Any time bowling is suggested as a fun group activity, I can't help but grumble and shake my head. I've accrued far too much experience in seedy bowling alleys reminiscent of 1982 and have since become bitter. With that being said, I was pleasantly surprised by Bowlarama's offerings. Pros: - Lots and lots of lanes. One half of the alley was closed for repairs/renovations at the time of our visit, but it wasn't busy and therefore didn't matter. - Flat-screen TVs at the head of each lane playing classic old-school music. - Friendly staff. - Clean washrooms. - A bar and games area in the back (I didn't venture into either). - Lots of arcade games. - Neat black light and disco ball-like lighting. - Very reasonable pricing, which meant an inexpensive night of fun for our group of 8. Cons: - A herd of wayward youth lounging about in the parking lot. They eventually left, but they made us feel a bit uneasy. All in all, a great experience. I will grumble significantly less the next time someone suggests bowling...as long as we're going to Bowlarama. read more

By far the better bowling alley in Dartmouth. It has 18 lanes, so there's plenty of fun to go around. The walls are painted with great street-art inspired graffiti. Flat-screens are above each lane, set to sports or music channels so you have something to focus on between strikes. It has a large arcade room, complete with an air hockey table and dozens of video arcades. It also boasts a decent pub kitchen, with select fried grub, pop, beer, and chips; everything you need to keep your strength to bowl over your competition! They're very accomodating for parties if you call ahead, even allowing to stay a bit past close so you can finish up your string. Cosmic bowling is on weekends starting at 9, so make sure you're wearing the bright clothes you need to blind your opponents. If you're looking for a fun time with friends that won't break the bank, hit up the Bowlarama. You won't be disappointed. read more

I grew up out West, so perhaps I'm biased, but to me this is not bowling, and this is not a great bowling alley. The most positive thing I can say is that it seemed to be clean, which is a very positive thing indeed. Having said that, however, the facility seemed quite run-down, with pitted balls, unlevel (if that's a word) lanes, and a ball return that constantly allowed the balls to become lodged inside and stuck if we did not keep clearing it manually. The actual bowling experience was a mystery to me. To explain my perspective, let me say that I am used to 5-pin bowling with small bowling balls and 3 rolls per frame, and 10-pin with larger bowling balls and 2 rolls per frame. I am also used to 10-pin with the standard 1-2-3-4 offset pyramid-shaped configuration. And, oh yeah, pins shaped like bowling pins. This was set up as 10-pin with small balls and a setup where the pins seem to be lined up directly behind each other and 2 rolls per frame, with bowling pins shaped like...well...the nearest thing I can come up with is old milk bottles or something similar. I've not seen pins like these before. Maybe this is a Maritime thing? And maybe the shape of the pins skews my perception of how the pins are arranged. Also, between throws, the pins are allowed to lay in the lane and obstruct the next shot?? What happened to clearing downed pins? The mechanism didn't clear the pins automatically, so I started looking for a way to clear the pins from my lane, but I didn't see a "pick up and sweep" button, just a "clear 'em all and start a new frame" button. Do people out here shoot at a dirty house all the time? The kids had fun, and I had fun with them, but I had fun because I was with them, and not because the bowling was enjoyable. Again, perhaps it's because of what I am accustomed to from out West, and I don't mean to belittle those who enjoy this type of experience, but to me it's not what it could be...or should be. read more

Had a great time with friends from work. Went on busy day, so we had to wait a little time. There was food that was available. Candle pin bowling I need more practice. read more