Beyond the big, heavy balls and alleys, bowling is more than a common hobby for many. Families, friends, and bowling enthusiasts love to enjoy the legacies in bowling. Below are the best classic alleys around.
Holler House
This alley was the first official bowling alley in the United States. Holler house opened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1908. With its oldest lanes located in its basement, it gives that traditional bowling ambiance. It maintains all its antique articles from time immemorial such as hand-handled pins, original wood, and handwritten scorecards. Despite this, it still maintains exciting events that you expect of modern times.
Action & Atomic Duckpin Bowling
Even though it was closed for 40 years since its opening in Indianapolis (1928), this seven-laned alley has been touted to be Midwest’s only original duckpin bowling alley. It still maintains the original equipment possessed in the 1950s and 1960s, including a pool table from 1918.
Flaherty’s Arden Bowl
This alley opened in 1938 at St. Paul, Minnesota. It is regarded as the longest-running family-owned bowling alley in the country. It’s notable for its specialty pizza and leagues.
Sacco’s Bowl Haven
This 10-lane duckpin alley is just off Davis Square in Somerville, Massachusetts, opened in 1939. Think of the handwritten scorecards and gravity-powered balls, and you have an idea just how old this alley is. In 2010, it underwent a renovation to give it a modern look after acquiring a new owner (The Flatbread Co.). It also possesses a wood-fired pizza oven and alley-length bar.
Mid-City Lanes Rock ‘n’ Bowl
It opened in New Orleans, Los Angeles, in 1941. It is noted for not possessing electronic scoreboards. In addition, it has a live band performing every night at the alley. In all of these, the prices are as low as they come. There’s a lot of drinks too.
Timber Lanes Bowling
If antiquity were an embodiment, this alley fits the description, especially with the manual scoring features and “ancient” shoes. It opened in Chicago in 1945. It’s notable for being family-owned. Aside from the cheap alcohol, its long-time customers can bring their food into the cash-only alley.
Sunset Lanes
This 36-laned alley was founded over 50 years ago in Beaverton, Oregon. Despite the upgrades, it still maintains its antique touches from the 1960s. Besides the recent advancements in accessories such as flat-screen TVs, this alley has fantastic prices for events.
The Gutter
Although this alley was opened in 2006 in Brooklyn, it adopted wooden lanes from the 1970s Ohio alley. It is another classic bar where you can bring in your food. It comes equipped with a traditional bar in addition to the vintage décor. The games are as cheap as $7.
The Alley
It opened as recently as 2012. It is located in Charleston, South Carolina. Before being converted to an 8-lane alley, it was initially a warehouse that evokes memories from the 1970s. Its bar was designed from recycled bowling lanes. It also possesses arcade games.
If you want to enjoy bowling with the nostalgia of old times, these alleys are worth a shot.