Candle pin bowling is always so much fun and hard to find where most place are large ball now. It has an old time feel but very clean and well maintained. The lanes never got stuck or anything else some other places. Also super inexpensive for a round of bowling! They have some food and they have beer as well. I will be back! read more

See all

The vibes this place has is immaculate. Really genuine people and a great time to be had. Games are 3.50 and shoes are 2.50 (I think). The aesthetics are really delightful, it feels like a bowling alley should. I can't wait to go back! read more

See all

Took my girl and her daughter to this candle pin spot. They are both from Florida and had never even heard of candle pins. Staff was courteous and helpful, lane's in excellent condition. read more

I don't consider myself a professional bowler, but i do fancy a game or two back on the west coast. So when I heard that people in New England, and more specifically people in Maine enjoy candle Pin bowling, i had to check it out for myself. When we went, there was a senior league playing, so the parking lot was kinda packed. However, the inside had plenty of lanes left over. There was an older lady working the counter and she helped explain the rules to us. You get to bowl 3 times, and you tally up your score. You don't get to reset the pins in between your 3 bowls. The bowling ball is fairly light... Id say they weight no more than 4 pounds. Impossible to curve. You add up all your scores manually, nothing is automatic except for the doorbell button to reset the pins. I don't think I'll try candle Pin bowling again, but it's something everyone should try once. PS: This place has really cheap beer. read more

Is Westport Bowling Lanes outdated? Sure. Do you push a doorbell to re-set the lane? Mm Hm. Do you have to keep track of your own score with pencil and paper, and use your noggin to add up your points? Absolutely. But you know what? It's one of the few candlepin bowling alleys left in Maine. And It's fabulous! We went at 7:30 on a Saturday night. Of the 24 lanes, only two other lanes were in use. There were no flashy lights. No loud, awful pop music. No wait. The shoes were pristine- practically new! The alley itself was old, but spotless. We paid thirteen dollars for a round of four Shipyards in the bottle (including tax). There aren't a lot of spots you can snag a beer for about $3 each these days. Just don't expect any trendy craft beers. This is not that type place. Also, this is a one woman operation. She handled it all. Shoe counter and concession stand combined. All with a smile and witty conversation. She also shared a bit of history- the alley was built in the early 60's (1961 is what I think she said) and its been owned by the same family since the mid-60's. There even used to be a BMX bike park around back. This place is a great date spot. Inexpensive, old-fashioned fun for all ages. read more

We love Westport for all the right reasons -- candle pin classic New England style bowling. No frills. Clean place, really sweet people who work here. We're always greeted kindly and leave happy. read more

Westport Bowling Lanes - Industrial looking facade, and cool lanes inside - Bowling Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

This place is awesome! It's 24 lanes wide, and never too packed (call ahead to check on league times). It's $1.75 for shoes and $3.25 per game (they also have unlimited bowling for $25 an hour I believe). **This is a Candlepin Bowling Alley** My roommate and I wanted to go bowling and accidentally stumbled upon this place a few months ago, but we haven't regretted it. The two ladies that work here knew we were first-timers, so she taught us everything we needed to know before sending us on our way. Food and beers are reasonably priced. This place also includes an arcade and a digital jukebox. I've been here before when no one else has been here except our group, so we'd crank the jukebox to our own tunes and enjoy the whole place to ourselves. The factor that really makes this place is the staff. They're a delight to talk to and are there to help you out if you've never done candlepin bowling enough. And the ladies remember us every time we come back. If you're looking for a giant place with tons of people, black lights, and loud music, then do not come here. But if you want a solid, intimate, New England-style bowling experience with some great staff members, then you've come to the right place. read more

Westport Bowling Lanes - Bowling Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

See all

We popped in on a Sunday night due to 33 Elmwood being on a two hour wait. We were glad we did! There's nothing fancy about Westport-however the very friendly and kind woman at the front desk made our night. She explained the process to us of manually tracking our scores, and with a big smile. She conversated with us and it was refreshing. Also the prices are extremely fair. $3.50 per game, $4 per pair of shoes, and $3.50 per bottled beer! If you want to order food, you have to sit at the bar/tables. If you're looking for a fun bowling experience and not trying to break the bank, this is the spot! We will be back! read more

Still 1968 in this bowling alley. Affordable fun. The jukebox is way too expensive though. Their staff is always kind.

In a city that keeps building, renovating, and evolving to adopt the latest urban fads and trends, it's always nice when you can find something that is still authentic and unchanged. Westport Bowling Lanes is such a place. I am the first to admit that I embrace trends, whether it's the 72nd brewery in Portland, a new farm to fork small plates restaurant, or the latest standup paddle board goat comfort animal aerial yoga studio. Sign me up! So when I was offered a spot on a team in a candlepin league at Westport, I was a little hesitant. Not because I don't like bowling, but rather because it was so far off my radar that I hadn't really considered it. I really look forward to league night now, for a number of reasons. 1) Rose and Pam are great. Rose has been running the show for 30 years now, and she always greets my request for size 9 1/2 shoes with a smile and a witty comment about how our team is actually getting less terrible. It also took her very little time to remember my name, even though our team is brand new, we show up only once a week, and we don't have as much street cred as the rest of the league - many of whom have been in leagues here for probably decades. 2) The sense of community is genuine and refreshing, and something I've experienced at few other places in Portland...mostly because other places in Portland don't typically have 50+ years of history and shared memories. Each week in our league we play a team head-to-head on two adjoining lanes, and most of the teams we've played against have been friendly and quick to provide tips on form and mechanics. The league skews a bit older, and is comprised of born and bread 'salt of the earth' Portlanders, which is a welcome addition to my other circles. The last week of our league included a pot luck! Oddly, it makes me nostalgic for the small town community that I grew up in. 3) BOWLING IS FUN! I can't believe I took about a decade off from candlepin, and it's actually been a welcome challenge to shake ten years of rust off to not embarrass myself on a weekly basis. Very few things here are electronic and automated, so I have learned to appreciate and look forward keeping my own score, disconnecting from technology, and socializing with my team. 4) Beer is cheap! I'm surprised more people don't come here, just for the drinks alone. I've found that my game peaks around 1 1/2 beers, and then rapidly declines from 2+. Know your operating limit when it comes to bowling, as you may cause some serious harm to your team. If you're looking for a way to reconnect with friends and colleagues on a weekly basis, stay active, and join a community, look no further than Westport! It's a great way to spend a weeknight, and you may just get a little better at bowling too. read more

Sitting right on the Portland/Westbrook boarder by exit 8, this is a basic candle-pin bowling alley. This game is Maine tradition, so there are a fair few to pick from. This place is never too crowded, but the facilities are also some of the oldest you'll find. There is a push button pin clearing system. NO computer scoring of any kind. The shoes they provide look like their dogs were using them as toys. They are clean, but look chewed to hell and back. There is normally only one person working, but they are always polite. read more

Great place. Old and dated, which is part of its charm, but absolutely spotless with no annoying music blaring and no flashing lights anywhere. Just a really friendly, extremely well kept place to go have some fun ... and to do so all at very reasonable prices. read more

Finding a bowling alley that is only candlepin anymore is pretty hard to find, and this bowling alley exceeded all of my expectations. I went on a Friday night and it wasn't very busy, which is good because you weren't squeezed in a lane next to someone else. Everything is very old fashioned but it reminds me of bowling when I was younger. The beer here is SO cheap as well as the food. The woman who owns the alley is super nice and helpful and seems like she loves her job. I just can't say enough good things about this place!! Great prices per bowling game, cheap shoe rentals, and cheap beer - what more could you want? You have to know how to score your own game, but it's really easy to get the hang of. Definitely go here when you have the chance, I know I'll be returning very soon!! read more

Sweet nostalgia and a slice of pure Americana. Candlepin is all they do and they have refused to modernize and keep it pure. No bumper buddies, no flashing lights, automatic pin sweeps or computerized scoring means you can play the sport the way it's meant to be played. The women who run it are awesome and will show you how to keep score or even give you a free lesson to get you started. I have been taking my kids there for years and they still ask to go back. Try the pizza! read more

So nice!! Friendly lady running the counter that took time to show us everything we needed to know for self scoring and then cheered us on through our games. What a nice retro thing that exists! Glad it does! read more

Unpleasant experience with unfriendly staff. When I chose to bowl in socks rather than renting shoes which others here have described as chewed up, they claimed that socks "leave marks on the lanes". This is obviously pure BS. Other candlepin places allow it and there's never been a mark left by clean socks! In fact, some of their lanes already had plenty of black dirty streaks in the wood (caused by unruly sock wearers?). Otherwise, typical depressing old cheap bowling alley ambiance. read more

It was the first time going and It was SO much fun.. The lady working the desk was SO nice and helpful!!! Definitely the perfect date spot!

We didn't know where we were going when we arrived here. We thought we were going bowling, but much to our pleasant surprise it was so much more. We have never candlepin bowled and now I wish there were one of these in Virginia. The little ladies running the joint were really helpful in showing us how to keep score and providing tips. You do keep it by pencil, but it's nothing complicated. The 60's style decor was just the coolest. Regular bowling just seems to lame now. read more

Candle pin Bowling is a fun sport that is pretty much like big ball bowling. The balls are smaller and don't have holes and the pins are shaped like candle sticks. I think candle pin is fun for all ages (even if you're competitive, like me). If you're ages 5-8, you should spread your legs and toss the ball with both hands. If you're 13 and up you should just toss the ball with one hand. I think if it's a rainy or gloomy day, you should go down and play Candle Pin Bowling !!! read more