Things to Do in Evansville

In the summer of 1980, more than a foot of water flooded CJ's Willow Bowling Center, warping the floors and ruining the equipment. But faced with catastrophe, owners Charlie and Jean Rayburn used the incident as an opportunity to outfit the alley with 16 new lanes and revamped scoring systems. Today, a second generation of the family runs the business with the same resolve that has defined it since 1955. On weekends, bowlers pummel pins amid the fluorescence of cosmic bowling lights, or stop by the snack bar to fuel up with pizza. At the pro shop, patrons can renovate bowling balls with resurfacing, hole drilling, and initial engravings, saving them from the hassle of having to carve their faces into the sides.

Bright-colored balls have sent pins crashing at Franklin Lanes for years. Since then, the bowling center has seen several upgrades, including 20 Brunswick Pro Lanes, which replaced the originals. Optional bumpers pop into action to help young bowlers or adults who learned physics from Wile E. Coyote’s correspondence school.

At Silver Spur Splat Paintball, players can face off on open terrain or dart from tree to tree on the forest field. Other teams, meanwhile, wage friendly battle on a speedball field, where inflatables shelter combatants from incoming paintballs and airdropped insults. Referees stand by to monitor the action, inspect equipment, and ensure fair play. Aside from facilitating these games—which can also include Airsoft matches—Silver Spur Splat Paintball's staff mans a pro shop, where they sell gear such as custom paintball markers.

Hoof Beats Stable brings horses and riders together for hours of enjoyment during lessons, training sessions, and parties. At an indoor arena, riders mount powerful steeds to learn basic skills or sharpen their English- and Western-riding skills. Instructors teach students the techniques they want to learn, whether it's bareback riding or parallel parking. Parties at the stable bring party guests nose-to-muzzle with gentle horses.

Since joining the Frontier League in 1996, the Otters have shattered several of the league's records while sending dozens of signees to the MLB. In 2005, the club became the first in the league to record a million total fans in attendance—a vote of confidence that led the Otters, in the the subsequent season, to repay Evansville with its first Frontier League championship. The team passed another milestone in 2012, becoming the first FL team to rack up 700 wins, still a far cry from matching some local 7-year-olds' kickball record of infinity wins. Opened in 1915, the Otters' home turf, Bosse Field, enjoys its own legacy of storied moments, most notably its use during the filming of A League of Their Own.

The daughter of a retired administrator, Renee Rayles grew up learning the importance and pleasure of helping others learn. Harnessing her artistic bent, she decided to open a studio that would help anyone create handsome paintings regardless of previous experience. During evening lessons, private parties, and camps, Rayles and her cadre of helpful instructors guide students step by step as they copy a previously chosen work, adding personal touches to create take-home works of art that spruce up living rooms and distract guests from sentient houseplants.