If you’d like to combine a vacation with Pickleball fun and instruction, consider going on a Pickleball tour or trip. You can go to exotic locations in Japan or travel to the beautiful beaches of Mexico. If you want to enjoy a wine tour with your Pickleball then consider a trip to Essen, Düsseldorf, and Heidelberg. If going abroad isn’t an option for you, also check out destination clinics in the United States. These are usually two or three-day events focused on Pickleball at nice resorts. Finally, there are also cruises where Pickleball is offered on deck and in some cases a Pickleball pro provides instruction.
International Destinations on Land
Pickleball Trips offers tours of many destinations with single or double occupancy hotel stays. If you are bringing along someone who does not play Pickleball, there still will be plenty to do and the cost of the trip will be a few hundred dollars less in most cases. You’ll have the opportunity to learn from some well-known pros such as Daniel Moore, Jennifer Lucore, Scott Moore, and Jon Moore. Week-long tours start at $2,000 plus airfare.
A less expensive alternative is in Costa Rica at Puravida House where you will spend $1,250 per person for a week-long pickleball vacation. This option is less of a tour and more of an opportunity to enjoy lots of Pickleball and a beautiful resort. Many 2019 dates are already sold out but if you book soon you may even have a chance to learn from the #1 men’s player Tyson Mcguffin.
Pickleball Vacation Adventures has a 10-day trip to Ecuador in August of 2019. It’s a short 4 hour flight from Florida and you’ll receive instruction from some of the best including #1 Ben Johns, Christine McGrath, and Dekel Bar. This is definitely a tour as you’ll be staying in 4 different 4-star hotels.
Cruises
Holland America now has Pickleball on everyone of its 14 ships including the newest one. Many of the other cruise lines have ships with Pickleball so make sure to check out the amenities if you are booking a cruise. Besides playing Pickleball on ships with courts, you can also attend a Pickleball centered cruise which provides instruction and set playing times with the group. One such offering is from Engage Pickleball on a trip to the Caribbean for seven days. They don’t mention the cruise line but prices start at $789 per person for an inside cabin and $1059 per person for a balcony so the cost is about the same as a normal cruise. Ports of call include the U.S. Virgin Islands, Antigue, and the Bahamas. The cost does include three days of instruction and two days of exhibitions and events. Instructors for Pickleball on the cruise are professionals Robert and Jodi Elliot. They set sail on April 6, 2019 from Miami, Florida.
Another option for a Pickleball centered cruise is on Holland America’s newest ship, Nieuw Statendam. This cruise is to the eastern Caribbean for seven days, leaving from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on March 3, 2019. Ports of call include Turks and Caicos, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and the Bahamas. Clinics and open play are available for six days and conducted by a 2018 National Champion and certified Pickleball instructor.
United States
The list of destination clinics in the U.S. Is long and varies. Most are two or three-day clinics although some are seven day camps. Here is a summary of what is available.
Pickleball Trips not only has trips abroad but also here in the United States. The plan for 2019 is to have two clinics in Colorado Springs, and one each in Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and Portland, Maine. Cost of the clinic is $295-$425 depending on whether it is for two or three days. Professionals Scott and Jon Moore are the instructors.
Engage Pickleball, a paddle manufacturer, also offers destination clinics which include a free paddle. The cost ranges from $120 for a clinic in Villages, Florida to $395 for a two-day clinic for players rated 4.0 or better. The latter is in various locations throughout the United States. Instructors include professionals sponsored by Engage Pickleball such as Catherine Parenteau, Marcin Rozpedski, Corrine Carr, Steve Kennedy, and Brian Staub.
Level Up Pickleball camps are part of Pickleball Magazine, the official publication of the United States of America Pickleball Association. The instructors are some of the top pros in the sport including number one ranked player Tyson McGuffin. The camps are for three days for players who have a skill level of 3.0-4.0 Many of the camps for 2019 are already sold out but spots are still open in places like Austin Texas, Casa Grande Arizona, Orlando Florida, Kansas City Missouri plus many more. The cost of the camps are $495-595 and the instructor to student ratio is 8:1.
For a full list of destination clinics through the world, click here.
To be notified of new destination clinics, you can sign up below.
[mc4wp_form id=”278″]