It’s no secret that pickleball is on the rise. In 2020, the New York Times dubbed it the “perfect pandemic pastime” after the sport emerged as a responsible way to socialize and stay active during quarantine. And following lockdowns, pickleball’s player count surged from 5 million people in 2021 to 36.5 million by the end of 2022. Like the rest of the country, the Hudson Valley has embraced the beginner-friendly sport as various municipalities have opened pickleball courts across the region. “In the valley, there’s just so many options,” says USA Pickleball ambassador Jayne McLaughlin. “There really are. Town parks, county parks, state parks—they’re all investing.”
Among a multitude of pickleball offerings, McLaughlin highlights four new courts that opened in May at Poughkeepsie’s Quiet Cove Riverfront Park. There, she worked with Dutchess County Parks and the Dutchess County Office for the Aging to offer instructional clinics for new players. “It was really fun,” says McLaughlin. “There were volunteer coaches and instructors for every court, and we’re hoping to expand that this year to other locations. We also partnered with some libraries who have paddles, like Staatsburg and Red Hook.”
One Quiet Cove court is adaptive, with wider margins to make it wheelchair accessible. McLaughlin notes that inclusivity and accessibility have been key factors in pickleball’s widespread popularity, with people picking up the sport across a wide range of age demographics. “Everyone is welcome,” says McLaughlin. “If you’re brand new, show up, and want to play, the response is, ‘Hey, come on.’ We look out for each other. We’ll notice if someone’s missing and ask if they’re okay.”
Pickleball has been especially popular in Kingston. Pickleheads cofounder Brandon Mackie—whose online platform helps pickleball players find courts, games, and groups—noticed it in the data. “We’ve been watching the sport grow like crazy in Kingston,” says Mackie. “Searches for courts grew just over 215 percent from March of last year to December.”
Mackie points out Kingston’s Loughran Park and the YMCA of Kingston & Ulster County as popular hotspots. Both locations have been offering pickleball for years, and their offerings have consistently expanded. Loughran Park saw the construction of five pickleball courts on former orphaned tennis courts years ago. This year, the City of Kingston has plans to remove these courts and install a total of ten new ones: eight exclusively for pickleball and two courts for both pickleball and tennis.
The YMCA, with four courts, introduced pickleball six years ago with floor markings using tape. When both their gyms were renovated in 2020, they added dedicated pickleball lines, and it’s only grown since then. In 2023, the Y provided 2,775 hours of pickleball time, organized two tournaments, and conducted 41 four-lesson sessions for 216 participants.
The passion of pickleball players is clear. “They’re very court protective,” says Kingston YMCA president and CEO Heidi Kirschner. “It’s very funny how they have such strong characteristics. Sometimes we have to remind them that they need to play nice. There are small battles between the basketball players and pickleball players, because pickleball players want access to the gym all the time. If basketball ends at 11 and pickleball starts at 11, the nets come up before the basketball players can finish their point.”
The YMCA players’s need for court time is indicative of one of pickleball’s biggest challenges: a lack of play space. According to InPickleball CEO and Poughkeepsie resident Richard Porter, “The biggest problem for pickleball nationally is courts. The player population is growing like crazy, but the courts are not keeping up. It’s a bigger problem in the northeast because of the weather.”
Hoping to help solve the issue is the Hudson Valley Pickleball and Golf Center in Poughkeepsie. Owners Brian Vigorita, Glen Beram, and Russel Tigges believe that the center (in the old location of the Christmas tree shop) will be the Hudson Valley’s largest facility for pickleball. With an expected opening in early spring, the facility will include 10 indoor pickleball courts and amenities like shock absorbing flooring, golf simulators, and a stadium court for tournaments.
“There aren’t many places in the area that offer indoor play,” says Vigorita. “Playing in the middle of winter, it’s hard to get any court time. There’s also lots of times in the spring, summer, and fall that you want to play indoors—whether it’s cold, hot, raining, or too dark outside. We foresee the place being pretty busy year round. We actually wanted to make it bigger, but we couldn't find the space for it. We know there’s a need for that many courts.”
Vigorita also envisions the center as a space where patrons can eat, drink, and socialize: “We want you to walk into our facility and say, ‘This place is really cool.’ Pickleball was known as the old people’s sport, but now it’s becoming insanely popular with the younger crowd. It’s really taking over.”
Pickleball Courts in the Hudson Valley
Got you paddles and your pals and ready to play pickleball? Here is a round-up of pickleball courts in the Mid-Hudson Valley.
YMCA of Kingston & Ulster County | Kingston
The YMCA of Kingston & Ulster County has 4 public indoor courts: 3 in the main gym, and 1 in the lower gym. They are free to use with a membership, and non-members can play with a $15 day pass. The open gym hours are available on their website.
Loughran Park | Kingston
Loughran Park currently has 5 public outdoor courts with nets. The courts are free to use, and reservations are not available. The park is open from dawn to dusk.
Quiet Cove Riverfront Park | Poughkeepsie
Quiet Cove Riverfront Park has 4 public outdoor pickleball courts, including one adaptive court for wheelchair play. Courts are open daily during park hours (which vary by season) on a first-come, first-served basis.
Hudson Valley Pickleball and Golf Center | Poughkeepsie
Set to open in early spring, the Hudson Valley Pickleball and Golf Center will have 10 indoor pickleball courts, with 1 of these being a larger stadium court. Monthly and annual memberships are available. 1 hour of court time will be $10 per member or $20 per non-member. Members will also receive extra advanced booking time and priority court access.
Spratt Park | Poughkeepsie
Spratt Park has two public outdoor courts with nets. The courts are free to use, and reservations are not available.
Pulaski Park | Poughkeepsie
Pulaski Park has two public outdoor courts with nets. The courts are free to use, and reservations are not available.
Hagantown Park | Poughkeepsie
Hagantown Park has three public outdoor courts with nets. The courts are free to use.
The Pickleball Barn | Brewster
The Pickleball Barn is an all-indoor facility with 6 courts. You can reserve a private court, or join open play sessions that are available weekday mornings, evenings, and weekend mornings and afternoons. 2 hour open play sessions range from $15 to $20 per person and 1 hour private court sessions range from $52 to $72 per person. The barn also offers lessons, clinics, and leagues.
Martz Field Recreation Facility | Wappingers Falls
Martz Field now has 8 public outdoor courts with nets. The courts are free to use, and reservations are not available.
All Sport Health & Fitness | Fishkill
All Sport Health & Fitness has 2 indoor courts and 4 outdoor courts. The gym offers both open play and reservations, with times varying by court and day of the week. The open gym and reservation only hours are available on their website.
Cantine Field | Saugerties
Cantine Field has 4 public outdoor courts with nets, which were put in last year. The courts are free to use, and reservations are not available.
Hasbrouck Park | New Paltz
Hasbrouck Park has 2 public outdoor courts with nets. The courts are free to use, and reservations are not available.
Taconic Sport & Racquet | Hopewell Junction
Taconic Sport & Racquet has 5 indoor courts and 4 outdoor courts. Prices vary for members and non-members.
