Public pickleball courts are the lifeblood of pickleball in the United States.

They’re where first-timers fall in love with the game, friendships are built, communities grow and future champions hit their first dinks.

The Kitchen Pickleball Discounts.

Recently we set out to put together a list of the best public courts in the country — places where the vibes are good and you can seemingly always find a quality rec game. We asked experts who have been around the sport for years, as well as players in our Facebook community.

Here are the public courts that came up over and over:

Belknap Park – Grand Rapids, Michigan

Bellknap Park pickleball courts in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Belknap Park is widely known in the pickleball world, as it has hosted the Beer City Open — a large pro and amateur tournament — since 2018.

  • 21 outdoor concrete courts.
  • Permanent lines and permanent nets.
  • Reservations are not available.
  • Courts are free.
  • Amenities: Restrooms, water, wheelchair accessibility and lights.

Cole Park – Dallas, Texas

Cole Park pickleball courts in Dallas, Texas.
  • 6 outdoor hard courts.
  • Located just north of downtown Dallas.
  • Dedicated courts with permanent lines and nets.
  • Lights.
  • Courts are free.
  • Courts cannot be reserved.

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Green Lake Pickleball – Seattle, Washington

Green Lake pickleball courts in Seattle, Washington.

Green Lake Pickleball is one of the most popular places to play pickleball in Seattle, Washington. The courts are located north of downtown Seattle next to — you guessed it — Green Lake.

  • 11 hard courts — 8 outdoor and 3 indoor.
  • Lines are permanent and portable nets are available.
  • The facility is wheelchair accessible.
  • The courts are free.
  • The indoor courts are in a community center and are dependent on schedule.

Holiday Park – Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Holiday Park pickleball courts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
  • 6 outdoor hard courts with permanent lines and nets.
  • Courts are free.
  • Players have access to restrooms, water and lights.
  • Courts cannot be reserved.

Louis Sutter Pickleball Courts – San Francisco, California

Louis Sutter pickleball courts in San Francisco, California.
  • 6 outdoor hard courts.
  • Dedicated courts with permanent lines and nets.
  • Courts are free.
  • Amenities include restrooms, water and wheelchair accessibility.
  • Courts cannot be reserved.

Memorial Park – Los Angeles, California

Memorial Park pickleball courts in Los Angeles, California.

There are two entities that operate at Memorial Park, which is located near the Pacific Coast outside of Los Angeles: The Santa Monica Pickleball Club (SMPC), a non-profit club; and the City of Santa Monica. There is pickleball every day, but the only set schedules are these:

Club Open Play (free): M-F, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
City Drop-In Program (pay-to-play): Monday/Wednesday night, 5-9:30 p.m.; Saturday/Sunday, 8-11 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.-2 p.m.

  • 16 courts.
  • Free to play.
  • No reservations.

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Pan American Park – Austin, Texas

Pan American Park pickleball courts in Austin, Texas.
  • 6 outdoor hard courts.
  • Dedicated courts with permanent lines and nets.
  • Amenities: Lights.
  • Courts are free.
  • Courts cannot be reserved.

Plummer Park – Los Angeles, California

Plummer Park pickleball courts in Los Angeles, California.
  • 5 outdoor hard courts.
  • Permanent lines with portable nets available.
  • A one-time fee is required to play.
  • Amenities: Lights and restrooms.
  • Reservations are available.

Poinsettia Park – Carlsbad, California

Poinsettia Park pickleball courts in Carlsbad, California.
  • 6 outdoor hard courts.
  • Dedicated courts with permanent lines and nets.
  • Players have access to restrooms, water, wheelchair accessibility and lights.
  • Courts are free.

Riverside Park – New York, New York

Riverside Park pickleball courts in New York City.
  • 5 outdoor hard courts.
  • Dedicated courts with permanent lines and nets.
  • Courts are free.
  • Players have access to water.
  • Reservations are not available.

Sawyer Point – Cincinnati, Ohio

Sawyer Point pickleball courts in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Sawyer Point is a huge facility that is very popular among Cincinnati pickleball players.

  • 24 outdoor hard courts.
  • Dedicated courts with permanent lines and nets.
  • Amenities: Restrooms, lights and water.
  • Courts are free.
  • Reservations are not available.

Sunset Park Pickleball Complex – Las Vegas, Nevada

Sunset Park Pickleball Complex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • 24 outdoor hard courts.
  • Dedicated courts with permanent lines and nets.
  • Players have access to lights, restrooms and water.
  • Reservations are available.
  • Courts are free.

Turkey Thicket Rec Center – Washington, D.C.

Turkey Ticket Rec Center pickleball courts in Washington, D.C.
  • 6 hard courts — 4 outdoor, 2 indoor.
  • Dedicated courts with permanent lines and nets.
  • Players have access to restrooms, water and lights.
  • Courts are free.

USOP National Pickleball Center – Naples, Florida

USOP National Pickleball Center in Naples, Florida.

This huge facility is home to the U.S. Open, which is held annually in the spring and draws thousands of players from all over the world.

  • 65 outdoor hard courts.
  • Dedicated courts with permanent lines and nets.
  • A one-time fee is required to play.
  • Facility includes amenities like restrooms, food, a pro shop/equipment store, water and lights.

Willow Park – Park City, Utah

Willow Park pickleball courts in Park City, Utah.

Park City — and Utah in generally — was one of the original pickleball hotspots in the U.S, and Willow Creek Park is one of the most popular places to play in the area.

  • 8 outdoor hard courts.
  • Court lines and nets are permanent.
  • Courts are free.