The Caribbean Island Where Travelers Are Flocking for Pickleball  

It’s the fastest-growing sport in the world: Pickleball, the paddle sport that is popping up everywhere and winning new fans in the process. That’s led to surging demand for pickleball courts at hotels and resorts. 

But if you’re looking for a pickleball vacation, there’s one island in the Caribbean that’s become arguably the top pickleball hotspot in the hemisphere right now: Antigua. 

The Eastern Caribbean island is home to numerous resorts with impressive pickleball programs, and the experience just keeps getting better. 

It starts at the adults-only Pineapple Beach Club in Antigua, which is the number one pickleball resort in the Caribbean, boasting a whopping six outdoor hard courts, all just a short stroll from one of the island’s best beaches. At Pineapple, pickleball is part of your all-inclusive vacation, with equipment provided on request, courts open every day and the option of playing tennis while you wait for your court. 

With 180 rooms, it’s also the perfect place to plan a group pickleball retreat, another increasingly popular vacation option in the Caribbean: just think about it — you and your pickleball partners headed for the islands with pickleball in the morning and the beach in the afternoon. 

At the 186-room The Verandah Antigua, you get access to four brand-new courts, with a covered seating area, table tennis in the waiting area (a very cool touch, if you ask us). Even better? The four courts here are lit for night play. The Verandah is the newest adults-only hotel in Antigua, with two beaches and a lovely, charming Caribbean feel. Even better? You can cool off after your round in the Wavy Wicket, our favorite new hotel bar in the Caribbean that we adored on our recent stay, a lovely, sports-focused bar with opulent seating and some creative cocktails, too. If you get a chance, try and play a game with the “Pickleball Queen.” Just thank us later.

Then there’s the St James’ Club and Villas, where you find a trio of pickleball courts. Here, the biggest story is the setting: the courts are literally right next to the beach. (You also get table tennis in the waiting area and the courts are lit for night play, too). 

The boutique Hammock Cove resort, one of our favorite luxury hotels in the Caribbean, is famous for its plunge-pool villas (which we loved on our recent stay, along with the crystal kayaks, among other things)— but it’s also home to a pair of high-level courts. In an inclusion we love, you get drink service from your personal ambassador right to the court. 

It all adds up to an unrivaled pickleball offering — and the luxury of choice between the resorts, which are part of the Elite Island Resorts portfolio, a hotel brand that has been at the forefront of the Caribbean pickleball movement for years — long before the sport was as popular as it is today. That means when you stay at one of their hotels, you’re staying somewhere with serious pickleball pedigree.

In many ways, pickleball has been changing Caribbean travel. Before, finding a court in the region was a rare bonus. Today, it’s something travelers are actively seeking out, making it an essential part of their Caribbean vacations.

But they need not look farther than Antigua. 

Are you planning a pickleball getaway in Antigua? You can find flight options at Google Flights here, including fares from Miami from about $684 roundtrip.