Pickleball isn’t staying in its lane—or on a traditional court. Around the world, players are setting up games in abandoned malls, on rooftops, on cruise ships, and even in the jungle. From DIY courts to luxury resorts, pickleball has become a sport that shows up wherever people are willing to play.

Pickleball was never meant to stay boxed in. Honestly, if there’s a flat surface and at least two humans holding paddles, someone’s going to suggest, “We could totally play here.” From rooftops to riverboats, pickleball has evolved into a sport that refuses to be limited by walls, rules, or traditional courts. What started as a backyard pastime has turned into a global movement powered by people who look at a space and think, Yeah… that’s playable.

During COVID, Pickleball Players Got Creative with Where They Played

During COVID, just as the pickleball craze was exploding, players weren’t about to let lockdowns take away their joy. With parks and gyms shut down, people got… creative. Driveways turned into regulation-sized courts overnight—sorry neighbors. Basements became practice zones where ceiling balls gained cult status. Living rooms were rearranged like an HGTV before-and-after reveal just to fit a pop-up net between the couch and the coffee table.

Tape replaced permanent lines. Pets became unwilling line judges. And creativity replaced official rules. That era didn’t just keep pickleball alive—it permanently changed how and where the sport could live. Once you’ve played next to a laundry basket, it’s hard to go back.

The Rise of Pickleball in Warehouses, Rooftops, and Beaches

As the world reopened, that same DIY spirit followed players out the door. City rooftops started hosting games with skyline views so good you almost forget you’re working up a sweat. Old warehouses and abandoned malls were reborn as indoor pickleball hubs—finally giving those food courts a second life.

Churches opened their gyms and fellowship halls for weekday rallies and weekend round robins (because nothing brings people together quite like a perfectly placed dink). Beaches saw taped lines and portable nets popping up, with games happening just feet from the water—pickleball with a tan included.

Pickleball Courts Are Now a Reason to Travel

Pickleball has officially become a travel motivator. People aren’t just packing paddles “in case there’s a court nearby,”—they’re picking destinations because of the courts.

Cruise ships now host games on deck, where the ocean breeze doubles as natural air conditioning and losing a ball means it’s gone forever. Luxury resorts are promoting pickleball like it’s their newest spa treatment. Dude ranches are adding courts between horseback rides and bonfires—because nothing says Wild West like a well-timed third-shot drop.

Even airports have joined the madness, turning long layovers into surprise open play. TSA hasn’t commented, but we feel like they get it.

Pickleball courts at Fenway Park in Boston, MA

Stadium Pickleball, Music Festivals, and Celebrity Games

Some of the locations are the ones that sound fake until you see them.

Fenway Park—Fenway!—has hosted pickleball events, paddles replacing bats in a way that should not work, yet absolutely does.

Central Park’s Wollman Rink has been transformed into pickleball courts in the off-season thanks to City Pickle. Music festivals have joined the movement too, with pop-up courts appearing in parking lots and open fields before concerts.

Even country star Dierks Bentley has jumped in, earning the unofficial nickname “Dinks Bentley,” after playing pickleball backstage before taking the stage. Honestly, priorities.

Pickleball in a Manure Tank (You Read That Right)

And then there are the places that perfectly capture pickleball’s blue-collar, grassroots heart.

In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, an empty manure tank has been cleaned, lined, and turned into a fully playable pickleball court.

Yes—you read that right. A manure tank.

An empty manure tank turned pickleball court in Lancaster, PA.

What used to be a farm utility has become a rally zone, proving that this sport doesn’t need luxury—it just needs imagination, an open mind, and a love of play. Honestly, if that isn’t the most pickleball thing ever, I don’t know what is. We’ve officially entered the era where people will look at a structure formally filled with cow poop and say, “Yep… I could run open play in there.”

Playing Pickleball in the Costa Rican Jungle

Some of the most stunning in the world are hiding far from suburbia.

Near Lake Arenal in Costa Rica, players are rallying beneath rainforest canopies with volcano views in the background, surrounded by mist and macaws. It’s quiet, wild, and beautiful—and somehow pickleball feels right at home.

At this point, pickleball would set up shop on the moon if someone packed a portable net.

Why Pickleball Works Anywhere

What makes all of this special isn’t just where people are playing—it’s why.

Pickleball doesn’t demand perfection. It’s not out here asking for pristine country-club courts, leather-bound memberships, or super fancy apparel. It simply asks people to show up, be creative, and play.

Every makeshift court—whether in a driveway, a stadium, or a former farm tank that once housed actual manure—turns into a tiny community center where strangers become partners and rallies turn into friendships.

Honestly, therapy should take notes.

And the best part?

This is only the beginning.
Buckle up—pickleball is just getting weird, and we’re absolutely here for it.

Pickleball Goes Rogue: The Most Unique Places People Are Playing Pickleball