If you are relatively new to the fun sport of pickleball and are, perhaps, addicted, you likely want to play this social and competitive game at any-and-every opportunity. There will undoubtedly come a time, however, when you will find yourself asking, “Where can I play pickleball and find a court near me?”
Afterall, as you’ve gotten better and better, that initial venue – where you were first introduced to the sport – just doesn’t provide the competitive opportunity anymore. As such, the search has begun to find additional places to play. You are looking not only for a local court but also for people who are similarly skilled.
When I first began playing pickleball, I played Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at the church I attended. At that time, I had no idea if there were additional courts near me. I wasn’t alone. Few others knew of additional venues, either.
Now, years later – and with the growth of pickleball booming – there’s no shortage of options. But how does the pickleball newbie know where to find a pickleball court near them for open play?
Tips for Finding a Pickleball Court Near You
When searching for places to play, there are several proactive steps you can take to find a pickleball court near you – some of which are online and from the comfort of your own home and others that require a bit of sweat equity as you explore your local town, city or neighborhood.
Websites & Apps
The following are strategies for using websites or apps that will assist you in finding a local place to play or court near you.
Leverage your Favorite Online Search Engine
Go online, navigate to your favorite search engine and do a keyword search. In the search box, type in “pickleball near me” or “pickleball court near me.” You’ll likely get some relevant results. You’ll also likely get some relevant user reviews of the courts or venue.
USA Pickleball Places 2 Play Website
According to USA Pickleball, “1,900+ ambassadors and more than 40,000 members continually update the official Places 2 Play website with the latest information about courts in their area.” This is a helpful resource. The website lists the address of the courts, how many courts there are, and other useful information about the venue. On this website, someone looking for courts can filter results by city, state, zip code, or location name.
USA Pickleball’s “Places2Play” App for the iPhone
The free-to-download “Places2Play” app is another helpful resource – available for download in the Apple App Store. This smartphone app will list places to play near you – assuming you have your location services turned on in your phone settings. Alternatively, you can filter locations by your local zipcode.
PicklePlay
PicklePlay came on the scene in recent years. It’s a website and a downloadable app in the Apple Store and on Google Play. You can use their online map search to find local courts.
While Places2Play and PicklePlay do a good job of providing a listing of courts, not all of their information is correct. In their defense, however, pickleball is growing so rapidly that it’s hard to keep up with all of the expanding courts. They may list that a park has 4 courts when it really has 6. Even though their information may be a little off, it gives you a good starting point to do further research. Do an online search of the courts they mention in your area and reach out to the court contact for more accurate information.
Facebook Groups
Facebook groups are another great source for finding places to play. The Pickleball Forum is pickleball’s largest Facebook group with over 90,000 members as of March 2023 and is a useful place to ask such questions.
You can also do a search in Facebook’s search box by typing in “pickleball” and the name of the desired city in which you would like to play. You will likely get several results from local groups nearby.
Explore your Town, City, or Neighborhood
The following will require you to get out and do a little exploring. You may be surprised how a local search for courts near you may turn up a hidden gem.
Check out your Local YMCA or Community Center
In the last few years, many YMCA’s and Community Centers have begun offering pickleball during non-peak hours – often during the mornings or early afternoon when the gymnasiums are not busy. If you get a chance to visit, ask the members where else people play. Some of them will likely be “in the know” and excited to share their experiences with you.
Beware, however, when playing at a gym. It will more than likely be a multi-use court. You might play on a basketball court or volleyball courts that have pickleball lines taped, but at least you will have a place to start playing and meeting people. Many times these facilities offer free play to their members for drop-in play. They may offer special events for an additional cost.
Check out Local Tennis Centers
In an effort to capture additional revenue when the tennis courts are sitting idle, many of these facilities are incorporating pickleball into their programming. These tennis facilities will typically offer “daily pass” rates that are very reasonably priced or monthly “memberships” that are also affordable. In southwest Ohio, these day rates are generally $5-$10 (for a 2-3 hour window) and $30-$100/month for a monthly rate.
Most of these tennis facilities will designate a couple of tennis courts for pickleball players – putting portable nets on either side of the tennis net.
Be sure to ask the front desk the next time you’re at a tennis center to see if they offer pickleball.
Dedicated Indoor Pickleball Venues
If you’re really lucky, perhaps your city has dedicated indoor courts with permanent nets. These dedicated facilities are springing up with more regularity throughout the country. Check out this listing of dedicated, indoor pickleball venues, or Pickleball User Reviews to see if any are near you. The User Review website lists cool dedicated venues with indoor pickleball courts or 12+ outdoor pickleball courts. If you have one near you, consider yourself very fortunate!
Dedicated venues typically offer court reservation options, open pickleball play, leagues, etc.
Other Options for Finding Courts Near You
USA Pickleball Ambassadors
The USA Pickleball ambassadors are also a great source of information. Ambassadors are simply volunteers who have pledged to promote the sport of pickleball and the USAPA in the local area they have applied to represent. They will be able to provide helpful feedback regarding places to play locally. Search here for an ambassador in your neck-of-the-woods.
Summary for Finding Pickleball Courts Near You
Hopefully, the preceding list helped you answer the question, “Where can I play pickleball near me?” There are many options to find a place to play, including inquiring at the local YMCA, community center, or tennis center. If you’re super lucky, your area will have a dedicated indoor pickleball facility. In addition to inquiring about these facilities, be sure to check out the Places 2 Play Website, the “Places2Play” App, PicklePlay, and local Facebook groups. And, of course, ask your local USA Pickleball ambassador.
Wherever you end up playing, it’s just important that you play this popular sport! It’s one of the fastest growing sports and offers so many benefits.
See you on the courts… somewhere!!!
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I am an avid tennis player all my life wanting to try this sport out , new to Cali from Hawaii
Excellent!!! I know you’ll enjoy!!!