If you are relatively new to the sport and are, perhaps, addicted, you likely want to play pickleball at any-and-every opportunity. You will likely ask yourself, “Where can I play pickleball and find a court near me?”
That initial venue – where you were first introduced to the sport – just doesn’t provide enough opportunity anymore. As such, the search has begun to find additional places to play pickleball near you. You are looking not only for courts, but also for people who are similarly skilled.
When I first began playing pickleball in 2014, I played Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at the church I attended. At that time, I had no idea where else people played pickleball near me. I also had no idea if there were courts near me. I wasn’t alone. Few others knew of additional venues, either.
Now, approximately 6 years later – and with the growth of pickleball booming – there’s no shortage of options for pickleball near me. And more and more courts are being built near me as well. But how does the pickleball newbie know where to find a pickleball court near them?
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.
Check out your Local YMCA or Community Center
The first thing I would do is 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.
Alternatively – especially for you “old-schoolers” – get on the phone and call your local YMCA or community center to determine if they offer open-play times. In the last few years, many of these centers have begun offering pickleball during non-peak hours – often during the mornings or early afternoon while the gymnasiums are not busy. If you subsequently get a chance to visit, ask the members where else people play. Some them will likely be “in the know” and excited to share their experiences with you.
Check out Local Tennis Centers
Same goes for local tennis centers. In an effort to capture additional revenue when the tennis courts are sitting idle, many of these facilities have begun 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 the tennis courts for pickleball use – putting a portable pickleball net on either side of the tennis net.
Dedicated Indoor Pickleball Venues
If you’re really lucky, perhaps your city has a dedicated, indoor pickleball venue. These dedicated facilities are beginning to spring up with more regularity throughout the country. Check out this listing of dedicated, indoor pickleball venues to see if any are near you. If they are, I will be so jealous!!!
USAPA Places 2 Play Website
According to the USAPA, “the USAPA’s 1,600+ ambassadors and more than 21,000 members continually update the official USAPA 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 other useful information about the venue. At this website, someone looking for courts can filter results by city, state, zip code or location name.
USAPA’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 zip code.
USAPA Ambassadors
The USAPA 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.
Facebook Groups
Facebook groups are another great source for finding places to play. The Pickleball Forum is pickleball’s largest Facebook group with over 30,000 members as of April, 2020 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 of local groups nearby.
Final Thoughts
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 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 USAPA Places 2 Play Website, the USAPA’s “Places2Play” App and local Facebook groups. And, of course, ask your local USAPA ambassador.
See you on the courts… somewhere!!!
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