Where beginners can learn pickleball in Chicagoland
Places that list something for new players: a Pickleball 101 intro class, beginner open-play sessions, lessons or clinics. Every listing here comes from what the venue itself offers.
PickleballChi lists 34 of them in 22 cities.
Check open-play times and prices on each court's page.
Beginner-friendly at a glance
- 34 places to play in Chicagoland
- Spread across 22 cities and towns
- At least 237 courts in total
- 31 with indoor courts
- 6 with a regular open-play schedule
- 6 with dedicated pickleball courts
- 1 with confirmed lights for night play
- All 34 with something for beginners (intro classes, beginner open play, lessons)
Chicago, IL (6)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big City Pickle Fulton Market 170 N Green St | ? | Outdoor | Reservation |
| Big City Pickle Gold Coast 302 W Walton St | 12 | Outdoor | Reservation |
| Big City Pickle Lincoln Yards 1680 N Throop St | 11 | Outdoor | Reservation |
| Lakeshore Sport & Fitness Illinois Center 211 N Stetson Ave | ? | Indoor | Membership |
| Lakeshore Sport & Fitness Lincoln Park 1320 W Fullerton Ave | 13 | Indoor & outdoor | Membership |
| Pickleball Clubhouse 4242 N Elston Ave | ? | Indoor | Membership |
Naperville, IL (4)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naperville Tennis Club 1011 E Benton Ave | 20 | Indoor | Membership |
| Play N Thrive Club Naperville 808 S Route 59, Suite 120 | ? | Indoor | Drop-in fee |
| Sure Shot Pickleball 2244 Corporate Ln, Ste 100 | 11 | Indoor | Drop-in fee |
| The Picklr Naperville 740 IL Route 59 | 9 | Indoor | Membership |
Northbrook, IL (3)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Time North Shore Sport and Racquet 1300 Techny Rd | 28 | Indoor & outdoor | Membership |
| North Suburban YMCA 2705 Techny Rd | 2 | Indoor | Drop-in fee |
| Slate Pickleball Club 569 S Waukegan Rd | 7 | Indoor | Membership |
Elmhurst, IL (2)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Courts Plus 186 S West Ave | ? | Indoor | Drop-in fee |
| Mary E. Kies Recreation Center 155 E St Charles Rd | ? | Indoor | Drop-in fee |
Oak Park, IL (2)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Tennis and Fitness Centre 301 Lake St | 4 | Indoor | Reservation |
| West Cook YMCA 255 S Marion St | ? | Indoor | Membership |
Batavia, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batavia Civic Center 327 W. Wilson St | ? | Indoor | Drop-in fee |
Bolingbrook, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Picklr Bolingbrook 111 S Weber Rd | 11 | Indoor | Membership |
Des Plaines, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ace Pickleball Club Des Plaines 727 W Golf Rd | ? | Indoor | Drop-in fee |
Evanston, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| McGaw YMCA 1000 Grove St | 6 | Indoor | Membership |
Glenview, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickleball4ALL 2105 Johns Ct | 7 | Indoor | Reservation |
Kildeer, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Picklr Kildeer 20393 N Rand Rd | 14 | Indoor | Membership |
Lake Zurich, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Time Lake Zurich 400 N Rand Rd | ? | Indoor | Membership |
Mount Prospect, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Picklr Mount Prospect 211 W Rand Rd | 14 | Indoor | Membership |
Mundelein, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Picklr Mundelein 1555 S Lake St | 8 | Indoor | Membership |
North Aurora, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickleball Kingdom North Aurora 1700 Orchard Gateway Blvd | 13 | Indoor | Drop-in fee |
Vernon Hills, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ace Pickleball Club Vernon Hills 555 E Townline Rd, Unit 1 | ? | Indoor | Membership |
Villa Park, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Picklr Villa Park 260 W North Ave | 8 | Indoor | Membership |
Waukegan, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickleball Kingdom Waukegan 699 Lakehurst Rd | 13 | Indoor | Drop-in fee |
Westmont, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net Game 145 Plaza Dr | 9 | Indoor | Reservation |
Wheaton, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Picklr Wheaton 191 Rice Lake Square | 14 | Indoor | Membership |
Willow Springs, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| TPS Sports+Fitness 8300 Wolf Rd | 3 | Indoor | Drop-in fee |
Woodridge, IL (1)
| Court | Courts | Setting | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athletic Recreation Center (ARC) 8201 S. Janes Avenue | ? | Indoor | Drop-in fee |
Beginner-friendly in Chicagoland: common questions
How many places with something for beginners are there in the Chicago area?
PickleballChi lists 34 places with something for beginners across Chicago and the suburbs: Life Time North Shore Sport and Racquet, Naperville Tennis Club, The Picklr Kildeer and more.
Which Chicago-area cities have the most places with something for beginners?
The most are in Chicago (6), Naperville (4), Northbrook (3), Elmhurst (2), Oak Park (2).
Is learning pickleball free in Chicago?
No, none of the 34 are free; drop-in usually costs $3 to $30 a visit.
Good to know
Open play: Open play is a scheduled session where players show up and rotate into games, usually without needing a partner. Some venues charge a fee or ask you to sign up first.
Drop-in: Drop-in pickleball means paying a small fee for one visit instead of buying a membership.
Court reservation: A court reservation is court time you book ahead, usually by the hour, and share with the players in your group.
Membership: A membership is a monthly or yearly plan at a club that includes court time or open play.
Dedicated courts: Dedicated pickleball courts are built only for pickleball, with permanent nets and lines. Shared courts have pickleball lines painted or taped on a tennis or basketball court.
Lighted courts: Lighted courts are outdoor courts with lights, so you can play after dark.
Pickleball 101: A Pickleball 101 class is an intro session for new players that covers the rules, scoring and basic shots.