Things to Do in Niagara Falls

A vintage photo of Mallwitz’s Island Lanes, presumably from the 1980s, shows a much different alley than the one that stands today. Its patrons are dressed and coiffed for the times, bright yellows and reds flash across the walls, and strikes and spares are scrawled by hand. A modern-day snapshot illustrates the transformation that has occurred since the center's 1980 opening: 24 lanes feature computerized scoring systems and freshly oiled surfaces that glisten in the muted glow of black lights like a newborn’s head after his first waxing. Other contemporary touches include a full bar, complete with a food menu headlined by popular wings.

The theater at The Screening Room Cinema Cafe bears more of a resemblance to an intimate club than a multiplex, seating its guests at small tables so they can sip on beer and wine during films. The floor-level screen flashes with arthouse cinema, including new indie flicks and cult favorites, as well as classics from cinematic giants such as Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg. In addition to its usual screenings, the café also hosts poetry nights, film festivals, and high-definition broadcasts of sports games recorded by a mascot with a giant camera for a head.

Under the guidance of recently appointed owners Eve McAllister and Steve Johnston, The Wine Place's award-winning experts continue to help customers craft more than 60 wine varieties. After adding yeast to your favourite red, white, or rosé culled from top wine-growing regions such as Australia, Chile, and Spain, personnel oversee the four- to six-week brewing process. Once brews have spilled out from cocoons, oenophiles return for bottling and labelling sessions. The Wine Place's stock of measured electric wine pumps, compressor corkers, and electric shrink-wrap machines ensure a stress-free experience for each eager imbiber. In addition to its standard labels, The Wine Place supplies personalized labels for weddings, birthdays, and cubicle-warming parties.

At Pro Dojos, certified martial-arts experts lead students of all ages and skill levels through a variety of pugilistic disciplines. Each location is independently owned, so the martial-arts styles may vary, but many offer karate, tae kwon do, kick-boxing, aikido, and jujitsu classes. The instructors elucidate the noble combat arts to kiddos as young as 4 years old, helping them build strength and motor skills while instilling the values of self-confidence. Teen classes focus on honing discipline and treating yourself and others with respect, and adult classes reinforce cardiovascular conditioning, strength, balance, and coordination. The instructors also lead classes for the whole family, allowing them to bond as a unit, which could possibly lead to starring in a hit sitcom about a crime-fighting family who takes down comical villains in their idyllic suburban neighborhood.

Jenny’s Clayhouse, one of Buffalo’s first and only paint-your-own-pottery studios, calls out to artists and craftists looking to cast off faded paint-by-number books to animate stylish ceramics while sipping on home-brought spirits. Sloping picture windows span from floor to ceiling in the airy space, splashing sunlight across the studio’s selection of domestic staples—including mugs, plates, and piggy banks. After guests gleam the once-white objets d'art, Jenny’s staff will summon flames to bake and glaze the handheld masterpieces to protect them from wear and raw-food dieters. Pintsize painters can polish their brushstrokes at Jenny’s summer-camp sessions, or gather friends, teachers, and New York Times art critics for a pottery-painting birthday party or after-school outing.

Kenmore Lanes is a safe haven for pin-pummeling patrons as they relish strikes and avert gutter balls on the stable of slick lanes. Participants can practice their rolling skills during open-bowl sessions or within the intergalactic realm of Friday and Saturday night moonlight bowling, where the lanes remain open until 2:30 a.m. and are entirely illumined by glowing blocks of radioactive cheese. Tykes celebrating their birthdays can launch orbs alongside friends during 90-minute party sessions, which include pizza, soda, and a gift for the guest of honor. A pro shop supplies attendees with custom-fit balls, bags, and shoes, and 10-week leagues encourage team camaraderie and passive aggressive celebrations after every strike. Kenmore Lanes' restaurant reenergizes postgame rollers with abundant eats, and visitors craving more competition can chalk up cues at the pool table or take on classic games at the arcade such as skee-ball.