Have a blast at Boston’s best bowling, bouldering, mini golf, and more

There aren’t many places in Boston that stay open until 2 a.m. And there are even fewer that do so while providing 14 candlepin bowling lanes and 30 for tenpin, 14 pool tables, a 46-game arcade, and two outdoor batting cages. Add in a private adults-only lounge with its own lanes, and a brewpub serving chicken and waffles and loaded tater tots and you have a truly one-of-a-kind spot in our city that usually sleeps. (Open until midnight during the week and on Friday and Saturday until 2 a.m; Boston Bowl has a second location in Hanover.)

Suited to beginners and experienced climbers alike, Bouldering Project offers wall after wall of expertly-set bouldering and top roping, in addition to some dizzying lead climbing routes. And between the fully-equipped gym, fitness and yoga classes, co-working space, and special events including pop-up markets and belay meetups, it’s easy to spend a whole day here ($35 for a pass). The best part? Sweating it all out in the sauna.

As the name suggests, Lucky Strike is a prime bowling destination. But there’s also plenty of lounge space with pool tables, a full bar, and walls of giant TVs if you’re just looking for somewhere to catch the game. Speaking of games, both locations offer an entire floor that’s a dedicated arcade, with all the classic games such as Mario Kart and Pac-Man. Later in the evenings on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, it’s 21-plus.

The MassArt Art Museum boasts wild and immersive contemporary exhibits — but its programs, specifically, are the draw. The MAAM’s interactive events are great for a date night, or perfect for friends looking for an alternative to a bar. Things to do include the likes of a night of cathartic comedy called “Laughing Through the Pain,” and “Grounded,” a multi-sensory journey through Katie Paterson’s scent-based installation, “To Burn, Forest, Fire.” While the events at MAAM can feel spiritual and personal, they can also be very fun. Usually there’s the chance to make art, too.

Since it opened in Southie in 2022, rookies and hardcore “picklers” alike have flocked to PKL Boston’s five climate-controlled indoor pickleball courts, which are ringed by plush seating, enlivened with a full bar and craft cocktail menu, and accented with splashy murals from Boston’s own Blind Fox. Join a league, learn the rules from staff eager to offer pointers, or simply nosh tuna wontons in between serves. Add in shuffleboard, cornhole, trivia nights, and live music on Saturdays, and your neighborhood park never looked so boring by comparison.

Come to the Seaport to find a two-floor, 26,000-square-foot pleasure dome of putting. This is Puttshack, an entertainment complex with four high-tech, 9-hole mini golf courses — one hole resembles a giant Connect 4, another an interactive trivia game — thumping music, and a party atmosphere (it turns 21-plus after 8 p.m.). The comfort food is better than it has any cause to be — think Korean barbecue, lamb skewers, empanadas, an amazing burger made with short ribs. Each golf ball is embedded with a sensor, which automatically keeps score for you on video screens. No fiddling with tiny pencils keeps your hands free for craft cocktails and selfies. Natick Mall has a Puttshack, too.

This speakeasy arcade, hidden behind a freezer door in Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, allows players to step out of Cambridge and into the world of their favorite games. From Pac-Man and Mario Kart to Skee-Ball and Pop-A-Shot basketball, you’ll be yearning for your childhood. Except, this arcade isn’t for kids. Roxy’s themed cocktail bar keeps the tokens and drinks flowing as 21-plus patrons jump from one game to the next. Try a Rainbow Road — gin, sour watermelon, grapefruit — or a Kuzco’s Poison — pisco, white rum, apricot, chicha morada, orgeat, and lime.

Candlepin bowling — distinguished from its more mainstream cousin by its grapefruit-sized balls and skinny pins — is a New England rite of passage, but there are few alleys with the retro charm of Sacco’s Bowl Haven, which dates to 1939. The location also hosts an American Flatbread outlet. From your lane, you can see cooks slinging wood-fired flatbread pizzas in varieties including pepperoni and pepper and the baked potato pie. Some lanes are reserved for walk-ins, but make a reservation if you can — this place fills up.

Space is at a premium in Boston, so there aren’t many apartments with enough square footage to fit a Ping-Pong table. Enter SPIN, a table tennis restaurant and bar. You can rent a table for an hour at a time with up to nine of your friends. The decor is vibrant, the chicken sandwiches are juicy, and the staff do the hard work of chasing the balls that end up on the ground.

Warm weather in Boston means one thing: your (Tall) Ship has come in. The 245-foot floating oyster bar docked at Pier One also features a large on-shore lawn with food and drink vendors, a big screen for sports, live music, and games including cornhole and giant Connect 4. During the day, enjoy the waterfront with a frozen drink, and in the evening, socialize under string lights with a sparkling skyline view over Boston Harbor.

Ever dreamed of going on sprawling, epic, magical adventures with friends? At this board game cafe and bar, you can rent private, soundproof rooms for role-player games such as Dungeons & Dragons — or, if you prefer, opt for free play and dive into simpler games such as Jenga or UNO. There’s trivia every Thursday, and usually a Super Smash Bros. video game contest going on at the bar, which serves up drinks and fun snacks such as pretzel bites and sundaes. Best of all, the staff are games enthusiasts themselves — and willing teachers.

This Theater District outpost has the sexy sci-fi vibes of a 2000s-era music video. Book a private room for you and up to 19 of your closest friends, or brave the neon glow of the main stage in front of an audience of strangers. Don’t be nervous — the cardinal rule of karaoke is to never take yourself too seriously. And if you choose a crowd-pleaser from Viva’s catalog of more than half a million songs (“Misery Business,” “Piano Man,” anything by Shaggy), the audience will happily, if a little drunkenly, sing along.