Thanks to bowling alleys, "family fun" can mean more than nine-hour violin recitals and bedtime lectures about the inflation rate. Keep familial units entertained with today's Groupon: for $20, you get one hour of bowling (up to a $25 value) with shoe rentals (up to a $16 value) for up to four people at The Bowling Barn in Big Bear Lake (up to a $41 total value).

The Bowling Barn livens up evenings with pin-pummeling bowling and a variety of other entertainment activities. Gangs of friends and sadistic bowling pins can strap on rented gentle-soled shoes for an hour of bowling on one of 16 lanes. Soak in otherworldly rays with nightly glow bowling, illuminating strikes, spares, and pin gymnastics. Automatic scoring reduces the risk of feuds or pin scams, and bumpers keep the game easy for kids. A slew of alternative amusements range from video games and pool tables to big-screen TVs in the sports bar, helping to render group outings more fun-packed than a clown-car road trip.