We tried these 6 Calgary bowling alleys and struck gold!
As I get older, it’s getting tougher to be active. And while I know being mid-30s isn’t THAT old, my stamina just isn’t how it used to be. Heck, my back and knee don’t feel as limber as in my 20s. I guess my granny was right—young folks should stretch more.
While I’m not a gym rat or a hiking enthusiast (because I could never), I’ve still got pretty strong arms, decent balance, and enough hand-eye coordination to impress my friends at bowling. Also, bowling together is our clever way of keeping contact at this age.
We set up a group chat and check in regularly to make sure everyone attends. Honestly, some miss out now and then. But we make up for it quickly since—not to toot our own horns—we usually pick the best bowling alleys in Calgary! Check them out below.
Where can I bowl in Calgary?
There are a bunch of places where you can bowl in Calgary! You can swing by bowling alleys like Paradise Lanes, Toppler Bowl, and The Banquet for an exciting night of strikes, spares, and perhaps a few gutter balls.
Family-Friendly Bowling Alleys in Calgary
Paradise Lanes
– Media credit: miglani__sahab
Website: http://paradiselanes.ca/
Address: 3411 17 Ave SE
Contact Details: +1 403 272 4570, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday: 11 AM to 9 PM
- Tuesday and Thursday: 11 AM to 5 PM
- Wednesday: 9 AM to 9 PM
- Friday: 4 PM to 10 PM
- Saturday: 1 PM to 10 PM
- Sunday: 12 PM to 5 PM
Fees:
- Adults – C$7.50 per game or C$20 for 3 games
- Kids – C$6.50 per game or C$15 for 3 games
- Seniors – C$6.50 per game or C$15 for 3 games
- Shoe Rental – C$4 per person
- By Time: 1 hour per lane (shoes included) – C$60
- Disability Rate (weekdays from 11 am to 5 pm): C$6 per person (shoes included)
Paradise Lanes is a family-friendly bowling alley in Calgary with 5-pin lanes ideal for beginners or groups with kids. This spot can fit up to 6 bowlers per lane, so we believe this is good for a small to medium-sized crew.
You can even host a kid’s bowling birthday party here! The package includes an hour of bowling but you can pay extra for 30 more minutes. It also offers free shoe rentals and free fountain pop. Plus, you may bring outside cake or pizza to complete the party!
There are also leagues for adults, kids, and seniors. But during the league season, we suggest calling beforehand to confirm if enough lanes for public bowling are available. We like that there’s a snack bar menu too, including chicken, hot dogs, and cool drinks.
Parking tip: Parking is typically limited at Paradise Lanes, so we think it’s best to arrive early or allot extra time to scope out the area. |
Bowling Depot
– Media credit: v.raw.aesthetica
Website: http://www.bowlingdepot.ca/
Address: 5255 McCall Way NE #146
Contact Details: +1 403 275 1260, [email protected], [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday: 12 PM to 4 PM
- Tuesday and Thursday: 9:30 AM to 9 PM
- Wednesday: 10 AM to 9 PM
- Friday: 12 PM to 9 PM
- Saturday: 9:30 AM to 10 PM
- Sunday: 12 PM to 9 PM
Fees:
- Adults – C$7.99 for 1 person per game
- Kids (12 and under) – C$7.49 for 1 person per game
- Seniors – C$7.49 for 1 person per game
- By Time: 1 hour per lane – C$64.99
- By Time: 2 hours per lane (ordered in 1 transaction) – C$114.99
- Shoe Rental – C$3.99 for 1 person
Bowling Depot is a great option for families with an unpredictable schedule—it offers public bowling every day! We like that the bowlers won’t have to rush to enjoy any of the 24 lanes for a chill 5-pin bowling.
On some days in specific timeslots, we love that guests can also enjoy the jukebox! Moreover, we appreciate the handy guidelines on the website about which timeslots have the most or limited lanes. Do note that these lanes require advanced bookings.
If you’re feeling peckish, we’re surprised the menu here also includes gluten-free pizza! But if you’re fine with regular, there are tons of extra toppings to choose from! You may also order nuggets, hot dogs, mini donuts, as well as soft drinks and beer.
Money-saving moves: You can snag discounts at Bowling Depot in many ways—visit during happy hour; reserve pizza, pop, and pins in advance; bowl on Fridays after 6 pm; use the coupons, present your Youth Bowl Canada (YBC) card; or wait for big bowling events! |
Best Bowling Alleys for Competitive Bowlers
Toppler Bowl
– Media credit: brittneygeringswald
Website: http://www.topplerbowl.com/
Address: JC Salon&Spa, 7640 Fairmount Dr SE
Contact Details: +1 403 255 0101, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday: 12 PM – 9 PM
- Wednesday: 9 AM to 6 PM
- Thursday: 12 PM to 6 PM
- Friday: 3:30 PM to 9 PM
- Saturday: 1 PM to 9 PM
- Sunday: 12 PM to 5 PM
- Tuesday: Closed
Fees:
- Adults – C$4.50 per game
- Kids – C$4.00 per game
- Hourly Rate – C$30 per hour
Ready for a healthy bowling competition with friends (or a special someone)? Toppler Bowl features 16 lanes of 5-pin bowling. In addition, there are options for league play for mixed adults, women, seniors, and the youth.
We’re also in awe of the 8 glow-in-the-dark bowling lanes on one side—it’s like 80s disco! It creates a cool vibe for the players during Fridays and weekends, in our opinion. Moreover, you can enjoy the jukebox with lots of upbeat music to hype you up.
This bowling alley also offers party packages, like children’s birthdays, adult nightouts, and holiday events with music and food. This includes the clean-up as well! Just make sure to coordinate with the staff about your budget.
Friendly advice: While Toppler Bowl serves lots of drinks, this spot can sometimes run out of food. We recommend making reservations at nearby establishments like Beirut Street Food or Big T’s BBQ & Smokehouse to keep things breezy after bowling. |
Chinook Bowladrome
– Media credit: chinookbowladrome
Website: http://www.chinookbowl.com/
Address: CF Chinook Centre – 6455 Macleod Trail
Contact Details: +1 403 252 5747, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday: 9 AM to 10 PM
- Tuesday to Thursday: 4 PM to 10 PM
- Friday: 9 AM to 11 PM
- Saturday: 12 PM to 11 PM
- Sunday: 11 AM to 8 PM
Fees:
- Monday to Thursday
- Adults – C$7.75 per game
- Kids (11 and under) – C$6.75 per game
- Senior (55 and older) – C$6.75 per game
- YBC/Club (55 and older) – C$5.75 per game
- Hourly Rate – C$55 per game
- Friday to Sunday
- Hourly Rate – C$57 per game
- Family Special – C$89 per game
Chinook Bowladrome is Calgary’s biggest 5-pin bowling centre with 32 lanes, offering league play and bowling tournaments. This place is also very kid-friendly since the leagues can start for as young as 3-year-olds!
We appreciate the Family Special rate too! This gives 1 hour of bowling, 4 shoe rentals, 1 jug of pop, and the option between 1 large 2-topping pizza or 4 hot dogs with 2 orders of fries. For us, this takes care of everything so you can focus on beating your sibs!
The way we see it, this big venue looks great for birthday parties too! There are 3 party rooms and a licenced snack bar to amp up your bowling experience.
Cool ideas: Are you open to bowling or competing with strangers at Chinook Bowladrome? We say join the leagues—this is suitable for ages 3 to over 90! Also, remember to wear socks or bring your own pair to the bowling alley, since the staff doesn’t provide disposable socks. |
Best 10-Pin Bowling Alleys in Calgary
Splitsville Meridian
– Media credit: splitsvillefun
Website: https://www.splitsville.ca/calgary-bowling-meridian
Address: 2916 5 Ave NE
Contact Details: +1 403 569 2695
Operating Hours:
- Sunday to Thursday: 10 AM to 11 PM
- Friday and Saturday: 10 AM to 12 AM
Fees:
- Monday to Friday (Open to 6 pm)
- 30 Minutes – C$26.99
- 45 Minutes – C$41.99
- 60 Minutes – C$49.99
- 75 Minutes – C$63.99
- 90 Minutes – C$75.99
- Monday to Friday (6 pm to Close)
- 30 Minutes – C$32.99
- 45 Minutes – C$49.99
- 60 Minutes – C$59.99
- 75 Minutes – C$76.99
- 90 Minutes – C$91.99
- Friday (6 pm to Sunday and Holidays)
- 30 Minutes – C$37.99
- 45 Minutes – C$58.99
- 60 Minutes – C$69.99
- 75 Minutes – C$89.99
- 90 Minutes – C$106.99
Looking for something unique? Splitsville Meridian offers 30 lanes of 10-pin bowling! Plus, we’re amazed by the fun options like Angry Birds Bowling. We also think your weekend bowls would be more interesting with its glow-in-the-dark concept!
On top of that, this venue opened an arcade where anyone can have a blast with classic games like Giant Piano Keys and other games. And when you stack enough redemption points, you can win big prizes!
For those planning a birthday, this venue takes care of everything else, but you just need to bring the cake. There are 4 party package themes too! Our favourite is the Blast ‘N Play because it offers the most amenities, including the arcade and laser tag.
Expert advice: Unlike other centres, Splitsville Meridian now allows kids to wear their own bowling shoes! This is as long as it’s the right kind—no open toes, heels, and slip-ons like slides or Crocs for safety reasons. This spot is open even during its current renovation (almost done, though!), but the lanes and seating areas are temporarily limited. We recommend making reservations weeks before to ensure your slot. |
The Banquet
– Media credit: thebanquetbar
Website: https://thebanquetbar.com/calgary-university-district/contact/
Address: 3953 University Ave NW #220
Contact Details: +1 587 943 4726, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Sunday to Wednesday: 11 AM to 12 AM
- Thursday: 11 AM to 1 AM
- Friday and Saturday: 11 AM to 2 AM
Fees:
- Adults – C$10 for 1 person per hour
Ever tried duckpin bowling? The Banquet is a sports bar that offers a unique variation with smaller pins and balls you might like for a change. In our opinion, this 10-pin bowling venue is wonderful for either casual game nights or team-building events.
And if you want that air of exclusivity, this centre is for adults only after 8 pm, with live music and bar service. Don’t forget to try the tasty food too! We like the pork belly pizza, crispy jalapeño (chilli pepper) poppers, and grilled chicken skewers.
Some booths at the bar have their own TVs too! We think this is awesome for dads who want to watch sports while waiting for their grub. Also, the kids can chill at the arcade while the older siblings focus on their strikes.
Handy tips: On a budget? No worries! Make time for Bowling Mondays at The Banquet to get the C$2 deal for 1 person per hour! Consider downloading and signing up at this sports bar’s Banquet Awards app for a free pizza! |