What’s the fastest growing sport in the United States? It’s not football, baseball, or soccer; it’s pickleball.
Long a popular pastime in elementary and middle school gyms, pickleball was invented in 1965 in the Pacific Northwest. Broadly speaking, the sport blends elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis; it is played on a tennis-like court, with paddles and perforated plastic balls—and in recent years has earned acclaim for its low barrier of entry, easily understood rules and slow pace that invites camaraderie among players.
Resorts, gyms and athletic clubs around Bend and across Central Oregon have gotten in on the fun and today host outdoor courts with Cascade peak views, state-of-the-art indoor courts, competitive leagues and popular tournaments. In fact, these are some of the region’s most popular courts:
Table of Contents
Ready to start playing? Here’s a look at where to play pickleball in Bend, Oregon.
Widgi Creek Pickleball Courts
For years, Widgi Creek has been known for its golf course—where players enjoy compact holes with tight fairways and graceful greens. But these days, the course’s hottest new attractions are the Widgi Creek Pickleball Courts.
The forested golf club, just a 15-minute drive southwest of downtown Bend, hosts 10 indoor courts that welcome “picklers” (as avid pickleball fans are known) all year long. The courts are finished with a durable, outdoor-friendly surface and host a mixture of open-play sessions, lessons (led by a professional pickleball player), clinics and other fun events. When you need a break between rounds, the club’s lounge area hosts shuffleboard, table tennis, corn hole and a high-definition television.
The court is free for two hours for Widgi Creek members and $17 for guests of members—or $18 per person for non-members.
Pine Nursery Outdoor Pickleball Courts
Pine Nursery Park sits on Bend’s eastside, not far from where the city butts up against the sagebrush and juniper trees of Central Oregon’s sweeping high desert. The Bend park hosts sandy volleyball courts, an all-abilities playground, disc golf course, and—of course—16 pickleball courts that are free to play.
So popular are the open-air courts at Pine Nursery Park Pickleball Complex, many are routinely reserved during the day, all year long, for members of Bend Pickleball Club. That said, four courts are always open to the public—except during tournaments—and are separated by fences to ensure stray balls don’t interrupt neighboring games.
Pickleball is just one of several popular activities around the largest city in Central Oregon. Visit Bend for more ideas on making the most of your trip.
Pickleball Zone Bend
As pickleball’s popularity has grown around Central Oregon in recent years, so has the need for indoor courts where players can practice all year long.
For roughly five years and counting, the four-story Pickleball Zone Bend has served picklers with state-of-the-art facilities at the northeastern edge of Bend. The club’s high-level amenities include eight courts (crafted with a cushiony surface to reduce the impact on players’ bodies), an indoor-outdoor lounge area that affords views of nearly a dozen Cascade peaks, a pro shop stocked with the latest gear, lessons with experienced teachers and a full calendar that includes time for open-play sessions, tournaments, and mixers.
Rental rates are $40 for one hour and $72 for two hours of play; more competitive round-robin events and challenge play sessions run $16; private lessons cost $76-84; and clinics cost $22-36 per person.
Broken Top Pickleball Club
At the southwestern corner of Bend, surrounded by a forest of ponderosa pine, sits Broken Top Club—a stylish stop that welcomes visitors with a scenic golf course, tennis courts, outdoor swimming pools, a Pacific Northwest-inspired yoga studio and more. Today, Broken Top Club also hosts eight permanent pickleball courts surrounded by fir and pine trees. Note that a membership is required to play.
Pickleball at Sunriver Resort
For decades, Sunriver Resort has welcomed travelers from all walks of life with several vacation’s worth of attractions—including award-winning golf courses, horseback rides and farm-to-table restaurants.
Its newest activity, naturally, capitalizes on the fast-growing sport with an 18-court indoor-outdoor pickleball complex that will be completed in the fall of 2023. The complex, open to resort guests, comprises 10 outdoor courts made with recycled rubber, eight indoor courts, a curated concession stand and a spacious viewing area. In addition to the open-play sessions, the resort will offer lessons, tournaments and other events—as well as rental gear for newer players. Get more ideas for where to play with our guide to Sunriver’s pickleball scene.
For more inspiration, check out our guide to Things to Do in Central Oregon.
