The popularity of bowling has ebbed and flowed over the years. It became very popular in the United States in the mid-1800s.

It was brought to the New York area by German immigrants where it is believed to have been started a few centuries earlier.

It spread from the New York area west into the upper Midwest to Chicago and Wisconsin where there were sizable German populations.

It's estimated about 67 million Americans bowl and over 1.2 million Americans belong to some sort of them bowling league. They offer much more than bowling lanes typically many with food and drinks service and some with elaborate game rooms as well.

They used to be called bowling alleys, now they're bowling centers. We'll break down where the best places are to take the kids, for young adults, and for active seniors.

FOR FAMILIES AND KIDS

AMF STRATHMORE LANES — Aberdeen. 

Google Maps
Google Maps
loading...

EAST WINDSOR BOWL — East Windsor. 

Google Maps
Google Maps
loading...

WOODBRIDGE BOWLING CENTER — Woodbridge. 

Google Maps
Google Maps
loading...

COLONIAL BOWLING — Lawrenceville.

HOWELL LANES — Howell. 

Google Maps
Google Maps
loading...

MAJESTIC LANES — Perth Amboy. 

Google Maps
Google Maps
loading...

THE BIG EVENT — Cherry Hill. 

DIDONATO FAMILY FUN CENTER — Hammonton.

Google Maps
Google Maps
loading...

FOR ACTIVE ADULTS OVER 55

JERSEY LANES — Linden.

THUNDERBOWL LANES — Wrightstown & Manahawkin. (Formerly Thunderbird Lanes)

PINSETTER BAR & BOWL — Pennsauken. 

Google Maps
Google Maps
loading...

FUNPLEX — East Hanover & Mt. Laurel.

Google Maps
Google Maps
loading...

KINGPIN BOWL — Egg Harbor Twp. 

Google Maps
Google Maps
loading...

FOR YOUNG ADULTS

All of the above-mentioned bowling centers are good for anyone from people looking for a fun date to a pretty cool night out. Saturday night our family went to an adult bowling birthday party at Laurel Lanes in Maple Shade.

There was a bar & grill attached that had a private bachelor party going on. Nothing wild, just some nice guys having fun. They invited us in, but we stayed "in our lane". "Uncle Dennis" had the high score which wasn't anything to brag about, but I hadn't bowled in a really long time.

It was a lot of fun and we plan to go again real soon. Whatever your preference or location, New Jersey has plenty of places to bowl in whatever atmosphere you like.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

You can now listen to Dennis & Judi — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite best friends anytime, anywhere and any day of the week. Download the Dennis & Judi show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.

LOOK: Here are the best small towns to live in across America

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.

More From Cat Country 107.3