary and respective pool halls so far:
For context: not exactly USA but the largest part of September and part of October I will be in
Hamilton, Ontario (Shooterville in Burlington)
Toronto (The Corner Bank)
already booked:
New York (Astoria) in November (Steinway, Amsterdam. Skyline, Carom Café)
Providence, Snooker’s
planned:
Austin for three weeks (Skinny Bob's)
Houston (Big Tyme, Bogies)
New Orleans for one month (Buffalos)
Meridian (Big Tyme)
Louisville (Derby City Classic)
maybe/recommendations:
Sacramento (Hard Times, Jointed Cue)
San Francisco (Family Billiards)
Freemont (California Billiards)
Las Vegas for two weeks (Griff's)
Chicago?
Denver (Felt)
So my longest stays will probably be NYC, then Austin and NOLA but what other locations (can be far out) do you recommend for a longer stay during such a trip? Has to be a hotspot with great players, action and atmosphere.
Comments and advice highly appreciated. Bring it on and thank you!
Alex
PS: I am a Fargo 600+ atm coming over from Germany. I would love to compete, train and further grow my game not only in 9/10-Ball but also learn a bit of Bank Pool and One-Pocket—> might try all disciplines at DCC.
PPS: I checked out all the AZB threads but most are pre-covid and I want to avoid walking into a "pool hall" that is no more.
Nick’s
Surge
Red Shoes(Alsip IL)
We are very populated with dense people,our current President is the poster boy.
Looks like you may need to stay over for a year or so. Buy a camper van and do it up all the way, living on the road. I made two extended road trips across the country as a young man and found action in every city, large and small. Like you I didn't look for big action, just someone who wanted to gamble, a little "social" pool we used to call it. I was a lot like you, just a pretty decent player and I still managed to survive out there and even come back to home base with some money in my pocket.Just want to say thank you for all the positivity and the great tips so far. Although, I won't be able to visit every spot this time, I hope this thread will also be useful to others intending to go on the road in the future. And I am sure I will meet some of you AZB'ers during my trip.
I think you are spending too much of your time in some cities. A couple of weeks in New York is more than enough. Anywhere else a week or so is enough time to see the sights, play some pool and move on. Drive, drive, drive and enjoy this country! There is a lot to see and many people you will enjoy meeting. Get off the beaten track and explore some of the back roads. You will be glad you did. You will have the experience of your lifetime and learn a lot in the process.
Just one last thing. Be careful with your money! Never show any big money in front of people. Keep only small money in your pocket to pay for things, and hide your big money elsewhere. Be trusting, but not too trusting. You have valuable cargo with you! Trust your instincts! Have your Spidey Sense in tune at all times. Don't go anywhere or with anyone if you feel in the least bit uncomfortable. Safe journeys!
One last thing. Avoid the bars. There's trouble there. Very little trouble in a nice poolroom. As for the Redwood forests, that's God's country. Get out of your car and walk among the giants, the oldest living things on the planet. You will feel safe and secure there, in the serenity of the planet's sanctuary. They know you're there and they have compassion for all us small frail creatures.
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Skyline has one tight Gold Crown. Good table to train on and play some 1P.
Right down the street from Skyline is Gotham City Billiards, they have one tight Blue Label Diamond and a daily special. I’ve never seen action there but a great place to practice.
Dodgammit, coco.
Wtf?!
phreaticus
Well-known member
Exactly my reaction, too funny
Out of the car, Longhair.
phreaticus
Well-known member
Perfect advice Jay, except for no bars! Thats blasphemy, why deprive the guy of the full on USA pool experience?
Find someone from the US who might want to tag along with you.
A reliable shortstop who is well trusted.
It's a great way if you happen to get in action or tournaments to supplement your roll.
A reliable shortstop who is well trusted.
It's a great way if you happen to get in action or tournaments to supplement your roll.
forget the poolrooms. a pool room only is good if you have been there awhile and can fit in with the crowd. otherwise its just a collection of tables.
spend your time seeing the country and not the big cities and highways.
why waste a whole great day playing for five or ten a game with one of the best in the house to win or lose 60 bucks. not even a tank of gas.
if you get bigger action than that playing even you wont win anything worthwhile being a 600.
spend your time seeing the country and not the big cities and highways.
why waste a whole great day playing for five or ten a game with one of the best in the house to win or lose 60 bucks. not even a tank of gas.
if you get bigger action than that playing even you wont win anything worthwhile being a 600.
Really don't want to bring this up but we need to talk about personal protection while he is here.
Bear spray,big pocket knife or stun gun?
I vote for a stun gun.
Dont laugh my wife carries a stun gun and my daughter and grand daughter both carry one.
I carry a big pocket knife and sometimes a .380 auto.
Bear spray,big pocket knife or stun gun?
I vote for a stun gun.
Dont laugh my wife carries a stun gun and my daughter and grand daughter both carry one.
I carry a big pocket knife and sometimes a .380 auto.
Mace and tight shoes are never out of style.
quiet eyes
Member
I am very much looking forward to discussing politics in the US
quiet eyes
Member
Jay, what a great reply. Thanks for sharing your experiences. The times must have changed since you have done your trip. But still today your story is so inspiring. You are right that an all-out road trip is the classic and has a lot going for it. I might take another month off in March and do more of the road thing across the US on the I-10 from Memphis to San Diego where I have distant relatives (if they even want to have me haha). However, I also want to immerse myself in a city like New York or New Orleans and get the feeling of "living there". Tough decisions and who knows all the unforeseeable things that might happen along the way...
The camper van approach is great, especially when you are young. I am in my mid 40's and have never been the beach bum kind of guy sleeping in a car, though. So I prefer a car, might buy one in Texas at the end of November and sell it when I return. Or maybe try to go by bus and only rent cars if needed. I will sleep in cheap motels and Airbnb's.
Regarding safety: I am not the rich-German-tourist kind of guy and I hope I won't look like one. But you will notice some German accent (not as bad as Werner Herzog though). I don't plan to have a lot of money on me and think I have some street smarts and generally don't walk into trouble. Don't think if there's more I can do... except avoiding the BARS
(won''t promise).Lastly, your words about the Redwood forests are so touching. I will think of them when I am there.