Walby Farm Park
Cumbria's big family farm park: animal handling, giant jumping pillows, pedal go-karts and an indoor play barn big enough to lose a wet afternoon in. The far-north option when you are up that way.
Hollywood Bowl Carlisle
- Cost
- Eat, drink and bowl deals from £8
- Ages
- 3 to 16
- Where
- Carlisle, Cumbria
- Weather
- Works in the rain
- Booking
- Book online
Carlisle's Hollywood Bowl is a standalone site on Currock Road with 24 lanes, arcade games, pool tables and a bar and diner. It does the job bowling always does for families: everyone gets a turn, nobody needs to be any good, and the small ones can join in properly. Bumpers go up on any lane, there are lighter balls for small hands, and ramps let very young children push the ball down themselves.
The catch is that you only see the real price when you book. The venue page lists deals rather than a per-game price: eat, drink and bowl, with one game, a burger or hot dog with fries and a squash for juniors, from £8, and three games from £9.50. Junior pricing covers under 16s. Allow about 45 minutes a game for a group of up to six, longer for more.
In mid October the hours were noon to 10pm Monday to Thursday, noon to midnight on Friday, 9am to midnight on Saturday and 9am to 10pm on Sunday, and they change in the school holidays. The arcade machines sit beside the lanes, which is where the loose change goes between frames. You cannot bring your own food, so plan on the diner.
What it costs: Deals listed on the venue page: eat, drink and bowl (one game, a burger or hot dog with fries, and squash for juniors) from £8, three games from £9.50. Junior pricing applies to under 16s. Standard per-game prices are not listed on the page.
Know before you go
- The venue's own advice: book before 11am on weekdays for the best lane prices and a quieter centre.
- Friday and Saturday evenings, school holidays and wet weekends can book out hours ahead, so book online rather than turning up.
- Outside food and drink is not allowed.
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