Where are you traveling from?
As far as national tournaments goes, our group attends USBC Open Champs and the Petersen.
There are some great tournaments around here (Cleveland/Pittsburgh area) that are worth attending if you're within a few hours.
We're in Ohio. Which tournaments in the Cleveland/Pittsburgh area?
I’m in Ohio too. I’m not sure how competitive you are, so the tournaments we travel to that are “nationals-like†(team, doubles, singles with a spread out prize fund and good side pots):
States
Ohio Inter-City
Another great event that we don’t have to travel to (it’s local enough) is the DLS at Wickliffe Lanes (outside Cleveland) in April and August. The DLS consists of a scratch tournament Friday night, a 4 squad singles handicap tournament Saturday, and a 3 squad Trios handicap tournament Sunday. Every single squad sells out at at 40 lane center (120 bowlers per squad).
Another overnight trip we make most years is the Labor Day weekend tournament at Meadows Casino outside Pittsburgh. It’s more competitive (pros will travel to it), but there is a handicap division as well if that suits your fancy. Entries are cheap ($45 includes $25 free slot play at the casino).
And of course, the Petersen.
We travel for some more competitive scratch tournaments as well, I couldn’t tell if you’d be interested in those or not based on your original post.
