I went for my once a year bowling trip this past weekend, at Green Acres Bowl, and no it has nothing to do with Tyler’s mega church of the same name. (Does that sound like a slight; because it wasn’t intended to as one. It’s just that the church is huge, and it’s easy to assume that any business with “Green Acres” in the name is somehow connected to it. For some reason however, drawing attention to a churches size, large or small, can be a touchy prospect. Too large and people think you’re a social club, too small and you’re a cult). Sorry, again I digress. While reading on the bowling alley I discovered there are about as many opinions on it, as there are of its Baptist namesake.

First off let me say that the staff was really helpful, a bit overly protective I guess, but really very nice, and they generally took care of all our needs. Now I’m not a good bowler… at all. But I had good time nonetheless. My son was back and forth dropping his ball and retrieving another almost before the first one reached the pins. And it was like that all morning. Suffice it to say, he had a terrific time. The business has changed an awful lot over the years. I read some reviews that must have been written about the time former Vice President Gore was first establishing the internet, because the Green Acres bowling alley hasn’t looked like they described it in over twenty years!

On the plus side, the establishment is neat and clean and relatively inexpensive. It’s also a great place to take the fam, particularly when the weathers bad. If there’s a down side, it’s that there’s no bar or place to purchase food or drinks. But the facility’s not equipped for those added services, and I realize that’s exactly what many Tylerites like most about the place anyway. Our city has a strangely paradoxical and frankly, inconsistent view on the use of adult beverages, even if that use is moderate. Instead, maybe pull into Braum’s, for Ice cream and a cherry lime-aid prior to heading over to bowl a few frames. At any rate, if you’ve not been to Green Acres Bowl in a while, I recommend checking it out, particularly as summer starts to heats up. It’s cheap fun in a cool, family friendly, environment.