A bowling alley is a perfect place to relax with your friends and family. Bowling alleys provide much more than just bowling; some alleys provide additional services like snacks, music, seating space, and many additional features. Seeing this wide range of services offered at bowling alleys, it becomes clear why many people prefer bowling alleys to celebrate with their loved ones.
Below are some of the features you might want to keep an eye out for when you’re looking for a bowling alley to host your next get-together. Finding the right bowling alley might take some time, but it’ll be beneficial to you in the long run since you’ll have found your favorite place.
Wooden vs. Synthetic Lanes
The most important feature of a bowling alley is, of course, the bowling experience. If you’re a seasoned veteran who’s been rolling balls and taking down pins all your life, then you must already have your preferences. But if you’re new to the game, then you might be a little confused when you come across the terms wooden and synthetic.
The basic difference between the 2 lanes is friction. Synthetic lanes have much less friction when you roll the ball than wooden lanes. The wooden lanes need to be regularly oiled to maintain lubrication because once the oil dries out, the lane becomes sticky and difficult to play on. In contrast, synthetic lanes require much less maintenance to get the desired performance.
Although this isn’t much of an issue to be concerned about if you’re a novice or amateur bowler, if you’re serious about bowling, this factor will definitely affect your choice.
Best Bang for Your Buck
Bowling these days is much more than just rolling a ball, downing some pins, beating others, and going back home. Bowling has turned into a recreational activity where you go with your family or friends and have a good time engaging in many activities other than bowling.
Many bowling alleys now offer snacks, fast-foods, drinks, arcade games, and other facilities. You must ensure that you’re getting as many of these amenities as you can since money doesn’t grow on trees.
So carefully inspecting the services offered by an alley is crucial. If you take the time to check the Bowlero price list, you’ll see the various activities that are usually offered as a standard. If you aren’t getting these basic minimum amenities in your alley, it might not be a very enjoyable experience for your family.
Hygiene is Paramount
The recent events in the world have taught us all the importance of good hygiene. Basic sanitary measures are usually undertaken at all respectable public places. It is perhaps one of the most important features you must look out for if you want to keep your family safe from deadly diseases like covid-19. If there are young kids or old seniors in your family, be extra cautious about the cleanliness standards maintained by the alley.
The bowling balls, the seating area, and the other activities at such places all include physical touching, increasing the chances of getting infected. Therefore, it’s imperative to ensure that the bowling alley sanitizes and disinfects every surface at the risk of getting contaminated. If the owners don’t maintain this basic standard, then the deal is off the table since they’re most likely a shabby business overall.
Candlepin or 10-Pin?
If you’re serious about bowling, then you must’ve heard about candlepin bowling and 10-pin bowling before. Both forms of bowling utilize 10 pins despite the confusing names. Candlepin bowling is a little easier than the regular 10-pin because it offers you a chance to hit the pins that have fallen. In candlepin bowling, you don’t have to wait for the ball to come back either, making the game feel much more flexible and relaxed.
If you’re a hardcore 10-pin bowler, then the candlepin bowling might even bore you or feel out of touch. But if you merely want to have a good time with your family, then engaging in candlepin bowling will be a much more entertaining option due to its more laid back and relaxed attitude than 10-pin bowling, which is fraught with rules.
Bowling is a fun activity to enjoy with one’s family or even alone. With the variety of services offered by all the bowling alleys these days, it becomes even more fun than it already is. If you want to find the bowling alley that best suits your requirements, the above-mentioned points will be a great starting point. There are also many other features to look out for, but this will do just fine for starters.