Bowling centers roll out the good times

The Professional Bowlers Association has conducted its Tournament of Champions in a local bowling center for the past two years, most recently in January. Maybe they realized what locals have long known: Las Vegas is a bowler’s dream.

In the past few years, bowling centers have been given the Vegas treatment: They’re large, loud and ostentatious.

But they’re also more than simple bowling alleys; they’re entertainment centers that provide an experience with amenities that appeal to even nonbowlers. With most games costing less than $5, bowling is cheap, too.

Whether you like your bowling traditional or accompanied by disco lights and live music, local bowling centers have something for just about anyone.

Are you a nightclub aficionado who is tired of paying hundreds for bottle service? Take up bowling to get your fix. The Rio and Sam’s Town both have bowling centers that morph into nightclubs, of a sort.

Want to bowl but don’t have a baby-sitter? Take the kids to Silver Nugget, The Orleans or any of the bowling centers that feature arcades. There’s also graveyard bowling for shift workers, cosmic bowling, extreme bowling or, simply, regular bowling.

We rounded up a list of local bowling centers and their amenities. Most are in casinos and offer similar options, including snack bars, pro shops, cosmic bowling, video games or arcades. Size varies from 10 lanes to 70. Ultimately, your decision on where to go may simply come down to what’s closest to home.

Prices, promotions and times are subject to change, so call before you go.

Gold Coast, 4000 W. Flamingo Road, 367-4700

Open 24 hours daily. The Gold Coast offers 70 lanes of bowling. Rates range from $2 to $2.90 per game, depending on the day and time. Games are $3.25 during cosmic bowling on Fridays and Saturdays after 9 p.m. All shoe rentals cost $2.50.

Lucky Strike at the Rio, 3700 W. Flamingo Road, 252-7777

Open daily from 11 a.m. until 3 a.m. During the day, this is an average family bowling alley with 10 lanes. There’s a full-service restaurant, too. After 9 p.m., it morphs into a nightclub with bowling lanes for those 21 and older, only. A live DJ plays music on the weekends. Game prices range from $3.95 to $5.95, depending on the day and time. Shoe rental costs $3.95.

The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave. 365-7111

Open 24 hours daily. The Orleans bowling center has 70 lanes, a pro shop, an arcade, a snack bar and more. Rates range from $2 to $3.25 per game, depending on the day and time. Graveyard bowling, from midnight to 8 a.m. weekdays, costs $1 per game. Shoe rental is $2.50.

Red Rock Lanes at Red Rock Resort, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd., 797-7467

Open from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 8 a.m. Fridays through 2 a.m. Mondays (meaning all weekends). This facility features 72 lanes. Games cost $1 on Mondays; $2 on Tuesdays; $2.25 to $4.50 during the rest of the week, depending on age and time. Shoe rental costs $3.50.

Sam’s Town Bowling Center, 5111 Boulder Highway, 456-7777

Open 24 hours daily. Sam’s Town has 56 lanes as well as an arcade, cocktail lounge and snack bar. This center offers Extreme bowling from 11:45 p.m. to 3 a.m. Fridays and 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays. That’s when the lights go down and the disco lights and music come on. Prices per game range from 75 cents from 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays up to $2.60 per game, depending on the day and time. Shoe rental costs $2.25. (Mondays-Fridays from midnight to 8 a.m., shoe rental and games are $1 each.)

Santa Fe Station Bowling Center, 4949 N. Rancho Drive, 658-4995

Open from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sundays-Thursdays, and 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. This bowling center is close to a Kids Quest, a potential answer to the baby-sitting quandary. It offers traditional bowling with 60 lanes, a pro shop and a snack bar. Rates cost $3 to $4.25, depending on day and time. Shoe rental costs $3.25.

Silver Nugget Bowling Center, 2140 Las Vegas Blvd. North, North Las Vegas, 399-1111

Open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, and 9 a.m. until midnight Fridays and Saturdays. With 24 lanes, an arcade, snack bar and table games such as air hockey, Silver Nugget has all the basics for bowling covered. It also offers bowling for the blind; call to make accommodations. Prices range from $2 to $3.25 per game. Shoe rental costs $2.25.

South Point Bowling Center, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 797-8080

Open 24 hours daily. This bowling center has everything a serious bowler needs, including 64 lanes, a lounge, pro shop, plenty of lockers and a snack bar. There’s an arcade, too. Bowling games cost $2 to $3.25, depending on the day and time. The graveyard special runs from midnight to 8 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays with games and drinks $1 each. Shoe rental costs $2.50.

Suncoast Bowling Center, 9090 Alta Drive, 636-7400

Open 24 hours daily. The center boasts 64 lanes, an arcade, snack bar, bar and lounge, and a pro shop. If you buy something, they also provide coaching on how to bowl. Rates range from $2 to $2.90. Cosmic bowling costs $3.50 per game. Shoe rental costs $2.50.

Sunset Station Strike Zone, 1301 W. Sunset Road, Henderson, 547-7467

Open 24 hours daily. With 72 lanes, Strike Zone is one of the largest bowling centers in Las Vegas. It features a snack bar, arcade, bar, pool tables and lockers. Prices range from $2.25 to $4.75 per game, depending on the day and time. Late-night bowling, from midnight to 2 a.m., costs $1 per game. Shoe rental costs $3.25.

Terrible’s Town Casino and Bowl, 642 S. Boulder Highway, Henderson, 564-7118

Open 24 hours. This is a small bowling center with 16 lanes (and a snack bar), but it boasts some of the best prices. From 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., games cost $2 each; from 4:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., games cost $2.50; and from 12:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., $1.50. Shoe rental costs $2 per pair.

Texas Station, 2101 Texas Star Lane, North Las Vegas, 631-8388

Open from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sundays-Thursdays, and 7 a.m. until 5 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. It features 60 lanes and a snack bar. Games cost $1 to $4 each, depending on the day and time. Shoe rental costs $3.

Wildfire Lanes, 4451 E. Sunset Road, 736-2695

Open from 8 a.m. to midnight Sundays-Thursdays, and from 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The bottle service sets this bowling center apart from the others. Bottles start at $60 each. The center also features 18 lanes, an arcade, lots of flat-screen televisions, a snack bar and a lounge with gaming machines. Bowling games range from $2 to $3.50, depending on the day and time. Shoe rental with bowling socks costs $3.50; shoe rental only, $2.50.

Contact reporter Sonya Padgett at spadgett@review journal.com or 702-380-4564.