Renaissance Center, Thunder Alley Add to Dickson’s Enterainment Options
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From cosmic bowling to the mysteries of the cosmos‚ Dickson County offers a wealth of indoor and outdoor activities for the entire family.
Kids and parents alike can work out their creative muscles at the Renaissance Center‚ an expansive 110‚000-square-foot facility offering classes‚ concerts‚ plays and even planetarium shows.
“ We’re a family learning center‚” Marketing Director Chris Norman says. “We have programs for infants and special days for seniors. There’s virtually something for everyone.”
Dickson County families regularly take advantage of the center’s Super Saturdays‚ afternoons of free family activities ranging from art‚ music and drama workshops to theatrical productions and even laser light shows.
In June and July‚ first- through eighth-graders can participate in the Renaissance Center’s summer camp or learn a new skill at the weekly Kids College. Teens in search of “cool” entertainment can trek to the center’s CyberSphere to watch lasers pulse to the beat of the Beatles or Pink Floyd.
But impressive as the Renaissance Center is‚ it’s certainly not the only option for Dickson County residents in search of recreation.
When the weather report calls for clear skies and mild temperatures‚ many families visit the scenic Montgomery Bell State Park in Burns‚ with everything from paddleboats‚ ball fields and playgrounds to hiking trails and fishing holes. For families looking for a comfortable weekend retreat‚ the park even includes an inn with a heated pool‚ Jacuzzi‚ video arcade and full-service restaurant.
No matter what the weather‚ a growing number of families flock to one of Dickson County’s newest entertainment complexes‚ Thunder Alley. The state-of-the-art facility offers 24 bowling lanes as well as pool tables and the latest video and virtual reality games. Kids head to the alley on Saturday afternoons for a glow-in-the-dark game of cosmic bowling‚ while teens and adults get their own evening hours.
One Sunday a month‚ Thunder Alley hosts a popular “Christian bowl” featuring contemporary Christian music and no smoking or drinking.
“ That’s probably our most family-oriented event‚” says Community Relations Director Hope Clancy.
Dickson’s Bowl-O-Rena‚ family owned and operated for more than 42 years‚ also specializes in family-friendly bowling. The facility offers 12 lanes‚ a pool table‚ bumper bowling for smaller children and a restaurant.
Area movie buffs can now visit the Roxy Theater to catch first-run flicks in roomy theaters with rocking-chair-style stadium seating and Dolby surround-sound. The theater’s daily matinees are especially popular with parents and children.
Others may prefer the nostalgia of the Broadway Drive-In Theatre‚ where they can take in a new release‚ eat a burger and snack on cotton candy‚ all from the comfort of their own cars.
With so many nonstop entertainment choices‚ families here should cope quite easily with one of the nearly universal complaints of childhood. “I’m bored” just isn’t a phrase you’re likely to hear in Dickson County.
Story by Heather Johnson
Photo by Greg Emens
