**This Post was written in 2019. As such, the content and exhibits in the review below may be outdated. Please look out for updated content on this location in the near future!
Since my husband was on vacation for almost two weeks, I have been planning tons of family outings. We had a pretty humid day on Saturday (and neither of us are humidity-loving people) so we were all up for some indoor family fun. So I challenged the family to game of bowling. We decided to head over to Revolutions Bowling and Lounge by Nomads Entertainment in South Windsor.
This was our second time coming out to Revolutions. We went at the beginning of fall last year and I had intended to write about them back then. Until I downloaded all my pictures and realized, they were a mess. Indoor photo shooting in a dark setting is not easy! So I knew at some point, we would need to go back so I could get some proper photos. I had much better luck this time!
Since we had been here before, we found the place without a map even. It’s located in South Windsor, right off Route 5. You can reach it pretty easily via 291. We just took Route 5 the whole way down since that is more direct for us. Revolutions is part of Nomads which is a huge entertainment complex. They have their outdoor adventure park just down the street, so you’ll want to make sure you follow the map for the bowling alley – or else you may end up at the wrong place.
Once you are Revolutions, you’ll find plenty of parking. We went on a Saturday around 2 p.m., and there were a few people bowling with us, but it was not crowded at all. When we left though, two birthday parties were heading in, and they had an outdoor concert planned in the early evening. If you plan wisely, you can definitely catch a quiet time. The last time we went bowling there, it was during the week, and that too was quiet.
Right when you enter, you’ll see the counter to check in for bowling. Here you’ll be assigned a lane, get your shoes and find out all the information you will need. You do not pay until AFTER you’re finished bowling. So once you are in your lane, you can play as much as you want. Just be mindful that you will pay for each game per person.
Depending on when you go, the prices do vary. On a Saturday afternoon, we paid $5 per person per game. Our shoe rental was $3.50 per pair.
They also have specials during the week. Currently they have some great deals going on! These do change but you can call ahead to find out what promos they are running.
Before you head into the alley, make sure to check out their rules.
Once we checked in, we were assigned our lane and given our snazzy bowling shoes. They have plenty of sizes available for mom, dad and the kids. Remember to wear or pack your socks!
The bowling alley is located just behind the check-in counter (to the left of the entrance). You’ll pass by their lounge on your right.
This is definitely not like the bowling alleys we grew up going to! It’s super modern lots of seating areas and comfy couches. There is a lower area with plenty of places to sit and hang out, and the upper area is the actual lanes themselves.
There are 16 lanes.
Depending on your party size, you’ll get at least one lane to yourselves. There are comfy leather couches on both sides of the table. Since we were there at a quiet time, we were able to spread out on both sides. We only bowled on one lane though.
Under the table, you’ll find a spot to store your shoes.
They also have menus on the table, and there is a person nearby that can take your order for food and drinks. Our server was pretty attentive and got us water right away. We also decided to order food. We tried the Appetizer Sampler Platter with a few different things on it. The food was really great!
You’ll set up your teams using the electronic pad. There is one per lane.
Up above, you’ll find the scoreboards. I saw that “Gutter” sign quite often!
They have plenty of bowling balls at each lane. You can also find more just on the other side of the stairs down from the upper (lane) level. The balls range in size – we found extra smalls for the tiniest of hands.
With little ones, bowling can be pretty tricky. Fortunately, they have some great aides for those learning to bowl. You can opt for bumpers by asking at the front counter. They will only come up for the assigned players. So if only your children need them, they will only rise up for them. I kind of wish I could have had them for myself…
They also had ball rollers. These were some interesting contraptions that I had actually never seen before I bowled at Revolutions!
The ball roller works by putting the ball on top, and pushing it off. While they still have to lift the ball on top of the roller, it definitely makes the game a little easier for little ones that are still working on rolling the ball by hand.
My five year old loved bowling! He was pretty good – even without he roller!
He ended up playing two games. But by the middle of the second, he was pretty much spent!
After we bowled, we went over to the side of the place to find their arcade. It’s amazing how he suddenly had plenty of energy for that!
To use the arcade, you’ll need to get a Nomads Entertainment card. Piece of advice, once you get a card, make sure you bring it with you for all subsequent visits. We now have three Nomads cards. And each card costs $2 to set up. I’m terrible at remembering these things… We ended up just putting $10 on the card this time. Once he ran out of money, that was it.
There are a ton of games to play. They have classic arcade games like skee-ball and basketball, and newer games like jumbo Connect-4. Many of the games dispense tickets (which actually accumulate on your Nomads card instead of spit out at the machine). There are also racing games that do not earn tickets.
He found a few games that ate up all his credits! I’m not even sure he knew what he was doing on this game…
After earning about 75 tickets, we turned them for some prizes. If you come often, you can save up your tickets for some big items! We opted for the little prizes like Swedish fish and a tiny water gun.
It was a great afternoon of bowling and arcade games at Revolutions that afternoon! Bowling has changed so much since I was a kid. And I spent a lot of time in the bowling alley watching my dad play candlepin. There were no leather couches or tasty food on the menu (maybe popcorn if you were lucky). If you have not been bowling in a long time, this will definitely be a major change from what you are used to. I think bowling often has a bad rep because of the way it used to be. Bowling at Revolutions will make you think differently about the sport!
With the cooler seasons approaching, you’ll want to keep this on your list of things to do. It’s a great family activity that is a lot of fun (and it’s good exercise too)!
This about sums it up…
60 Bidwell Road – South Windsor, Connecticut
Hours:
Monday – Wednesday: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Thursday: 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Friday – Saturday: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Prices:
Vary depending on day and time.
Features:
- Bowling Alley with 16 lanes
- Many nights offer special deals and discounts
- Arcade with ticket-winning games that can be redeemed for prizes
- Bowling Shoes available in plenty of sizes for rent
- Parking is available for free
- Bathrooms available, with changing tables
- Parties can be held at the bowling alley
A few additional tips:
- Bring socks!
