Tenpin Bristol
BEST FOR
Ages 0+
ENTRY
from £8.65
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Bristol
What it’s like
Bumper lanes for the little ones, laser tag and escape rooms for the older crowd, all under one roof at Avonmeads.
Bowling is the main event, and with bumpers and lighter balls on offer, even a wobbly four-year-old can get a strike. There are 26 lanes here, so on anything but the busiest night you should get one without much of a wait, though weekends and school holidays are a different story. Up to six can bowl on one lane, and food gets brought right to you while you play, which saves the usual faff of juggling trays and shoes.
Beyond the lanes there's laser tag billed as a 4D experience, two karaoke rooms holding up to ten each, and Houdini's escape rooms if you fancy testing an older kid's puzzle skills. Pool, table tennis and air hockey fill the gaps, plus the usual arcade machines for when someone's had enough of taking turns. A game of bowling runs about ten minutes a head, so a family of four is looking at roughly forty minutes on the lane alone before anything else.
None of this is cheap. A single game online starts at £8.65, laser tag is £36 for thirty minutes, and karaoke is £25 for the same, so a proper session here for a family adds up fast. The Bowl & Pizza deal at £40 or the Eat & Play from £10.50 are worth a look if you're trying to keep the bill down. Booking online is the sensible move, particularly for weekend slots, since walk-ins can end up waiting around while everyone else's turn comes up.
Birthday parties run on Saturday and Sunday mornings, two hours for ages 4 to 13 at £13.99 a head, with pizza, squash, dancing and a goody bag thrown in, though you'll need at least six children to book one. It's an indoor venue near Temple Meads, so it's a solid bet if the Bristol weather has other ideas for the day.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 0 to 13, bumpers help toddlers and juniors run to 16
- Booking
- Advance booking recommended, especially weekends/evenings/school holidays
- Food
- And drinks menu available
- Getting there by bus or train
- Close to Bristol Temple Meads station
- Parties
- Two-hour weekend bowling parties (Sat-Sun 10am-12pm) for ages 4-13 at £13.99 per person
- Arrive 15 minutes before a booked slot so they can get your lane ready on time.
- Phone bookings carry a £1.95 fee, so booking online works out cheaper.
- Deals and offers change regularly, worth a look before you commit to a package.
- Anyone 16 and under counts as a junior for pricing and parties.
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
A single bowling game starts at £8.65 online. Laser tag is £36 and karaoke £25, both for thirty minutes, so it stacks up quickly if you're doing more than one activity.
Do we need to book?
Walk-ins are welcome, but weekends, evenings and school holidays get busy and you might wait for a lane. Booking online secures your slot and avoids the queue.
Is it any good for young kids?
Lighter balls and bumpers are set up for younger players, and juniors count as anyone 16 and under. Toddlers should manage the lanes fine with a bit of help.
How long does a game take?
Roughly ten minutes per player, so a family of four is looking at around forty minutes for one game.
Can we eat there?
There's a food and drinks menu and it gets delivered straight to your lane while you play. The Bowl & Pizza deal at £40 or Eat & Play from £10.50 bundle things together.
What else is there besides bowling?
Laser tag, two karaoke rooms, Houdini's escape rooms, pool, table tennis, air hockey and arcade games. Enough to fill an afternoon if bowling alone doesn't cut it.
Do you run birthday parties?
Yes, weekend mornings from 10am to 12pm, two hours for ages 4 to 13 at £13.99 a head. It includes bowling, pizza, squash, dancing and a goody bag, but you need a minimum of six children.
How many can bowl on one lane?
Up to six people per lane, which works for most family groups without needing a second lane.
What are the opening hours?
Monday to Thursday it's 10am to midnight, Friday 10am to 1am, Saturday 9am to 1am and Sunday 9am to midnight.
How do we get there?
It's at Avonmeads Retail Park, close to Temple Meads station and an easy reach from the A4 and M32, a short drive from the city centre.
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