Ever since modern tennis rose to popularity in 16th century Europe, it has upheld a classy reputation. As the sport gained followers in the United States, it flourished in country clubs where it appealed to the wealthy upper class. In the past few years, tennis has become more accessible as public courts have become more common.
In contrast to the vintage history of tennis, the pickleball craze has only skyrocketed recently. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people were limited to outdoor activities to reduce the spread of disease. Many picked up pickleball and fell in love. In 2023, it was named the fastest growing sport in America for the third year in a row by the Sports & Fitness Industry Organization. If you’re looking for a way to get outside and exercise, both of these racket sports are a great option for all age groups.
Unfortunately, since pickleball has only risen to popularity recently, Arlington County currently does not have any outdoor courts that are specifically dedicated to the sport. Most participants use tennis courts that are striped for pickleball instead, which are a great alternative as the two sports have similar setups.
However, the county intends to address this issue with the Walter Reed Outdoor Pickleball project. It plans to transform the Walter Reed Community Center and Outdoor Park multi-use tennis courts into six pickleball courts. Players already use these tennis courts to play pickleball, but this project will provide them with a dedicated space to enjoy their sport. The county anticipates that it will be completed late this year or early 2026.
As for tennis courts, there is no shortage of options available throughout Arlington County. In fact, there are a total of 84 courts. But with the popularity of the sport, open courts can still be hard to come by on a nice day. There’s nothing worse than pulling up to your favorite court only to find it occupied. To secure your spot and ensure this doesn’t happen, you can reserve courts online up to 24 hours in advance in 60 or 90 minute increments. If you happen to forget to make a reservation or make last minute plans, it’s always a good idea to go to the park with the most amount of courts available, which will increase the chance that one will be open for you.
The park with the most areas to play in Arlington is Bluemont with nine courts. Located just off the Four Mile Run Trail, these courts are highly accessible. They are surrounded by various park attractions such as the baseball fields and disc golf course. The courts feature lighting that allows park users to enjoy tennis at night. There are also benches available for resting or waiting for a court to open up. A bonus is that the Bon Air Park tennis courts are right across the street, next to the lovely rose garden.
With seven tennis courts, Wakefield High School also has a high chance of having an opening. These courts are lit up well for night tennis. As they are right next to the high school and the football stadium, there is a good chance that bathrooms will be available. However, the courts are all lined up directly next to each other with no fences separating them. This may be a nightmare for beginners whose tennis balls are constantly flying into other courts, so you may want to consider this aspect before visiting.
Our school has six tennis courts that are open to the public. Given the convenient location, this is a great option for students looking to get into tennis. Unfortunately, they do not have good lighting, so make sure to arrive with plenty of time until sunset. Another downside is that they are next to a thick patch of woods that makes looking for stray tennis balls difficult, especially for novices who lose a lot of them. One should also note that on the other side, they are next to a collection of dumpsters, which makes for an unpleasant view and smell.
Similarly to our school, Washington-Liberty High School utilizes six tennis courts located near their campus. These courts are a part of Quincy Park, which is close to the Central Library and Ballston. This is a great place to come if you want to grab a book or a bite to eat after your tennis match. These courts have excellent lighting and there are several other park facilities nearby, such as the soccer field and baseball field.
With so many courts available in Arlington County, tennis is a great activity to get some fresh air and make friends. For those who love pickleball, the upcoming Walter Reed Outdoor Pickleball project will provide players with the facilities they need to enjoy their games. All in all, there is no reason not to pick up a racket and some friends to have some fun this spring.
