NYC has gone all-in on pickleball. CityPickle runs 14 outdoor courts at Wollman Rink in Central Park, Life Time has the city's biggest indoor club above Penn Station, and MLP's regular-season stop and championship finals both land here in 2026.
NYC outdoor pickleball runs April through November in most years. Free public courts shut down or get repurposed for other uses in winter, and even CityPickle at Wollman Rink converts back to ice from October through April. December through March is indoor-only territory and demand at Life Time Penn 1, CityPickle Long Island City, and Life Time DUMBO peaks accordingly. Summer humidity can be brutal in July and August; most regulars play mornings or evenings then.
NYC pickleball is fragmented and that’s the point. With 400+ public courts across five boroughs plus a dozen commercial clubs, no single spot is “the place” the way Sawyer Point is in Cincinnati or East Naples is in Naples. The closest thing to a center of gravity is CityPickle at Wollman Rink in Central Park, where 14 outdoor courts run April through October and the MLP Finals land every August. For the rest of the year, indoor takes over: Life Time Penn 1 has the biggest pure-pickleball footprint in the city with seven courts atop Penn Station, CityPickle Long Island City keeps four climate-controlled courts running year-round, and Life Time DUMBO and Court 16 fill out the Brooklyn indoor scene.
The free public scene rewards local knowledge. McCarren Park in Williamsburg has 10 dedicated outdoor courts (BYO net) and is the busiest free spot in Brooklyn. Marine Park in South Brooklyn, Leif Ericson in Dyker Heights, and John J. Carty in Bay Ridge round out the outer-borough free options. In Manhattan, the four covered courts at Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 2 (technically Brooklyn, but you’ll see them from the FDR) are the scenic standout, and Riverside Park’s five free Upper West Side courts opened in 2023. Most free courts coordinate ad-hoc pickup through the citywide NYC Pickleball Slack, which is the single most useful resource for navigating the scene.
NYC hosts two of the biggest pro events in the country every year. Major League Pickleball runs the regular-season MLP New York stop at Sportime Randall’s Island in late June, then returns to Wollman Rink in late August for the season-ending Championship Weekend. Coming summer 2026, CityPickle opens an 11-court complex under the Brooklyn Bridge at Anchorage Plaza, which will likely become Brooklyn’s signature commercial pickleball destination once it’s running.
This is a working guide to where to play, who runs the leagues, and what’s coming up. If you spot something wrong or out of date, send a note to letsplay@dinkin.app and it lands in our inbox.
CityPickle at Wollman Rink
830 5th Ave, New York, NY 10065
The largest pickleball installation in the Northeast and the most iconic place to play in NYC. 14 dedicated courts inside Central Park's Wollman Rink, open daily 8am to 9pm from April through October. Court reservations $80 to $120 per hour (off-peak/peak); open play $20 to $30 per player; $5 community play slots when available. Hosts the MLP Finals in late August.
McCarren Park
776 Lorimer St, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Williamsburg's pickleball hub, with the largest free public footprint in Brooklyn. 10 outdoor courts with permanent lines, BYO net. First-come first-served, busy mornings and evenings. Active local community.
Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 2
334 Furman St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Four dedicated covered pickleball courts under the Pier 2 shed with views of the Manhattan skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge. Covered, lighted, and free. The most scenic free courts in the city. Squibb Park nearby adds three more taped courts (BYO net).
CityPickle Brooklyn Bridge (Anchorage Plaza)
Old Fulton St & Washington St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
New 60,000-square-foot pickleball complex at the Anchorage Plaza under the Brooklyn Bridge, opening Summer 2026. 11 dedicated seasonal courts plus year-round food trucks, green space, and public programming. Three-year temporary license with NYC Parks.
Marine Park
Avenue U & E 32nd St, Brooklyn, NY 11234
Four dedicated free outdoor courts in South Brooklyn. The Marine Park Pickleball Association (1,000+ members) helped build the courts and runs regular play. Hard to reach by subway but has its own parking lot.
John J. Carty Park
9941 Fort Hamilton Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11209
Four dedicated free outdoor courts in Bay Ridge with permanent lines and nets. Lighted for evening play, restrooms and water on site. First-come first-served.
Leif Ericson Park
8th Ave between 66th & 67th St, Brooklyn, NY 11220
13 free outdoor courts in Dyker Heights, one of Brooklyn's largest free pickleball footprints. Permanent lines, no permit required. Active Leif Ericson Pickleball Club coordinates play.
Riverside Park
Riverside Dr & W 110th St, New York, NY 10025
Five outdoor courts dedicated to pickleball on the Upper West Side, opened July 2023. Permanent lines and nets on asphalt, free, no sign-up. Shaded by oak trees and cooled by Hudson River breezes.
Life Time at Penn 1
250 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001
NYC's largest indoor pickleball club, opened April 2024 atop Penn Station. Seven dedicated indoor courts plus a lounge, bar, and Life Time's full luxury athletic club. Premier membership required; courts reservable for open play, mixers, leagues, and clinics.
CityPickle Long Island City
9-03 44th Rd, Long Island City, NY 11101
NYC's first permanent indoor pickleball club, opened September 2023. Four climate-controlled courts in a 10,000-square-foot facility with 21-foot ceilings, plus a bar, restaurant, and retail shop. Open early morning to evening; rates start at $10 per player per hour.
Life Time DUMBO
168 Front St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Three new dedicated indoor courts in DUMBO, opened late 2025. Premier Life Time membership required. The first dedicated indoor pickleball facility in the heart of Brooklyn's waterfront.
Court 16 City Point
445 Albee Square W, Brooklyn, NY 11201
26,000-square-foot indoor tennis and pickleball club at City Point in Downtown Brooklyn. Seven tennis and pickleball courts shared with strong youth programming. Adult pickleball memberships around $500/year with discounts on court rentals and lessons.
Find a pickleball game in New York.
Post when you're available, send it to friends or anyone nearby, and get a game going. Privacy-first by design.
NYC Pickleball
Website
The unofficial citywide directory of NYC pickleball communities. Maintains the most current guide to free outdoor courts across all five boroughs, with contact info for each neighborhood group. Where to find play if you don't want to pay.
NYC Pickleball Slack
Slack
Citywide Slack group with neighborhood-specific channels (#games_williamsburg, etc.) where regulars coordinate ad-hoc pickup. Linked from the NYC Pickleball site.
Marine Park Pickleball Association
Website
1,000+ member nonprofit that built and maintains the dedicated courts at Marine Park. The model for park-based pickleball communities in NYC, working closely with NYC Parks.
Brooklyn Pickleball Team
Website
MLP franchise representing Brooklyn. Hosts MLP New York at Sportime Randall's Island in June, runs Minor League Pickleball rosters for amateurs (DUPR 12-20), and organizes player development events.
Queer NYC Pickleball
Weekly Thursday queer pickup at P.S. 9 in Prospect Heights. Inclusive, all-levels welcome.
MLP New York
Annual, June 25-28, 2026
Major League Pickleball regular-season stop at Sportime Randall's Island, home of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy. Hosted by the Brooklyn Pickleball Team. Pro matches plus MiLP and Jr. MLP amateur brackets running alongside.
MLP Finals
Annual, August 28-30, 2026
MLP Playoffs Championship Weekend at CityPickle at Wollman Rink in Central Park. The 2026 MLP regular-season champion crowned here; top 12 Premier teams compete across three weeks (Dallas, San Diego, NYC) for the trophy.
Pages are reviewed quarterly, but courts open, leagues move, and venues close. If something here is wrong or outdated, send a note and it lands in my inbox.
Last verified May 15, 2026 · Dinkin