Pickleball Vacations Travel Boom: Pickleball is quickly becoming a major reason for travel, as players of all ages are booking special trips to play the sport. With over 19.8 million Americans joining in 2025, the game has grown more popular than soccer and baseball, leading to a boom in pickleball vacations across the country and abroad.
A Sport for Everyone
Pickleball was created in 1965 and combines tennis and ping-pong. Players use paddles to hit a plastic ball over a net on a court the size of a badminton court. The Sport and Fitness Industry Association reported that participation has tripled since 2022.
Karen Schott, the director of racquet sports at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, has seen how the game draws in people of all ages. “At first, tennis players scoffed at the name ‘pickleball’ and [the] idea of playing a game with a wiffle ball,” Karen Schott said. “That was, until these scoffers tried it.”
She added that it is easier to learn and more social than tennis. “Just listen to an average doubles game of tennis compared to pickleball,” Karen Schott said. “The laughter alone is telling.”
How Pickleball Vacations Work
Many players now plan trips focused only on pickleball. Some drive to courts nearby, while others travel around the U.S. or fly overseas.
Gary Zins, a certified pickleball coach, launched Pickleball Travel in 2022 after friends asked for advice. “When I travel, I also like to play pickleball, and so I figured others would too,” Gary Zins said.
Julie Ostergren and her group of 30 women enjoy trips through his agency. “We like the all-inclusive [trips] because… people know how much it [costs],” Julie Ostergren said. “And we’ve had so much fun.”
Pickleball and Dining Combine
As more courts open, new “eatertainment” venues have appeared. These mix food and pickleball to create social spaces.
After a 2022 game, Colorado restaurateurs Justin Riley and Giovanni Leone developed the idea for Moodswing with Colton Cartwright. The 43,000-square-foot spot will open in Denver in July 2025.
“You’re able to go out on a Saturday with another couple… hit the ball around, sweat a little bit, be out in the sun and still have kind of full conversations,” Giovanni Leone said. “So I think it just checks a lot of boxes in that regard.”
Outdoor Adventures
Camping sites are adding courts to attract guests. Stacey Campbell, director of campground design services at Kampgrounds of America, said it’s a key part of the camping experience. “As interest in pickleball continues to surge and drive consumer demand, we are actively adding courts to our campgrounds to enhance the camping experience,” Stacey Campbell said. “The response has been overwhelmingly positive.”
Tour companies are also creating pickleball adventures. Allan Wright of Zephyr Adventures started Arizona Pickleball Adventure in Prescott. “Our whole theme is that, as an active tour operator, we’re not just running pickleball tours,” Allan Wright said. “We’re running pickleball adventures that include other activities.”
Luxury Travel Choices
Travelers can even play pickleball on cruises with Holland America or AmaWaterways. At all-inclusive resorts like Club Med Ixtapa and Club Med Turkoise, players enjoy dozens of courts in warm weather.
Carolyne Doyon, CEO of Club Med North America and the Caribbean, explained how popular the sport has become.
Damien Sejourne, Club Med’s AVP of product and services, said, “The response has been incredible, with an 11% increase in the number of hosted pickleball groups so far in 2025, compared to the total number hosted in 2024.”
Carolyne Doyon added, “Pickleball has quickly become a cornerstone of the Club Med experience and a reflection of how we stay closely attuned to our guests’ preferences.”
With courts popping up everywhere, pickleball vacations are shaping how people travel, play, and relax together.
News in Brief: Pickleball Vacations Travel Boom
Pickleball is driving a surge in travel as people plan trips to play. From cruises to campsites and resorts, players of all ages are joining the fun. New venues, clubs, and tours show that pickleball vacations are here to stay and growing every year.
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