Luxury Pickleball Yacht Vacations: Riley Palmer, known as @smileyrileypickleball on Instagram, has launched luxury yacht vacations that combine travel, coaching, and pickleball. After falling in love with pickleball and coaching, Palmer now organizes exclusive trips around the world featuring inflatable courts tied to yachts. Five trips are set for summer 2025.
Palmer’s Pickleball Journey
Palmer’s love for pickleball started during a tough time in her life.
“My pickleball journey began when I got divorced after 21 years and three kids and I needed to find something really healthy and with a healthy community to separate myself from the hard parts of life. So when I went to the pickleball court, the people were awesome and the community was so welcoming and loving that I immediately fell for it like a school crush”-(Riley Palmer).
After finding joy in playing, Palmer became a certified coach.
“I was taking lessons and competing in a lot of tournaments, including the PPA. And I was enjoying teaching people so much that I started mentoring under coaches that I looked up to. I watched training videos and now I have so many students from college kids to empty nesters” -(Riley Palmer).
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A New Venture Mixing Travel and Pickleball
Travel was always a part of Palmer’s life through her mom, a travel agent.
One yacht trip inspired her to blend luxury travel with her love for pickleball.
“I could not believe that you could have a room on a yacht with five-star service, hot tubs, and a one to two ratio staff. I have a video of me pulling together a metal soccer net at a local public park and just dinking back and forth,” -(Riley Palmer).
She worked hard to make the idea real.
“After that, I met with a boat tour operator and created an itinerary, networked, met with hotels, facilitated having temporary courts, and created these really epic exclusive vacations with a good price tag,”-(Riley Palmer).
Keeping Costs Manageable
Palmer wanted to make luxury trips more affordable.
“If you were going to rent a yacht and fill it with your friends, you’re looking at $150,000 plus a week. I basically take on the wholesale – I’m like Costco” -(Riley Palmer).“I take on the responsibility of planning the trip, curating the activities, building the relationships with the locals, facilitating the registration, marketing everything, and then people get to for a price tag of $4,000 starting” -(Riley Palmer).
Unique Experiences Await Travelers
Each trip offers special touches with local food, beautiful views, and plenty of pickleball fun.
“I have so much joy watching people when they first walk onto the boat and it sets in that this is where they will get to hang out for the next week” -(Riley Palmer)
In 2025, Palmer will host five trips to Italy, Croatia, and Greece.
The Future of Pickleball Vacations
Palmer’s new venture shows how pickleball’s popularity is reaching beyond courts.
Her trips give players a chance to combine sport, adventure, and community in stunning locations.
With growing interest, Palmer’s 2025 trips could set the stage for even bigger expansion.
News in Brief: Luxury Pickleball Yacht Vacations
Pickleball coach Riley Palmer has launched luxury yacht vacations that combine travel and pickleball. After falling in love with the sport, Palmer now organizes trips with inflatable courts by the sea. Five vacations to Italy, Croatia, and Greece are planned for summer 2025, offering travelers a unique, active adventure.
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