Baltimore’s Five Best Bowling Alleys

The city of Baltimore, Maryland is a big bowling city and, as you might expect, it offers a good number of excellent bowling alleys. While the summers are warm and conducive to outdoor activities, the winter months (not to mention the particularly hot summer Baltimore days) are great times to go inside and bowl.

The following are the best bowling alleys, complete with reviews, in Baltimore.

Woodlawn Lanes
6410 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, Maryland

Woodlawn Lanes offers something for everyone. It offers clubs and leagues for those who are serious and competitive bowlers. It offers Xtreme Bowling, which includes late night fun with music and lighting that transforms this bowling alley into a nightclub.

Woodlawn Lanes also offers group parties, and it is common to see both kids’ birthday parties and company parties. The food here is decent, at least by bowling alley standards, and it offers good values on specials and packages. The mini hamburgers (or sliders) and quesadillas are signature entrees here.

Stoneleigh Lanes
Duckpin Bowling Center
6703 York Road
Baltimore, Maryland

Stoneleigh Lanes is a duckpin bowling alley. Duckpin bowling is a bit of a lost art in the United States, but it is a lot of fun, particularly for kids. It inolves a smaller ball, with no finger holes, and smaller pins. Strikes are harder to come by, but for kids, and for those with smaller hands, it’s a great way to either be introduced to bowling, or enjoy this variation on the game.

Stoneleigh Lanes offers a party like atmosphere for kids, and adults, and is about a non-corporate environment that you could ask for. The food selection here is somewhat limited, but there is good pizza, and a very customer oriented management staff.

Westview Lanes
5647 Baltimore National Pike
Baltimore, Maryland

As sigh all other AMF bowling centers (for example, as with Woodlawn Lanes), Westview Lanes is assuredly a good bowling alley with high quality standards and well conditioned and maintained lanes. As also with most all AMF lanes, Westview Lanes has adopted late night Xtreme bowling, designed to attract the ‘casual’ bowler and late night reveler.

Woodlawn Lanes is known for its fun promotions and clubs and leagues, which are very popular.

The menu at Westview Lanes is fairly standard for AMF bowling centers. But it is also known for great drinks, including margaritas, beers and cocktails.

As with all AMF centers, rental shoes are available.

Patterson Bowling Center
2105 Eastern Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland

You have a choice. You can either find a time machine and travel back in time to a clean and well managed duckpin bowling alley that will conjure up images of years gone by OR, you can simply visit Patterson Bowling Center on Eastern Avenue in Baltimore.

Patterson Bowling Center, originally opened in 1927, is one of the staples of the duckpin bowling scene in Baltimore (the region is well known for duckpin bowling) and its two level setup, renovated but old time building and friendly staff will take you back to a time that you probably weren’t even there for originally.

There is no food here, but there ARE very low prices and solid equipment, rental shoes and lanes.

Country Club Lanes
9020 Pulaski Highway
Baltimore, Maryland

While some may blanch at the number of AMF bowling lanes in the Baltimore area (and elsewhere), the fact is that AMF knows how to design and operate quality bowling lanes.

Country Club is no exception to that rule. Country Club Lanes has Xtreme bowling, good, if not exceptional, food, many lanes and excellent equipment. Country Club Lanes, in particular, offers a lot of well supported leagues and has a loyal clientele.

It is also a popular place for bachelor parties, birthday parties, and corporate outings, as the staff, and location, lend themselves to all three.

If you live in Baltimore, or are just visiting, and are in the mood for good bowling options, visit these bowling alleys for a great time.