Dinker's Delight: A Guide to Outer Banks Pickleball

It has always been around, but hardly ever mentioned. Lately, more and more people are talking about pickleball! The pickleball phenomenon has become increasingly popular over the last couple of years. Did you know the Outer Banks has several places to play pickleball also? The Outer Banks would be a great destination for a pickleball vacation!

Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills/Nags Head

Dare County Parks and Recreation (Northern Beach Location) Indoor/Outdoor Pickleball Schedule
You can always find a group of pickleball players to play with at Dare County Parks and Recreation in Kill Devil Hills. Click here for more information including the schedule of events. Pickleball is open for visitors during certain hours. It is recommended that you contact the Parks & Recreation office at 252.475.5920 for more information.

Dowdy Park
Dowdy Park located in Nags Head has one public pickleball court. Click here for more information.

Outer Banks Family YMCA in Nags Head
The courts inside the Outer Banks Family YMCA are often set up for pickleball. Call (252) 449-8897 for the schedule. Guests can use the YMCA for a minimal fee.

Meekins Field Community Park in Kill Devil Hills - Coming soon!
Along with the splash pad, the park will feature a double picnic shelter with restrooms and a third picnic shelter, a large playground area, an art wall, two newly resurfaced tennis courts with one also fitted for pickleball, a sidewalk/exercise track around the entire facility, fountains, and benches throughout the park as well as new fencing and irrigation. It will also include new and improved parking areas able to play.

Currituck Mainland

Westside Athletic Club
Westside Athletic Club located in Powell’s Point has four outdoor pickleball courts. For a minimal fee, visitors can buy a day or week pass. This facility also has paddles and balls for purchase. Visit the Westside Athletic Club website for more information.

Southern Shores/Duck/Corolla

Corolla Light
If you stay in a rental in the Corolla Light community, you have access to the Corolla Light Resort. This resort includes 2 dual tennis/pickleball courts. Visit the Corolla Light Resort website for more information.

Duck Woods Country Club
Located in Southern Shores broke ground this month on a new pickleball court complex (four courts). The Duck Woods facility will be a state-of-the-art, tournament-sanctioned, lighted court complex that will provide a great playing court surface. Completion is expected before the end of the year. This is a private club thus you must know a member to be able to play.

Pine Island Pickleball in Corolla
The Pine Island Racquet and Fitness Center has two indoor lined pickleball courts and four dedicated outdoor pickleball courts. This facility is open to the public and you can pay to play pickleball. Open play is offered during the summer season, just call ahead to sign up. Visit the Pine Island Racquet and Fitness Center website for more information.

Pickleball is an exciting all-ages sport that combines ping pong, tennis, and badminton on a Tennis Court. A 2022 report from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association called it the fastest-growing sport in America, with 4.8 million players nationwide, a 40 percent increase from 2020. National Geographic, The New York Times, Time Magazine, and other news outlets have recently published articles on the phenomenon. On the Outer Banks, the pickleball phenomenon started about a decade ago with a small number of people playing in a few local facilities. Currently, there are two pickleball tournaments scheduled during the year: one in April and one in late September/early October. Combining a visit to the beautiful Outer Banks with a pickleball vacation sounds like a great idea! 

KEES Vacations on the Outer Banks has over 300 vacation rentals. All of them are close to at least one of the locations mentioned above. Also, for those that might be coming to the pickleball tournaments, find a rental that coincides with those dates. With KEES FlexStay, you do not have to book a whole week. 

Who wouldn’t love to mix a little fun exercise into an already fun-filled vacation on the Outer Banks? Who knows, you might meet other pickleball-ers that become lifelong friends!