Bowling in Upper Hutt: Lawn Bowls and Where to Play

Upper Hutt has bowling for both of New Zealand’s main bowling codes: outdoor lawn bowls at local clubs, and indoor ten-pin bowling at the Brewtown entertainment precinct. They are completely different games — one rolls biased bowls across a flat grass or synthetic green, the other rolls a drilled ball down a timber-and-synthetic lane at ten pins — so this guide keeps them separate and tells you where to play each, what it costs, what to wear, and how to get started. Everything below is current as of October 2026, but clubs and venues change their details often, so confirm before you turn up.

Can you go bowling in Upper Hutt?

Yes — Upper Hutt covers both codes. For lawn bowls there are two clubs, Upper Hutt Bowling Club and Bowls Silverstream, plus an indoor-bowls association and two pétanque groups. For ten-pin bowling there is Daytona Adventure Park, which runs five lanes inside the Brewtown complex in Maidstone. If you want more lanes or a big-alley atmosphere, the nearest larger venues are a short drive away in Lower Hutt and Wellington city.

The quickest way to decide is to pick your code first. Lawn bowls is a club-based, seasonal, outdoor sport that rewards joining and learning; ten-pin is a pay-and-play indoor activity you can book for an hour with friends. The sections below take each in turn.

Lawn bowls in Upper Hutt

Lawn bowls in Upper Hutt is organised through clubs, and the outdoor season runs roughly from September to April or May. You do not need to be a member to try it — most clubs welcome newcomers and many run “come and try” or barefoot sessions over summer — but regular play means joining a club. If lawn bowls is new to you, our step-by-step guide on how to play lawn bowls explains the mat, the jack, the bias and the delivery before you book a session.

Upper Hutt Bowling Club

Upper Hutt Bowling Club is the city’s main lawn bowls club, running an outdoor season from September through to April along with a weekly winter competition. The club is contactable through the Upper Hutt City Council sports-club directory (contact Chris Kerr, 027 418 7034, [email protected]) and its Facebook group; the council directory does not publish a street address, so message the club for its current green location and open days before visiting. New and social bowlers are welcome, and clubs of this size typically lend bowls to first-timers so you don’t need your own set to start.

The proposed new Maidstone Terrace bowls complex

Upper Hutt Bowling Club has proposed a modern new bowls complex on council land at Maidstone Terrace and 23 Railway Avenue. In January 2025 the Upper Hutt City Council consulted the public on leasing the vacant land to the club at a community rate for at least 33 years, with no ratepayer funding requested for the build itself. The plan describes a roughly 480 sqm clubroom with a kitchen, bar and gathering space, one covered green with night lighting, two uncovered greens, a new carpark and perimeter fencing, with construction targeted for completion around August 2027. Treat this as a proposal and a timeline rather than a finished facility — check the club or council for the latest status before planning a visit around it.

Bowls Silverstream

Bowls Silverstream is the second lawn bowls club in the Upper Hutt area, based in the suburb of Silverstream. Its season runs from September to May and the club takes registrations at any time of year, which makes it a flexible option if you miss the usual start-of-season sign-up. Contact is through Brian Ruby (04 528 3918, [email protected]) or the club’s Facebook group. As with any club, confirm green availability and whether a session is members-only or open before you go.

Indoor bowls and petanque

Upper Hutt also has related rolling sports if the outdoor green is closed for winter. The Upper Hutt Valley Indoor Bowls Association plays indoor bowls — a smaller, mat-based version of the outdoor game — with a season that starts in late March. For a different family again, Silverstream Pétanque and Upper Hutt Pétanque both play the French boules game year-round on gravel terrains; they are a separate sport from lawn bowls, using metal boules rather than biased bowls, but they share the same social, all-ages appeal.

Ten-pin bowling in Upper Hutt

Ten-pin bowling in Upper Hutt is at Daytona Adventure Park, inside the Brewtown precinct on Blenheim Street in Maidstone. This is pay-and-play indoor bowling you can book by the game, which makes it the easy choice for a casual outing, a birthday or a rainy-day activity with kids. If you have never scored a ten-pin game, our guide to ten-pin bowling rules covers frames, strikes, spares and the tenth frame.

Daytona Adventure Park at Brewtown

Daytona Adventure Park runs five ten-pin lanes set up in a glow-in-the-dark style, with each lane seating up to six players and ramp access available for wheelchairs. It sits within a large multi-activity venue — the same complex offers go-karts, ice skating, a trampoline park, paintball, archery tag, escape rooms and craft-beer venues — so bowling is usually combined with other activities rather than run as a stand-alone alley. Bookings are highly recommended, especially on weekends and public holidays, and the park asks bowlers to arrive about 15 minutes early for a safety briefing.

On pricing, Daytona has advertised promotional games (for example $12 games on selected weekdays, and two games for a set price) rather than a single fixed rate, and those offers change, so check the current price and hours on the venue’s website or by contacting the park directly before you book. A few lanes also means weekend slots fill up — the more notice you give, the better your chance of the time you want. Whatever the venue, a quick read of bowling alley etiquette — waiting for the lane beside you, not crossing the foul line and keeping food off the approach — makes the session smoother for everyone.

How much does bowling in Upper Hutt cost?

Cost depends entirely on which code you choose. Lawn bowls is cheap to try and priced around membership; ten-pin is priced per game. Here is how the two compare in broad terms, with the caveat that every figure below should be confirmed with the club or venue because prices change.

• Lawn bowls — trying it: Come-and-try and barefoot-bowls sessions are often free or a few dollars, with bowls provided. This is the lowest-cost way to find out whether you enjoy the game.
• Lawn bowls — playing regularly: Regular play means an annual club membership (subscription), which varies by club. Contact Upper Hutt Bowling Club or Bowls Silverstream for current fees. You can start with borrowed bowls and buy your own later.
• Ten-pin — per game: Expect to pay per person per game at Daytona, with shoe hire sometimes included. Daytona has run promotional rates (around $12 a game on some days); confirm the current price when you book.
• Ten-pin nearby for comparison: Larger alleys have listed around $14 per adult game and about $11 for children on older price lists, with student, senior and off-peak discounts. Treat these as a guide only.

What to wear and bring

The two codes have very different footwear rules, and getting this wrong is the most common beginner slip-up. The short version: lawn bowls needs flat-soled shoes on the green, and ten-pin needs the alley’s hire shoes on the lane.

• Lawn bowls: Flat-soled shoes with no heel are required so the green isn’t damaged; clubs can be strict about this. Many summer “barefoot bowls” sessions let you play in socks or bare feet instead. Dress is usually smart-casual or club colours for social play and whites for some competitions. Our guide to the lawn bowls dress code and shoes explains exactly what passes on the green.
• Ten-pin: You must wear the alley’s flat-soled bowling shoes on the approach — street shoes aren’t allowed because they can mark or stick to the lane. Hire shoes are provided at the counter; wear or bring socks. Comfortable clothing you can swing an arm in is all you need.
• Both: Bring nothing special to try either game. Bowls and balls are supplied for beginners, so you can turn up and play.

How to get started

Getting started is different for each code, so match the step to the game you want to play.

• To try lawn bowls: Contact Upper Hutt Bowling Club or Bowls Silverstream (details above) and ask about a come-and-try or barefoot session, usually run over the September-to-April summer season. Wear flat shoes and they will show you the basics.
• To join a lawn bowls club: Ask about annual membership and the start-of-season sign-up. Bowls Silverstream accepts registrations any time of year if you miss the usual window.
• To bowl ten-pin: Book a lane at Daytona Adventure Park online or by phone, especially for weekends and holidays, and arrive early for the briefing. Check the current price and opening hours when you book.
• To go deeper: If you decide to buy your own lawn bowls, start with our guide to the best lawn bowls for beginners so you get the size, weight and bias right.

Bowling near Upper Hutt

If Upper Hutt’s venues don’t suit, two nearby cities add more lanes and more clubs within a short drive. Lower Hutt and Wellington are both on the rail line and reachable in roughly 20 to 40 minutes.

• Lower Hutt: Strike Entertainment Centre on Hutt Road, Alicetown, offers ten-pin lanes alongside other activities (confirm current lane count, hours and prices by phone). The Hutt Valley also has established lawn bowls clubs such as Hutt Bowling Club. See our guide to bowling in Lower Hutt for the full picture.
• Wellington city: Bowlarama in Newtown is the region’s larger ten-pin alley, with twelve lanes, electronic scoring, kids’ bumpers, a licensed café and bar, and regular leagues and tournaments. Our guide to bowling in Wellington covers the capital’s options in detail.

Common mistakes to avoid

A few avoidable errors trip up first-timers in Upper Hutt. Knowing them saves a wasted trip.

• Confusing the two codes. “Bowling” means lawn bowls to one person and ten-pin to another. Decide which you want before you search, because the venues, rules and gear have nothing in common.
• Turning up to lawn bowls in the wrong shoes. Heeled or ridged soles can be refused on the green. Wear flat soles or ask about barefoot bowls.
• Not booking ten-pin ahead. With only five lanes at Daytona, weekend and holiday slots fill fast. Book and arrive early for the briefing.
• Assuming prices and hours are fixed. Ten-pin promos and opening hours change, and club details in the council directory can be dated. Confirm by phone or the venue website before you go.
• Expecting the new bowls complex to be open. The Maidstone Terrace development is a proposal with a 2027 target, not a current facility. Contact the club for where it plays now.
• Treating pétanque as lawn bowls. Silverstream and Upper Hutt pétanque are a separate boules game — fun, but not the biased-bowl sport you may be after.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a ten-pin bowling alley in Upper Hutt?

Yes. Daytona Adventure Park runs five glow-in-the-dark ten-pin lanes inside the Brewtown precinct on Blenheim Street in Maidstone, Upper Hutt. Each lane seats up to six players and wheelchair ramp access is available. Bookings are recommended, especially on weekends and public holidays, and bowlers are asked to arrive about 15 minutes early for a briefing.

Which lawn bowls clubs are in Upper Hutt?

Upper Hutt has two lawn bowls clubs: Upper Hutt Bowling Club, with an outdoor season from September to April plus a weekly winter competition, and Bowls Silverstream in the suburb of Silverstream, which plays from September to May and takes registrations year-round. There is also an indoor-bowls association and two pétanque groups. Both clubs are listed in the Upper Hutt City Council sports-club directory.

Do I need my own equipment to start bowling in Upper Hutt?

No. Lawn bowls clubs generally lend bowls to newcomers at come-and-try and barefoot sessions, so you can start with borrowed gear and buy your own later. For ten-pin at Daytona, balls are supplied and hire shoes are available at the counter. For lawn bowls you will need flat-soled shoes (or play barefoot where offered); for ten-pin you must wear the alley’s hire shoes on the lane.

How much does bowling cost in Upper Hutt?

It depends on the code. Trying lawn bowls is often free or a few dollars, while regular play means an annual club membership that varies by club. Ten-pin at Daytona is charged per game per person, and the park has advertised promotional rates such as around $12 a game on selected days. Prices change, so confirm current fees with the club or venue before you go.

Where can I bowl near Upper Hutt if the local venues are full?

Lower Hutt and Wellington city are a short drive or train ride away. Strike Entertainment Centre in Alicetown, Lower Hutt, has ten-pin lanes, and Bowlarama in Newtown, Wellington, is the region’s larger alley with twelve lanes, electronic scoring and a licensed café and bar. Both cities also have established lawn bowls clubs.