“One of the reasons I love pickleball is that the community is very nice,” said Martin Michelsen, 21, a senior at the University of Florida in Gainesville who plays varsity (picckleball is a club sport at many colleges and universities).
In high school, he learned pickleball at a park near his home in Westin, Florida, where local players lent him a paddle. Last spring, her doubles team won an eight-school tournament held at North Carolina State University.
“Everyone starts somewhere,” he said of playing with less-skilled enthusiasts during a recent family vacation in the Dominican Republic. “I would love to be a part of someone’s pickleball journey.”
portable and affordable
According to USA Pickleball, the national governing body for the sport, there are nearly 10,000 pickleball locations across the country. His website, Places2Play, offers a searchable database.
Travelers say that they only need one paddle, since the locals always have balls.
“For ease of portability, it’s a no-brainer,” said Ms. Jacoby, from Chicago, referring to the solid yet lightweight palette. “It’s flat and fits in a tote bag, purse, or backpack.”
“You need court shoes,” said Sue Baker, 75, a retired teacher and travel agent who travels seasonally from her home in Lewes, Del., to destinations like Florida and Arizona, where she brings her gear. “I fell once and broke my wrist.”
Most public court and walk-in sessions are free or inexpensive.
“It’s more accessible than other sports,” said Laura Gainor, 40, a marketing consultant in Ponte Vedra, Florida, who discovered the sport three years ago and founded Pickleball in the Sun, a travel and leisure brand that profiles resorts in pickleball and sells clothing. “You’re not paying to practice like golf.”