New York City’s Manhattan and the game of bowling are two things not often associated with one another, and yet on some level, share some similarities. When one thinks of Manhattan and indoor games, one thinks of basketball before bowling. When one thinks of Manhattan and pastimes, one thinks of baseball before bowling. When one thinks of Manhattan and trendy pursuits, one thinks of night clubs before bowling.
But Manhattan and bowling have some aspects in common. Manhattan and bowling have both been through ups and downs. Manhattan and bowling have both been written off many times and been reborn. And through their respective rebirths, Manhattan and bowling have, at their core, remained essentially the same, but outwardly have changed.
The following is a list and description of four great bowling alleys in the New York City borough of Manhattan.
Bowlmor Lanes
110 University Place
Manhattan, New York
Bowlmor is arguably the pioneer of ‘nightclub’ bowling. It is a bowling alley surrounded by a hip club or a hip club with a bowling alley in the middle of it, depending on your perspective. Bowlmor is darkly lit, with neon lighting and a ‘glow in the dark’ feel to it. They play loud, cross genre music with an uptempo beat.
Manhattan is the flagship location for Bowlmor, and its success prompted the owners to expand to several other cities.
Bowlmor is a great place for a company outing, a bachelor party, or even a date. Is it for bowling purists? Well, there’s no reason it can’t be given that it is a well kept and regulation bowling alley. But something tells me that the main reason most people go and bowl at Bowlmar is the atmosphere and club like vibe. Bowlmor offers a wide menu for food and drinks.
300 New York at Chelsea Piers
Between Piers 59 and 60
23rd Street & the Hudson River
Manhattan, New York
300 New York is a truly modern and state of the art bowling experience. With automatic scoring, and large screen televisions for watching other sports between rolls, this is arguably the most well equipped bowling alley in Manhattan. There is usually a large crowd and reservations in advance are strongly recommended to ensure a lane. Chelsea Piers, the sports complex that 300 New York is a part of, offers all sorts of other activities as well for before or after bowling. Included in Chelsea Piers is a golf driving range, rock climbing, indoor soccer and much more.
300 New York does a good job with kids parties as well, and features side rails for kids to keep them out of the gutter! 300 New York also offers a wide variety of menu items, many of which are quite healthy.
Leisure Time Bowl
625 8th Avenue
Manhattan, New York
Leisure Time Bowl is located in midtown Manhattan and offers a great menu and bar, but most importantly, great well lit lanes and is well maintained. Leisure Time Bowl specializes in party packages, which include food, drinks and a specified time for bowling. Many well known companies are actually clients of Leisure Time Bowl as it caters to a corporate crowd, but also can host children parties as well as a special ‘night owl’ party.
Harlem Lanes
2116 Clayton Powell Boulevard
Manhattan, New York
Harlem Lanes is a great example of the renaissance that has invigorated Harlem while still maintaining its character and uniqueness. It is a very fun place to take the family. Harlem Lanes is a very party friendly place and caters to family and corporate parties alike.
Harlem Bowl offers 24 lanes, ‘glow bowling’, and themed nights that may at first blush have little to do with bowling. For example, karaoke nights, spoken word nights and old school dances are types of events hosted at Harlem Lanes. Harlem Lanes is also very conveniently located near to several subway lines.
Bowling, as with most all activities in Manhattan, is not always an easy thing to plan for, pay for and do. But these four first class bowling alleys make it worth the effort.
