Florida is fast becoming the pickleball center of the United States. In the Sunshine State, some of the best pickleball courts are in Miami-Dade County.

In recent years, the game has become very popular very fast in Miami-Dade, in some part because Naples, the city with the most pickleball courts in Florida, is in close proximity. Although there aren’t many dedicated spaces for pickleball in Miami-Dade, the popularity of the game has encouraged many clubs and associations to create shared spaces for the game.

The best pickleball courts in Miami-Dade County can be found in Backhand City, Scott Rakow Youth Center, Miccosukee Golf & Country Club, Everglade Holiday Park, Pembroke Pines YMCA Family Center, Haulover Park, Salvadore Park Tennis Center, and Saga Bay Park.

Pickleball is a game that is a mix of tennis, table tennis, and badminton.  For people who like playing net games, this game is an instant hit. In this guide, I can help you find out some of the great places where you can book pickleball courts and play with other pickleball fans.

As a lover of pickleball, I have cruised many hours around the district to find places which offer amenities for pickleball,  whether shared or dedicated. In addition, I have also looked at various customer reviews on sites like Yelp to see which places offer the best pickleball experiences.

Where Can You Play Pickleball in Miami-Dade?

It is quite ironic that there is a bit of a shortage of exclusive courts when it comes to playing pickleball in Miami. However, the county does have a lot of tennis and badminton courts which are now fast becoming shared spaces for playing other net games as well like pickleball.

As more and more people start showing their interests in the games, clubs and youth centers are also opening up new pickleball courts. In fact, several have been announced in 2022, some of which have already become open to the public while the rest are expected to open in the summer of this year, or later.

Let’s take a look at some of the best pickleball courts in Miami-Dade County.

Backhand City

One of the best places to play pickleball in MIami-Dade is Backhand City. The sports center is owned by Brian Lutz who offers personal training on pickleball, tennis, and other net sports and is considered to be one of the finest coaches in Florida.

At Backhand City, you can enjoy both one-on-one and group training with the best instructors in pickleball as well as other competitive games, which is great fun. The sports club offers various programs for novice, intermediate, and advanced players and includes group instructions and competitive tournaments as well as participates in social events throughout Miami.

Players who are interested in pickleball can register online to book a court. The club also offers a newsletter which allows you to keep up with news on tennis, pickleball, and other net games in Miami.

Scott Rakow Youth Center

Scott Rakow Youth Center is located west of PIne Tree Drive and south of the JUlia Tuttle Causeway in Miami Beach. The youth center offers all facilities and amenities for family fun at a low price.

The youth center is built in honor of Scott Rakow, a local police officer who gave up his life in the line of duty in 1988. The facility is made in memory of him and offers lots of opportunities for outdoor games, including pickleball.

The youth center consists of indoor basketball courts, which can be used as a shared space for playing pickleball. Aside from net games courts, it also has a large outdoor swimming pool, an ice skating rink, six bowling lanes, a gymnasium, and a playground.

Aside from sports, you can also use its arts and crafts center, fitness center, music room, media room, and a computer lab. As you can see, it has got it all, which makes it one of the most preferred places for people who want to enjoy other activities along with pickleball.

The youth center also offers several sports classes for kids and adults alike including swimming, ice skating, hockey, sports league, and a whole lot more. It also has a gaming room with three table tennis tables, a foosball table, and four pool tables.

The best part is that the youth center is free for residents. For non-residents, the Scott Rakow Youth Center charges $10 for half a day and $20 for a full day of activities, which is very light on the pockets.

If you are interested in playing pickleball at the youth center, you can schedule a court between 8:30 am and 8:30 pm from Monday to Friday, and between 9:30 am to 5:am on weekends.

Miccosukee Golf & Country Club

The Miccosukee Golf & Country CLub has the distinction of hosting the first ever pickleball tournament in Miami. The center is located in the peaceful and quiet neighborhood of Kendale Lake.

The club has hosted many Professional Golfers' Association and Ladies Professional Golfers’ Association events. However, golf is not the only thing that you can enjoy at this beautiful country club. If you are a member, you can have access to 12 tennis courts which you can book to play pickleball. The facility is open from 7:00 am to 8:30 am every day.

If you get tired from playing pickleball all day, you can also enjoy the Olympic-size swimming pool and banquet which can accommodate up to 500 people. As a guest, you can also enjoy delicious meals at the club’s dining facilities. In addition, you can also visit the golf  shop to buy sporting equipment, balls, merchandise, and apparel.

Pembroke Pines YMCA Family Center

Pembroke Pines YMCA Family Center opened in 2010 and is a great place for the entire community to come together, connect, play their favorite sports, and explore and discover new things.

The youth center is focused on health and fitness, including youth development and exercise, and offers lots of facilities for recreational family activities like handball and racquet ball court which many people use to play pickleball.

The family center offers a lot of fun for the whole family, including team sports and classes that explore art and music. Aside from shared racquet courts which allow you to play pickleball, it also offers wall climbing, an aerobics center, a fitness center, a multi-purpose gym, an outdoor field and running track, a pool, teen center, and a weight room.

If you are interested in playing pickleball at Pembroke Pines YMCA Family Center, you can schedule a time at a court anywhere between 5: am to 10:00 pm on Monday to Friday, and 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Haulover Park

Haulover Park is located north of Bel Harbor Village in Miami Beach on a 1.5 mile stretch of beach next to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. The beautiful park is known for its cerulean waters, soft sands, and plenty of picnic spots. However, many pickleball players go there rto play competitive net games as well.

Just this month, the park finished its first set of four courts where you can play pickleball and other net games. Commissioner Sally Heyman of District 4 is also paying for four additional courts to be made at the park bringing the grand total to eight.

Once the courts are completed, the windscreen and fencing will be installed, making it a great place to play pickleball. Aside from this, there is also a tennis center (which also hosts pickleball games), golf course, kite flying area, and a dog park.

The park also offers plenty of parking spaces for guests.

Salvadore Park Tennis Center

Salvadore Park Tennis Center is equipped with 13 lighted clay courts, which visitors use not just for playing tennis, but also for playing pickleball and various other net games. The tennis center also offers tennis and net game coaching as well as opportunities to practice on your own.

People often come to the Salvadore Park Tennis Center to practice their pickleball playing skills on the wall. The tennis center offers four walls, two on each side of the court and the area is gated, so the ball cannot go outside of the court and hit an unsuspecting passerby.

Another big advantage of the Salvadore Park Tennis Center is that the walls are often pretty empty, so there is plenty of space to practice your pickleball skills.

The best clay courts in Miami are pretty pricey. However, another great thing about Salvadore Park Tennis Center is that it offers the use of its court for a cheap price, without compromising the quality. In addition, the location of the center is just a couple of blocks from Granada so it is a nice neighborhood. In addition, there is plenty of parking space at the facility.

If you want to play pickleball at Salvadore Park, you need to pay just $5 per hour if you come before 5 pm and $9 per hour if you come after 5 pm. Pickleball courts can be booked by going online and scheduling any one of the 13 lighted courses for your convenience.

Saga Bay Park

Saga Bay Park is a 5-acre park which is situated in Cutler Bay, Florida. The park is known for its four lighted multipurpose tennis courts which allows visitors to play tennis, pickleball, badminton, and other net sports. Currently, the courts are seeing a rise in pickleball players than any other types of players.

In addition, the park also offers a covered playground, outdoor exercise equipment,paved parking lots, and restrooms. Visitors can also enjoy plenty of open space outside.

If you are looking to play pickleball in a nice neighborhood, then you can schedule a court at Saga Bay Park anytime between 8 am and 5 pm on Monday through Friday, with the exception of holidays.

Which Place has the Most Pickleball Courts in Florida?

Although pickleball is getting very popular in Miami-Dade county, it is far from the place which offers the most opportunities for playing pickleball. The city that holds that distinction is Naples and the East Naples Community Park boasts 64 wonderful pickleball courts.

The facility holds the annual US Open National Championships for pickleball in the months of April and May and brings in over 2000 pickleball players from not just all over the country but from all over the world. The championship finals are broadcasted on CBS Sports Network.

How Big is a Pickleball Court?

A pickleball court has the same size as a doubles badminton court. It is about 44 feet long and 20 feet wide including the court lines. The height of the net is 36 inches at the sidelines and 34 inches in the middle.

Where Can You Play Pickleball?

Like most net games, pickleball does not require complex equipment. All you need is a net, a pedal, and a perforated plastic ball to play the game.

A pickleball court can be set up anywhere, which can be very helpful if you do not have any pickleball courts nearby. It is easy to make a pickleball court on any surface made of asphalt, concrete or something else. You can’t place pickleball on grass and it will stop the ball from bouncing properly.

Most people are able to find enough room in their driveways or a dead end in their neighborhood to set up a court and play the game.

How Much Does it Cost to Install a Pickleball Court in Miami-Dade?

Typically, it can cost anywhere between $15 to $40 per square foot to build a pickleball court. This means an average 30 feet x 60 feet pickleball court will cost around $45,000.

There are also several factors which influence the cost of setting up a pickleball court in Miami-Dade. These include the kind of material the pickleball court is made from, the location and placement of the court, grading and drainage needs, equipment access, how much work needs to be done on the site, zoning restrictions, access to electricity and water, and whether the court will have accessories like windscreen, fencing, shades, and lighting.