Top Places to Play Pickleball in Florida

Playing pickleball in Florida has become a significant dream for, thousands of dedicated players and courts popping up nationwide. Often called the “capital of pickleball,” Florida offers top-notch facilities, abundant courts, stunning scenery, and active pickleball communities.

Whether you’re a beginner looking to learn or a competitive player seeking a world-class facility, Florida has pickleball covered. This comprehensive guide covers the premier pickleball locations that the Sunshine State has to offer.

Why Play Pickleball in Florida?

With its warm climate, colossal retiree population, and rapid growth of pickleball, Florida has emerged as an ideal state for pickleball enthusiasts. Here are some of the critical advantages Florida offers pickleball players:

• There are hundreds of pickleball locations and thousands of courts across the state
• First-rate facilities explicitly designed for pickleball
• Tournaments and competitive events held year-round
• prime outdoor playing conditions almost any time of the year
• Retirement communities and clubs with dedicated pickleball activities
• Top-ranked players and professional instruction
• Active social scenes welcoming players of all skill levels

Whether you live in Florida year-round or are just visiting, the state provides endless options for finding pickleball games, leagues, lessons, and tournaments. The sport’s accessibility and popularity here make it easy to get your pickleball fix.

Where is Pickleball Most Popular in Florida?

Certain regions of Florida have gained reputations as pickleball hotspots thanks to their top-notch facilities, high concentration of courts, and enthusiastic local communities. Here are some of the most pickleball-crazed areas in the state:

Naples/Marco Island

The Naples metro on Florida’s Gulf Coast boasts the highest concentration of pickleball facilities in Florida and has been dubbed the “Pickleball Capital of the World.” Prime destinations like East Naples Community Park, North Collier Regional Park, and Naples Tennis Club offer hundreds of dedicated courts.

Fort Myers

Fort Myers has become Southwest Florida’s second pickleball mecca just north of Naples. Top places to play include Fort Myers Pickleball Center, Cypress Lake Park, and Lakes Regional Park. Instruction, socials, and tournaments abound in the area.

The Villages

A sprawling retirement community, The Villages, is a central pickleball hub with over 100 courts throughout the complex. Florida’s largest senior living community provides endless opportunities for pickleball among its very active residents.

Sarasota

Sarasota offers a vast pickleball scene on Florida’s west coast, with premiere spots like the Longwood Run Pickleball Club and the Coral Creek Community Center. The area hosts several annual pickleball festivals.

Palm Coast

Situated between Daytona and St. Augustine, Palm Coast has nine dedicated pickleball facilities with courts to serve its 50+ pickleball clubs. The Flagler County area has made itself into a top pickleball destination.

Is Pickleball Popular in Florida?

Pickleball’s popularity has exploded in Florida, with playing numbers growing exponentially in recent years. By the numbers:

• Over 550 pickleball locations across Florida as of 2022
• Approximately 20,000 pickleball players are currently in The Villages complex
• USA Pickleball Association counts 29,659 members in Florida, its highest membership of any state
• 492 upcoming Florida pickleball tournaments listed for 2023 on PickleballTournaments.com
• 70+ pickleball courts planned for 2023 at Deer Creek country club community in St. Cloud

It’s clear pickleball has a massive presence across the state, with new players and courts being added continually. Thanks to its massive community of enthusiasts, Florida is the undisputed pickleball capital of the East Coast.

Where Do Most People Play Pickleball?

From extensive multi-court facilities to small community parks, Florida offers pickleball courts to meet every player’s needs. Here are some of the most popular places people are hitting the pickleball courts:

Local Parks and Community Centers

Public parks, big and small, have started designating pickleball courts to meet local demand. Places like the Venice Community Center, Englewood Sports Complex, and Delray Beach Tennis Center offer public access and regular play.

Dedicated Pickleball Facilities

Specialized indoor and outdoor pickleball centers have popped up to cater to the sport’s rising popularity. Prime facilities include the Naples Pickleball Center, Palm Coast Pickleball Center, and SRC Pickleball in Dunedin.

Tennis Facilities

Many former tennis clubs and centers now include dedicated pickleball courts and programming, like the Honore Tennis Club in Sarasota and Midtown Athletic Club in West Palm Beach.

Retirement Communities

Active 55+ living complexes have significantly driven Florida’s pickleball growth. Places like The Villages, Solivita in Kissimmee, and Polo Trace in Wellington buzz with pickleball activity daily.

Resorts & Vacation Destinations

Resorts across Florida now tout pickleball as an amenity for guests, with places like Hawks Cay Resort, Mission Inn Resort, and Hammock Beach Resort offering lessons and organized play.

With endless places to chase the pickleball bug, it’s easy to find courts that fit your locale, skill level, and budget.

What State is the Biggest for Pickleball?

While pockets of pickleball popularity have sprouted up nationwide, Florida remains the sport’s epicenter thanks to its massive community of places to play and dedicated participants.

Some key facts that support Florida’s pickleball domination:

• Over 9% of the USA Pickleball Association’s 400,000+ members are in Florida – more than double any other state.
• At least 577 pickleball facilities operate in Florida (Places2PlayPickleball.com). California is next at 398 locations.
• Naples, FL, is home to the largest dedicated pickleball facility in the world, East Naples Community Park.
• 4 of the top 10 largest pickleball tournaments are held in Florida (Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships, human family Sarasota Open, APP Naples Pickleball Open)
• The Villages near Orlando has been coined “Ground Zero” for pickleball’s rise, with thousands of senior residents playing daily.

While pickleball’s reach continues to expand coast-to-coast, Florida remains pickleball central with an unmatched community of places to play and dedicated enthusiasts helping drive the sport’s incredible growth.

Best Pickleball Communities in Florida

Here is a spotlight on some of the top master-planned communities offering vibrant pickleball scenes across Florida:

The Villages

Retirement community juggernaut The Villages is synonymous with pickleball, with over 4,000 residential pickleball courts across its massive footprint between Ocala and Orlando. Daily organized play, socials, mixers, and tournaments fuel the passion.

Solivita (Kissimmee)

Centrally located near Orlando, Solivita is a bustling over-55 community with dozens of pickleball courts and an 800-member club hosting events and socials.

Polo Trace (Wellington)

Polo Trace has a huge pickleball presence in the West Palm Beach area, with 20 dedicated courts, pro instruction, competitive teams, and plenty of community-wide tournaments.

Pelican Landing (Bonita Springs)

South of Fort Myers, Pelican Landing offers 39 pickleball courts available exclusively to its 5,000 residents. Its 14 pickleball clubs fuel friendly rivalries and social play.

Valencia Lakes (Boynton Beach)

In south Palm Beach County, Valencia Lakes is a dedicated pickleball community with 24 courts, organized play seven days a week, and resident talent levels from beginner to 5.0 skill levels.

With amenities catering to pickleball diehards, these communities offer built-in opportunities for matches, lessons, and camaraderie.

East Naples Pickleball Center

Founded in 2016, the East Naples Community Park Pickleball Center in Naples has quickly become a premier destination for pickleball. Some key features:

• With 88 dedicated pickleball courts, it is the largest pickleball facility in the world
• Courts are configured in a unique circular shape around a central clubhouse
• Provides lessons, camps, league play, tournaments, and social events for all levels
• Hosts high-level competitions like the annual Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships
• Also offers bocce ball, shuffleboard, a fitness trail, meeting rooms, and a pro shop

Centrally located in Naples, the park offers an unmatched infrastructure for supporting Southwest Florida’s massive pickleball community and high-level competitive play.

Where is Pickleball Most Popular in 2023?

As pickleball’s explosive growth continues, some emerging hotspots are staking their claim alongside long-time pickleball havens like Naples and The Villages. Up-and-coming pickleball destinations to watch in 2023 include:

Lakewood Ranch (Sarasota Area)

This master-planned community north of Sarasota plans to open 50 dedicated pickleball courts in 2023, cementing it as a go-to spot for pickleball in Manatee County.

Delray Beach

With the Delray Beach Tennis Center converting tennis courts to pickleball and a new municipal facility in the works, Delray Beach on the Atlantic Coast is seeing a pickleball surge.

Cape Coral

“Cape Pickleball” now boasts over 130 public pickleball courts after significant additions in 2022, earning it recognition as an emerging pickleball city.

West Villages (North Port)

Mega planned community West Villages announced plans for 90 pickleball courts by 2025, aiming to be a premier destination in south Sarasota County.

Polk County

With the massive pickup community of Sun City Center and other 55+ complexes, Polk County has applied for grants to meet the demand for over 300 new pickleball courts.

The rapid growth of planned pickleball facilities shows the sport has plenty of room for expansion even in already pickleball-rich Florida.

Pickleball Courts in Florida

Between public parks, private clubs, communities, and dedicated facilities, Florida offers endless places to enjoy pickleball:

• East Naples Community Park (Naples): 88 courts
• The Villages: over 100 courts
• Pickleball Club at Grand Harbor (Vero Beach): 32 courts
• Valencia Bonita (Naples): 24 courts
• Pelican Landing (Bonita Springs): 39 courts
• Palm Coast Pickleball Center (Palm Coast): 20 indoor courts
• Solivita (Kissimmee): 24 courts
• Cape Coral: over 130 public courts
• Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club: 8 courts

And these are just a sampling of the places across Florida providing infrastructure to meet the needs of thousands of eager players. New pickleball locations continue opening as the sport’s popularity grows.

Pickleball Tournaments in Florida

From regional events to national championships, Florida offers a full slate of competitive pickleball tournaments for enthusiasts to test their skills:

• Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships (Naples – April)
• APP Naples Pickleball Open (Naples – June)
• Pickleball Rocks St. Pete Beach (St. Pete Beach – November)
• Cedar Hammock Pickleball Shootout (Naples – October)
• Florida Gulf Coast Senior Fest (Fort Myers – January)
• The Villages Pickleball Club Sweet 16 Tournament (The Villages – December)
• Florida State Senior Olympics (Clearwater – December)
• Cape Coral Pickleball Club Championships (Cape Coral – March)
• Space Coast Senior Games (Palm Bay – February)

Top players come from across the U.S. and Canada to participate in Florida’s competitive pickleball scene. The state’s temperate weather and concentration of world-class facilities make it an ideal host for major tournaments.

Indoor Pickleball in Florida

Serious pickleball players and those looking to stay extraordinary love Florida’s large number of indoor pickleball facilities:

• Palm Coast Pickleball Center – 20 climate-controlled courts in Palm Coast
• Champions Club at Julington Creek – 10 indoor courts in Jacksonville
• Daytona Beach Pickleball Center – 8 indoor courts in Daytona Beach
• Oviedo Sports Complex – 8 covered, air-conditioned courts in Oviedo
• North Collier Regional Park – 6 indoor courts in Naples
• Coconut Cove Recreation Center – 4 indoor courts in Boca Raton
• Jewett Orthopaedic Clinic – 4 indoor courts in Winter Haven
• Ellenton Indoor Sports Complex – 4 climate-controlled courts in Ellenton

Indoor facilities allow play year-round, protected from the elements and heat. Places focused on competitive play often utilize indoor courts to run leagues and tournaments.

Largest Pickleball Facility in Florida

With its whopping 88 dedicated courts, the East Naples Community Park Pickleball Center in Naples holds the title as the largest pickleball-specific facility in Florida and the world.

The $6.3 million complex, funded by Collier County and private donors, opened in 2016 in response to soaring local demand. Since then, it has become a premier destination for thousands of players at all levels, in addition to hosting major tournaments like the Margaritaville National Championships.

Other massive pickleball venues in Florida include:

• National Croquet Club (West Palm Beach) – 69 pickleball courts
• The Villages (Sumter County) – over 100 total courts

As popularity booms, more communities build large-scale infrastructure to serve Florida’s passionate pickleball participants.

Best Places to Play Pickleball in the U.S.

While Florida undoubtedly leads the nation, other states are making their mark in the pickleball world as well:

• Arizona – With its abundance of retirement communities, Sun Cities like Surprise and Sun City Grand outside Phoenix have huge pickleball followings. Tucson and Sedona also boast top places to play.
• California – Pickleball hotspots in California include Indian Wells, Palm Springs, Seal Beach, and Rancho Sante Fe. The state now has nearly 400 dedicated facilities.
• North Carolina – North Carolina’s temperate climate, mountains, and fast-growing retiree population have fueled significant growth centered around communities like Hendersonville.
• Ohio – Dublin, Ohio, is home to the Pickleball National Championships. The Midwest Sports Complex in Aurora also hosts significant tournaments.
• Utah – Pickleball is Utah’s fastest-growing sport, with popular places to play in St. George, Salt Lake City, and surrounding recreation centers.

Yet even as pockets emerge nationwide, Florida still dominates as the capital of American pickleball thanks to its massive community of places to play and players.

Florida Pickleball Tournaments 2023

The tournament season kicks off in January across Florida. Here are some of the significant Florida tournaments scheduled for 2023:

• The Villages Sweet 16 (January – The Villages)
• Florida Senior State Championships (February – Fort Lauderdale)
• Marco Island Open (March – Marco Island)
• Annual Mixed Doubles Madness (May – Palm Coast)
• APP Tour Naples Open (June – Naples)
• Florida Gulf Coast Senior Fest (December – Fort Myers)
• Cedar Hammock Senior Games (October – Naples)
• Cape Coral Pickleball Club Championships (March – Cape Coral)
• Palm Coast Senior Games (February – Palm Coast)
• Pickleball Rocks St. Pete Beach (November – St. Pete Beach)
• Space Coast Senior Games (February – Palm Bay)

Top players will compete for medals and cash prizes at these Floridian tournaments in 2023. Active adults and casual players can also find beginner and social games throughout the year.

Naples Pickleball Center

Opened in 2021, the Naples Pickleball Center provides a state-of-the-art dedicated facility to match the enthusiasm of Naples’ flourishing pickleball community. Details include:

• Open daily with annual memberships available
• 16 outdoor pickleball courts with lighting for evening play
• Pro shop and private lessons available
• Social round robins, ladder leagues, and bootcamp classes
• Accommodates players across all skill levels
• Hosts challenge matches, mixers, and tournaments
• Clinics, private lessons, and instructional camps

Centrally located just off Highway 41, the Naples Pickleball Center offers the area’s core group of pickleball devotees a place to gather and enjoy friendly matches in a social atmosphere. The first-class facility provides the infrastructure to support Naples’ standing as America’s pickleball epicentre.

Places to Play Pickleball in Clearwater, Florida

Here are some top-rated places to play pickleball in Clearwater and the surrounding Pinellas County area:

• Long Center: 10 dedicated outdoor courts near downtown Clearwater. Hosts league nights, lessons, and socials.
• Sand Key Park – 8 pickleball courts beside the Gulf of Mexico in Clearwater Beach. Scenic spot for sunrise play.
• Safety Harbor Marina and City Park: 6 pickleball courts in Safety Harbor on Tampa Bay. Offers lessons.
• Spectrum Field – 10 pickleball courts at the Philadelphia Phillies spring training complex in Clearwater.
• Dunedin Community Centre: 8 public pickleball courts downtown Dunedin.
• Sawgrass Lake Park is a 6-court pickleball facility in St. Petersburg offering lessons and league play.
• Gulfport Recreation Centre: Six public pickleball courts in Gulfport are available on a walk-up basis.

With plentiful places to play indoors and along the water, the Clearwater area provides a picturesque backdrop for enjoying Florida pickleball.

Key Takeaways – Best Places for Pickleball in Florida

• With hundreds of locations and thousands of courts, Florida offers endless pickleball opportunities for casual play, instruction, and competition.

• Major hotspots are concentrated around Naples, Fort Myers, Palm Coast, The Villages, and Sarasota, where facilities abound.
• Public parks, private clubs, recreation centers, tennis facilities, and 55+ communities accommodate Florida’s booming pickleball interest.
• Naples is home to premiere destinations like the East Naples Pickleball Center, the world’s largest dedicated facility with 88 courts.

Conclusion: Top Places for Play Pickleball in Florida

Florida is the best place to play pickleball in the United States. The weather is nice and warm all year. Many retired people live in Florida. There are also a lot of excellent places to play pickleball.

From The Villages to Naples to Palm Coast, Florida has more pickleball courts and areas to play than any other state. In Florida, you can play pickleball just for fun or in big tournaments. Florida is the best if you are starting to learn pickleball or already play all the time.

More pickleball courts and excited players are coming to Florida every day. Florida will likely remain the pickleball capital of America.

FAQs

Q: Where in Florida has the largest concentration of pickleball courts?

Naples and the surrounding Collier County area, have massive facilities like East Naples Community Park, which boasts 88 courts.

Q: What is the largest pickleball-specific facility in Florida?

The East Naples Community Park Pickleball Center, spans over 40 acres with 88 dedicated courts.

Q: In which region of Florida is pickleball most popular?

Southwest Florida, especially between Naples and Fort Myers, where communities have embraced pickleball in a major way.

Q: What Florida retirement community is known as a pickleball haven?

The Villages, with over 100 pickleball courts throughout its massive footprint near Orlando.

Q: What city hosts the biggest annual pickleball tournament in Florida?

Naples, which hosts the Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships every April.