Brooklyn Bowl

Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is known for being one of New York’s most hip venues in one of the city’s most hipster neighborhoods. The word “kids” doesn’t immediately come to mind. Unless you live there, or have visited, or used to live in Brooklyn, like my family…and then you will know that it is the best place to take your kids! A bowling alley, restaurant and bar, as well as music hall, this giant space is open to adults 21 + most of the time, but on the weekends they have Family Bowl on Saturdays and Sundays. Whether you’re a NYC local or visiting from out of town, and are looking for an indoor activity for your family, I can’t recommend this super fun place enough.

Why is it so great? First of all, all of us exhausted and beaten-down parents are constantly looking for activities where sometimes it’s not all about the kids, but about the parents too. Are we not? We want our kids to play and have fun and do kid things, but we want our beer too. We want to go places where we still feel young and with-it, and where the kids can come too. No better place than Family Bowl. With 16 lanes, a disco dance floor for the kids, and some of the best food and drink in the city, it’s a win-win. We’ve gotten big groups of our BK friends together and spent entire afternoons there, the kids dancing and bowling and on cloud 9, all the while us grown-ups happily consuming Blue Ribbon comfort food and local beers on tap. Blue Ribbon is a NYC institution with some of the city’s best food – we should know, we used to live across the street. Cozy up in plush leather booths, order their fried chicken platters or oyster po’ boy or bbq pork sliders, and wash it down with one of their delish malted milkshakes. The kids usually eat what we have, but they have a good children’s menu too.

Also, every Sunday at 11:00, they have a music workshop for kids ages 7 and under called Rock & Roll for Kids. Think Jack Johnson, David Bowie, Reggea, Punk, etc. where the kids can move around and dance and sing. 1 hour, $10 per person. Under 1 free. Fun!!

And of course, there is lots of bowling! Shoes start in toddler sizes, so really, all ages are welcome. Lanes are sold on a first come first serve basis, so plan accordingly. But you can always wait in the spacious bar area, if your kids will allow, until a lane opens up. If you’re looking for a family outing on a cold or rainy day, or want to get a bunch of people/families together and socialize, it doesn’t get much better than Brooklyn Bowl!

Brooklyn Bowl, 61 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 718.963.3369. Family Bowl hours: Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. $25 per lane per half hour. $4.95 for shoe rentals. To view website go here.