The Boston Bowl Family Fun Center is five miles south of the city center in the Dorchester district, near the beaches. Players can compete in traditional bowling or the local variety, known as candlepin bowling. This was developed in Worcester, Massachusetts, by Justin White, who inadvertently bought the wrong size pins in 1879. Boston Bowl has 44 lanes with gutter buffers and touch screens, cosmic bowling, 12 pool tables, 80 video games, a pizza parlor, a free indoor playground for small children and vending machines. As of 2010, Saturday night at the Boston Bowl is Cosmic Bowling night, featuring disco lights and music between 7:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. Special rates for groups are available; reservations are recommended.
Boston Bowl Family Fun Center
820 William T. Morrissey Blvd.
Dorchester, MA 02122-3404
617-825-3800
bostonbowl.com
Wally's Cafe is a longtime jazz nightclub in the South End, next to the Symphony Hall and a few minutes' walk from Northeastern University. Wally's presents a variety of jazz as well as a blues night and Latin jazz. Arrive early on Saturday for "sit in" jazz jams from 5 to 8 p.m. Performances feature students and teachers from the Berklee College of Music, local groups and rare appearances from jazz greats who happen to be in town. As of 2010, Wally's is open 365 days a year, and operating hours are 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Wally's has no cover charge, and no one under 21 is admitted.
Wally's Cafe
427 Massachusetts Ave.
Boston, MA 02118
617-424-1408
wallyscafe.com
The Paradise Lounge is a live music venue and nightclub next to Nickerson Field, a few minutes' walk from the Boston University Law School end of the Charles River Basin. Paradise's live music shows feature local rock and alternative bands popular with students from the nearby campus. The Front Lounge (open before the show) has music, four large TVs for sports fans, and dining from a menu that includes burgers and BLTs and vegetarian options such as Portobello mushroom and mozzarella sandwiches. Draft beers include Stella, Guinness, Sam Seasonal and Bass. Artists who have performed at the Paradise include Gavin DeGraw and Natasha Bedingfield. As of 2010, operating hours on Saturday are 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Box office hours are Monday to Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.
The Paradise Lounge
967 Commonwealth Ave.
Boston, MA 02215
617-562-8800
thedise.com
