The Best Places to Play Pickleball in San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas, might not get the recognition that places like Seattle or St. Petersburg get for pickleball, but it truly is among the best cities to live in if you’re a fan of the world’s fastest-growing sport. Whether you’re just getting into pickleball or you’re a seasoned vet, the pickleball San Antonio scene is lively and there are plenty of great places to play. Here are the best that the city has to offer:
FIT High Performance Tennis Academy (302 Zephyr Dr. – San Antonio, TX 78239)
With an eye on helping people get the best out of their racquetball skills, the FIT High Performance Tennis Academy is the top spot for pickleball in San Antonio, as well. FIT has a whopping nine courts that are dedicated entirely to pickleball with LED court lights. You can reserve a court at FIT or drop in for some open play for just $5.
Many pickleball players in San Antonio are signing up for memberships, too, as this top-notch facility offers very reasonable membership prices. It’s just $40 for one person, $50 for a couple, and $60 for an entire family. Private lessons are also available, with some of the best pickleball trainers in Texas.
Fairchild Park (1214 E. Crockett St. – San Antonio, TX 78202)
While there are many public parks that are ideal for pickleball in San Antonio, among the best is Fairchild Park with nine total dedicated pickleball courts, all of which are outdoors. You don’t have to worry about trying to squeeze in a game quickly after work, as Fairchild Park has lightning on the courts and pickleball is open until 8 pm most days. The only exceptions are 8:30 pm on Tuesdays and 3 pm on Saturdays. Fairchild Park also has a pool where you can cool off after a heated game of pickleball.
Chicken N Pickle (5215 UTSA Blvd. – San Antonio, TX 78249)
With six locations around the south-central part of the United States (and many more to come), Chicken N Pickle has become a quick favorite that’s certain to be nationwide soon enough as pickleball continues to grow. This indoor and outdoor facility has a high-end restaurant with jerk chicken, cold beer, and plenty of pickleball courts for casual games.
People of all ages are welcome, and teams meet up at Chicken N Pickle to participate in leagues. Perhaps the best part is that the night owls are able to play pickleball, with hours going until at least 11 pm every night.
Interestingly enough, the founder of Chicken N Pickle (Dave Johnson) was told that his business model would fail almost immediately. Instead, revenues shot through the roof to the point where he was in the green within less than two years.
Hamilton Community Center (10700 Nacogdoches Rd. – San Antonio, TX 78217)
Going back indoors, the Lou Hamilton Community Center offers a lot of different services for the public, and that includes some casual pickleball. The basketball courts are converted into pickleball courts for play, but you have to get in at the right time. Pickleball takes place on Saturdays from 10 am to 1 pm, and Wednesdays from 6 pm to 9pm. Pickleball players can also call ahead to reserve a court outside of those hours.
McFarlin Tennis Center (1503 San Pedro Ave. – San Antonio, TX 78212)
Located at San Pedro Springs Park, the McFarlin Tennis Center is one of the more prestigious tennis locations in San Antonio, with nearly two dozen courts on the grounds. For students and seniors, it costs $3.25 per hour to rent a court before 5 pm and $4.25 per hour afterward.
Adults can expect to pay a bit more at $6.25/hour before 5 pm and $7.25/hr after. These courts are well-lit so that pickleball can go on until 8 pm Monday through Thursday. On the weekends, though, you have to get in early as public pickleball games close down at 1 pm.
S.A. Factory of Champions (8227 Broadway – San Antonio, TX 78209)
Pretty much any indoor sport that you can think of can be played at the San Antonio Factor of Champions, and the facility is starting to concentrate more on pickleball. Though known mostly for basketball and volleyball, the Factory of Champions is available for pickleball court rentals. A deposit is required to rent the court, though the facility will have to be contacted for availability and prices as they can vary by week.
Oakhaven Park (16400 Parkston Blvd. – San Antonio, TX 78232)
You won’t have to call ahead to start playing at Oakhaven Park, though you may want to arrive early since the courts are open to the public. The only facility that can be reserved here is the softball field, though you’ll have plenty of time to play pickleball at one of the outdoor courts. That’s because the park opens bright and early at 5 am every day and stays open to the public until 11 pm. You can go for a walk to warm up before a court opens up, too, with a half-mile walking trail at the park.
Dafoste Park (210 Da Foste Ave. – San Antonio, TX 78220)
Just like Oakhaven, Dafoste Park is open from 5 am until 11 pm every day and has well-lit courts so that you can play your favorite sport all day. Dafoste Park also offers other recreational facilities including basketball courts, a playground, and walking trails for your non-pickleball playing companions to kill some time.
Collins Garden Park (1425 Nogalitos – San Antonio, TX 78204)
The same hours for the previous two public parks also apply to Collins Garden Park, which is named after Finis Foster Collins. Collins had purchased well over 100 acres, gifting this area to the city to become the park that it is today. Collins Garden has a tennis court that can be used for pickleball, with overhead lights to keep the play going well into the night.
Morgan’s Wonderland Sports (5025 David Edwards Dr. – San Antonio, TX 78233)
If you’re looking for a big dose of positivity and inclusivity for your pickleball sessions, MOrgan’s Wonderland Sports has both in spades. Morgan’s has court rentals available for pickleball, as well as many programs and open play.
Every Friday has pickleball for seniors, as well, with free games taking place from 8 am until 11 am. Service members with a disability are also welcome to participate for free on Friday mornings. On top of pickleball, Morgan’s offers several other sports including football, softball, and basketball to name a few.
Woodlawn Lake Park (1103 Cincinnati Ave. – San Antonio TX 78201)
Woodlawn Lake Park is one of the higher-rated outdoor public park facilities for pickleball in all of San Antonio. The Joe V. Alderete, Jr. Tennis Courts are home to pickleball courts that don’t cost anything to use. The park was developed in the late 19th century, and at the time was 80 acres. While it’s now 30 acres, that’s still a sizeable park to spend the entire day, especially if the pickleball competition gets fierce.
Royalgate Park (5900 Royalgate Dr. – San Antonio, TX 78242)
Another one of San Antonio’s many public parks where it’s advised to get there early since the courts aren’t able to be reserved, Royalgate Park gives pickleball players plenty to do while they’re waiting for the courts to open. Open until 11 pm every day, Royalgate offers a soccer field, playground, a walking trail, and much more. If you want to make a full day of pickleball, bring yourself a cooler and grill up some lunch during the halftime session.
Camargo Park (5738 Castroville – San Antonio, TX 78227)
Founded in 1927, Camargo Park is one of the more popular outdoor gathering places in San Antonio with a large pavilion that can hold over 1,000 people. If you can get enough pickleball players to gather, you can reserve the grounds to sit in the shade and enjoy refreshments and form your own tournament. Unlike some of the other public parks, though, you’ll want to make sure that your pickleball is wrapped up before dark as the courts are not lit.
There are plenty of pickleball spots in San Antonio, and there will be plenty more as the years go on. San Antonio is catching the fever, with players saying that they didn’t anticipate the type of growth in the city, making it a pleasant surprise. In fact, even tennis directors at recreational facilities in San Antonio are having to double up their duties because of pickleball’s growth.
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