Since the invention of the sport in 1975, pickleball has been carving its legacy stealthily into the United States’ recreational sports scene. Since it’s an inclusive sport that’s particularly popular among seniors, finding a good place to play pickleball in Tampa is much easier than you might think.
After experiencing a boom in the last couple of years, it’s now regarded as America’s fastest-growing sport and there’s bound to be a court near you. If you love pickleball as much as I do, I’m sure you’re eager to see what’s available out there so that you can start playing asap.
With more than 38,000 courts available and even more on the way, along with over 8.9 million players over the age of 6 (according to a report by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association), the momentum of pickleball’s popularity doesn’t seem to be nearing its end anytime soon. So let’s dive into where to play pickleball in Tampa – we have some great spots here for you.
Pickleball Locations In and Around Tampa, Florida
Although pickleball has become popular across the United States, it’s especially popular in the Tampa Bay area. The region is home to over 1,000,000 players, which is around 23% of all pickleball players in the United States (making it a sort of Pickleball Mecca).
1. Temple Terrace Family Recreation Complex
Location: 6610 East Whiteway Drive, Temple Terrace
The Terrace Terrace Family Recreation Complex is a popular pickleball spot in Tampa. The complex features 6 wood, clay, and acrylic courts with permanent painted lines. Two of these courts are outdoors and four are indoors.
There are portable nets already available for you to use, which is a big upside because some pickleball facilities make you bring your own. Here, you can get food, lighting for the courts, locker rooms, restrooms, and water.
The indoor pickleball area is available from Monday to Friday from 8 am to 1 pm, as well as from 7 pm to 9 pm on Wednesday evenings. The outdoor pickleball courts are available every day during the complex’s operating hours.
To play here, you need to join as a member. There are daily guest memberships, quarterly memberships, and yearly memberships available.
2. HCC Tennis and Pickleball Center
Location: 3901 Tampa Bay Boulevard, Tampa
Another popular outdoor pickleball location in Tampa is the HCC Tennis and Pickleball Center.
This location comes with a total of 8 hard and concrete courts. These courts come with permanent lines and built-in nets.
The center comes with lighting for courts, restrooms, and water. A center membership gives you access to the courts, and you can reserve them for times that suit you.
3. Northdale Park and Recreation Center
Location: 15550 Spring Pine Drive, Tampa
Northdale Park is a fairly popular pickleball spot that can be found on the northern side of Tampa. The facility comes with 7 hard courts, 2 of which are outdoors while 5 are indoors.
The lines on the court are permanent, but you need to bring your own net. Water and restrooms are available.
The park has other activities like badminton, tennis, basketball, and volleyball, but is most widely known for being a pickleball location. You can reserve the courts, and they are free to use as well.
The courts are available Mondays to Fridays from 9 am to 9 pm. On Saturdays and Sundays, the courts are available from 9 am to 6 pm.
4. Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park
Location: 1001 North Boulevard Park, Tampa
The Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park is located on the northern side of the University of Tampa and is situated near the Hillsborough River. Despite its size, this location only has 2 pickleball courts, so it might not draw as many people as some of the others from our list.
Still, it’s a lovely location, sometimes the quiet is good if you’re looking to get in a casual game or two.
The 2 pickleball courts here are permanent, with built-in nets and a hard surface. The courts are outdoors and they are free to use. Reservations are available.
5. Cuscaden Park
Location: 2900 North 15th Street, Tampa
Cuscaden Park is a nice little outdoor pickleball spot. The park is completely outdoors, with 6 hard pickleball courts with ample space between them. The courts are permanently lined and come with nets already built-in.
The courts are appropriately lit for playing in the afternoon or evening. The operating hours are from sunrise to sunset on weekdays and weekends. The park also hosts open play for seniors on Wednesdays from 9 am to 11 am.
6. Emanuel P. Johnson Recreation Center
Location: 5855 South 78th Street, Tampa
The Emanuel P. Johnson Recreation Center is a popular indoor pickleball location. There are hard indoor courts with permanent lines and portable nets available for use. Since the courts are inside, there’s always ample lighting.
Using the indoor courts costs around $10 a month plus taxes, and you can make reservations so they’re convenient for you.
7. Oldsmar Pickleball Courts At Bicentennial Park
Location: 423 Lafayette Boulevard, Oldsmar
The outdoor pickleball courts at Bicentennial Park in Oldsmar are fairly popular. The park has 3 courts with designated lighting for each. The hard courts are permanently lined and come with built-in nets.
The outdoor pickleball courts are free to use and reserve during Bicentennial Park operating hours, which are from dawn to 10 pm.
8. Kelly Recreation Complex
Location: 404 Imperial Boulevard, Lakeland
Kelly Recreation Complex is a pickleball location in Lakeland with plenty of courts. There are 12 pickleball courts in total: 8 of which are outdoors and 4 are indoors. The outdoor courts are found on tennis courts and are set up according to the number of players.
They don’t provide you with nets for pickleball, so you have to bring your own. The outdoor pickleball courts are lit and the facility is wheelchair friendly making it inclusive for pretty much everyone. The outdoor courts are free to use.
The Future of Pickleball in Tampa
The Tampa Parks and Recreation Department is set to add 26 more pickleball courts in the coming months. While you look forward to that, you can try the facilities and parks we have listed here if any of them are near to you. Have fun!