Have you ever been duckpin or miniature bowling? The Adventure Dad and I went duckpin bowling as part of our first (epic!) date in Indianapolis. I had never been before, but we had a great time and have been several times since with friends and by ourselves (to recreate that first-date feeling). The duckpin bowling alley we’ve visited is the well-known vintage alley in Fountain Square. It is adorable. If you haven’t been, I recommend it. However, what I want to tell you about today is a NEW miniature bowling alley in Franklin, Indiana called 10 Pins.
Location
10 Pins is located in downtown Franklin, which is only about 30 minutes south of downtown Indy. The alley is right behind the courthouse. There are lots of cutesy shops, restaurants, and bars around that area if you’re looking to make a day or evening out of your visit. We first visited 10 Pins on a Saturday evening for a friend’s adults-only birthday party. We had so much fun that we went back the very next day so that we could play the game with the Adventure Kids.
Mini Bowling
Here’s the lowdown on miniature bowling: 10 Pins calls their bowling miniature bowling rather than duckpin bowling because bowlers only bowl twice per frame rather than three times per frame like they would in duckpin. The pins and balls are smaller in both games. The size makes this a really fun sport for younger kids because they can hold and roll the ball much easier than they can at a regular bowling alley. Also, there are no finger holes in the balls. That makes it easier for everyone. They also have bumpers that come out automatically when it is a child’s turn to bowl.
Other than the smaller size, another main difference between duckpin/mini bowling and regular bowling is that the bowling pins hang from strings and are reset that way. The Adventure Kids thought this was lots of fun to watch!
Oh, and one item you will NOT need to take when bowling at 10 Pins is socks because special bowling shoes are NOT required here. One less thing to remember!
Read more below to find out what else you need to know prior to visiting 10 Pins.
Pricing
For 30 minutes of bowling, the price is $15 for 1-2 bowlers and $25 for 3-6 bowlers. For 1 hour of bowling, the price is $25 for 1-2 bowlers and $40 for 3-5 bowlers. Up to 6 people can bowl on one lane. There are only 6 lanes in the alley, so we recommend calling ahead to schedule your lane. When you call to book a lane ahead of time, make sure to have your credit card ready as you will pay at that time as well.
Hours
Make sure to check their Facebook page for daily hours and/or call ahead to make sure there aren’t any special events scheduled. They are not currently open on Mondays and have different hours through the week versus on the weekend.
Food
The alley has an iPad setup with signage and coupon codes available so that you can order from Greek’s Pizzeria and have it delivered to your lane.
They also have a hotdog bar in the alley. Currently, the hotdog bar only has condiments for toppings. Soon they are hoping to offer other toppings such as chili, sauerkraut, cheese, and bacon bits. Bags of chips are also available for purchase if you just want a quick snack.
Drinks
10 Pins serves beer and wine. They have 8 beers on tap and also sell other beer, wine, and ciders from a cooler. They also have cold canned sodas and bottled waters available for purchase.
Arcade/Games
Behind the lanes, there is a small arcade room. The current games available are:
- foosball
- basketball arcade
- electronic dart boards
- giant Jenga (free)
- Golden Tee,
- a shooting game called Big Buck
Cleanliness and Friendliness
The whole place is fresh, new, and clean. On our visits, both the men’s and women’s restrooms were very clean and both have changing tables. The owner, his family, and his staff were very helpful and friendly on both of our visits. They constantly came to our lane to make sure we were having fun and to ask if we needed anything else. We were very impressed with how attentive they were.
Overall, we had a fabulous time bowling with our friends and the Adventure Kids at 10 Pins. We hope you will try it out soon! Let us know what you think once you do.
Good job baby !!!!
Thank you!