Bowling Clubs are really Adelaides best kept secrets. Great locations, great function space, fully…read morestocked bars (with ridiculously cheap prices) and colourful characters ready to help out, spin a yarn or just sit around and get sloshed! The Kensington Marryatville Bowling Club certainly has these attributes and more! Sharing their club rooms with the neighboring Tennis Club, the Bowling Club boasts some pretty decent greens a pool table and ample room for a dance floor should the mood take you. They host Night Owls on thursday evenings, which is the prefect opportunity to have a crack at Lawn Bowls, or is an equally good excuse to get together with a couple of mates and get on the turps. The Bowling Club itslef has seen some success of late, being promoted to the Top division in the state this season and has a couple of members who are either in the state team of pushing for selection. BTW, make sure you put your team in early for night owls as they get pretty packed!

Thought I would mention the Tennis at this club as previous reviews only mention bowls. I joined…read morethis club as a fill in about three years ago and now am a permanent player there in a Thursday Ladies Doubles comp and also a Monday night mixed comp which fairly new as lights to six courts are a recent addition. The clubrooms are excellent and a mentioned the drink prices are really good! The lawn courts are probably the best ones we play on around various locations around Adelaide. We have load's of fun and usually some pretty good tennis also! They are always looking for new members and have other various comps so check it out.

AIR CONDITIONING NEWLY INSTALLED ON ALL COURTS. Recent upgrades at the centre has seen air…read moreconditioning installed on every court. So ignore all the previous reviews about it being hot. In addition Jeff's price of $10 quoted is a members price. Please check pricing when you phone to make a booking. Also check out their web page often as it is updated all the time and shows all the activities on offer. This would have to be the best squash centre in Adelaide and they just keep making improvements!

I wondered where all the squash players in Adelaide were hiding... they're all here. Well most of…read morethem anyway. Many volunteering, South Adelaide Squash Centre is run entirely by volunteers. Pretty darn impressive considering the hours they keep. It's a brick building, ugly as sin, but inside is a well kept five court facility, equipped with showers, spectator seating... Feeling on top of your game? Hire court #1, the 'fish bowl' with a glass back and the lobby behind. Court #5 is a nice pick, it's at the back where there's a door upstairs that opens up to let out the hot air. Beyond the far wall of court #5 is a smallish lawn, a good place to catch your breath. A main attraction of the game is the potential for a regulated climate to exercise in for those 35°+ days. Unfortunately there's no air-con here. So cowboy up on a hot day. It'll open up your pores. Make a booking. Normally the cost is $10/hr per person to play. Balls provided. Happy hour squash happens on Friday's from 4pm ($5 per person). It's been my experience they aren't sticklers if your play goes a little longer, given the court's free. There's social and competitive squash happening. Sound interesting? Enquire at the front desk. Sometimes the parking lot is too small, not to worry, there's plenty of parking on the quiet street. Raice at the front desk always calls me 'John.' I call her 'Grace.'

Combine booze, eating hot dogs and exercise and whattaya get? iCA Sportzworx Stepney. That's…read morewhat. Play the MCG (the courts are named: MCG, SCG, WACA..), have a beer. Or visa versa. In the summer, the building traps more heat than the Eastern Promises Turkish bath fight scene and you get a little thirsty out there. Play cricket, soccer, netball and dodge ball indoors. But lets chat netball since that's what I know about. The refz (as they're called at Sportzworx) are great. They tend to be equipped with the big personality necessary to deal with the BS that occasionally arises. It can get feisty out there. The price is $63 per game, which as an example, works out to be $8 a player for our team. There's a $40 per team sign up fee. And they offer student discounts. The bar is like a mezzanine level, located in between the two sets of courts. You see everything up there, like a powerless air traffic controller. Get involved.

I used to play indoor mixed netball here for my uni team and the place is pretty well equipped but…read moreI have played at better rec centres. The location is good for city people but the parking is a little scarce and dark. The courts are surfaced with the stuff that canes if you fall over, and the nets line the sides. They offer mixed sports of cricket, netty, soccer in all different levels. Also the mezzanine bar is pretty cool and the food is alright too.

I've mentioned before that when I turn up to a local sports oval, I never know what I'm going to…read morefind in terms of an engaging playground. You would be surprised the number of ovals that turn a blind eye to the playground area. Not Goodwood Oval! This playground would be great anywhere but seeing as it's in this environment where children can not only be engaged and excited by the playground but also have some interaction with the adult sports going on around them, creates a wonderful place where activity is encouraged throughout the different age groups. This playground really caters for a wide range of ages. There is a fenced off playground for the toddlers and younger, and then an bigger playground for the 'big kids'. Not only are the playgrounds engaging, there are toilets nearby, a drinking fountain, a BBQ and a table/chair area. The entire play areas are rubber floored....I love that! The gardens have been built up around the edges of the playground which add to the beauty of the area. Very impressed with this set up!! *Dogs allowed (not in fenced playground or within 3 meters of equipment)* *Drinking fountain* *Table/chair area (not sheltered)* *BBQ*

This is one of my favourite playgrounds in Adelaide. It might not have the newest or fanciest…read moreequipment - but it's such a lovely place to go. The Oval itself is a large space, that's often got some sort of sporting activity going on. When there's nothing on you'll still see groups of people training, or people playing with their dogs. There's also a smaller dog exercise area which is often in use. The playground is also always being used. Often the parents will be talking while kids just have fun. There's a small play section fenced off to create a safe place for younger kids, while the older kids generally have free reign on the larger playground. You never need to worry about finding scowling teens hanging out like you do at some playgrounds - it's always a place for the kids. The charm of the whole place comes from the fact that the community really use it - and seem to appreciate it. It's a welcoming little place that is perfect for the many families that live around it. Another plus is during New Years Eve or the Royal Adelaide Show you can find a good spot on the oval and watch the fireworks.

Para Hills Bowling Club is one of the handfull of Lawn Bowling Clubs that are in the Northern…read moreSuburbs. I admit, I haven't been there as much as I have many of the other clubs in Adelaide, but I have always enjoyed myself when I did. Para Hills has a very sizable club house where they host weekly Bingo and other community activities. Outside are three greens, 2 grass and one Synthetic, and although the grass tracks have been a little scratchy over the years, they are definately on the improve! Night owls is run every Wednesday Night during the season and is pretty popular, so make sure you book a team in early! They also have a restaurant, Chillo's, that run Tuesday Through to Saturday nights from 5:00pm until 9:00 pm. I haven't tried them yet, but I will be sure to write an update when I do. One thing that really impressed me about the club is the outdoor 'alfresco' area they have at the side of their clubrooms. It is a huge undercover bbq area that resembles a beer hall (and I am sure resembles one even more after some pennant games!). Make sure, if and when you head to the club, to have a chat to the greenkeeper if he is around. I have known him for many a year and he will quite happily have a brew with you and share a yarn.

A nice little secret. There are plenty of free tennis courts about, but in North Adelaide they're…read moregrass... For something a little different, try this well-maintained and rarely used council run grass court on the corner of Mills and Strangeways Terraces. You even feel like you're playing on a private court. And with the looks you sometimes get from neighbours, perhaps a little like you're sneaking onto one. On the fringe of the golf course it's a tranquil spot with plenty of street parking. In the freak chance someone else is on the court when you arrive, 'plan B' is: head down Jeffcott St. to War Memorial Drive where there are 6 standard courts. There's a water fountain, but last I checked it wasn't working. Near the base is a valve, which if you turned it would probably provide water, remember to turn it off when you're done. Closed during winter weather that risks damaging the playing surface.

I booked this venue for my 30th Birthday simply because it was local, and I wanted an affordable…read morespace to take over. I was glad I did, because this place was a fantastic venue to hire, and the the best fun I have had in ages. The staff practically bent over backwards for me (metaphorically speaking), and made sure everything ran smoothly, right up until the end of the night. As there was a broad range of ages at the event (ranging from 4 - 80), the staff went out of their way to make sure everyone was accommodated. The drink prices were a steal, so the bar package lasted way longer than expected, and with the option of bowling, or having a chat in the outside area, all the guests found it easy to make themselves at home. I was so well looked after, I'm thinking of becoming a member.

As the self proclaimed Lawn Bowling Yelping Expert....or is it the Yelping Lawn Bowling…read moreExpert....whatever I am da man! As it happens I used to be a member of the Adelaide Bowling Club, and used to don the Blue Pants to play pennants every Saturday. But my prowess playing with my balls is not what you want to hear about my fellow Yelpers (or is it). The Adelaide Bowling Club is the oldest going around, and it has quite an incredible history involving politicians and scandals, but that was many decades ago (have a chat to some of the members to find out, very interesting stuff)! The ABC is, without a doubt, the best situated club in the City, especially for those looking to have a function. Located opposite Prince Alfred College on Dequetteville Terrace, the club is only 100 odd drunken steps from the Rundle Street precinct and the many bars that one can kick on at when the function is over. As Andrew C mentioned, Superbowlz Sunday has been going for a number of years now, and is still incredibly popular. It is a blast if you have a free Sunday and feel like tripping the green fantastic! They also have Night Owls (like most bowling clubs) and either option is a good opportunity to either try out the sport or just chillax with some mates.

Best place to have a kids birthday party in Adelaide. This place has many other services but I'm…read moreonly here to talk about the parties because the gymnasium they use is HUGE. Trampolines, ropes, swings, bars, foam padding, all kid-friendly, everywhere. You can cut the little monkeys loose in there for two hours with staff to help them do awesome flips and tricks, then whip out a birthday cake and pass the parcel at the end! My daughter had her fourth birthday here and it was a big deal. All of us parents got to relax and watch our kids have a fantastic time. The staff are excellent, with the parties and also at the weekly kids gymnastics classes, I can't rave enough. It's not that expensive compared to most venues and you can decorate a party room upstairs complete with fridge, tables and chairs however you want and pretty much take it over without any stress or hurry. I love this place. Just thinking about it makes me want to do a double barrel triple axle flip on the pommel horse.

They open at 6:30am and squash is only $9/half hour, even with new'ish floors in good nick .. Great…read morefor some fun competition to start the day. Is normally really quiet, but takes bookings if you think it necessary. It is no-frills.. but for the price it's highly cost-effective. Definitely A-OK.