Ultimate Guide to Hilton Head Tennis and Pickleball
Tennis on Hilton Head Island, SC is legendary, and many tennis greats have a presence here. Facilities have also kept up with the pickleball trend and offer instruction and courts for both tennis and pickleball on Hilton Head. The weather is typically nice for outdoor play, and many facilities also have indoor courts. If you’re looking for a tennis or pickleball vacation with views and near the beach, this is the one (we tried it ourselves).
Choosing where to play can be determined based on your budget, how much time you want to play, and what type of instruction or experience you are looking for during your play. Details to help make your decision easy and effortless are below, including which courts to play on based on where you stay on the island. Let’s dive in!
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post, like hotel links, are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, we make a little bit of money if you click through and end up booking. That said, we would never recommend something we don’t stand behind 100%.
Top tennis and pickleball facilities on Hilton Head Island
- Hilton Head Island / Sea Pines Racquet Club – 5 Lighthouse Ln, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 map
- Palmetto Dunes Tennis/Pickleball Club – 6 Trent Jones Ln, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 map
- Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Resort – 40 Folly Field Rd. Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 map
- Van Der Meer Tennis – 19 Deallyon Ave, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 map
- South Beach Racquet Club – 230 South Sea Pines Dr, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 map
- Cordillo Tennis Courts – 104 Cordillo Pkwy, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 map
We are not covering the Smith Stearns Tennis Academy, but it should be considered if you have a junior who wants to play/stay at the academy.
Find out where to stay and more about the island in the Effortless Hilton Head Island guide.
Choosing where to play tennis and pickleball on Hilton Head Island
“Stay where you play” resorts
For those looking for a more “all-inclusive” or “stay where you play” tennis trip, consider either the Hilton Head Island Racquet Club or the Palmetto Dunes Tennis Club / Pickleball Club as you can stay on-property or at a nearby resort. The more budget offering of the Hilton Head Island Beach and Tennis Resort is also available.
Hilton Head Island Racquet Club (Sea Pines Resort)
Hilton Head Island / Sea Pines Racquet Club (part of the Sea Pines Resort Area) – This club is central to Sea Pines and offers a variety of classes and lessons you can schedule online or call to book. The tennis facility boasts that you can learn from tennis legend Stan Smith and other USPTA-certified professionals with decades of experience. You’ll improve your game here. Sea Pines Resort guests get 2 hours of free tennis court time each day, visitors can get time at $40 per hour. Pickleball courts can be secured at $20-25 per hour. There are 6 pickleball courts.
Weekend play: They have a doubles tennis drill on Saturdays and Sundays, which is the best option for tennis players wanting to get doubles tennis play in over the weekend. There is also a USTA 3+ weekend drill from 9-11 am on Saturdays and Sundays. Check the club schedule to ensure class times.
Where to stay: Sea Pines Resort Area
Palmetto Dunes Tennis/Pickleball Club (Palmetto Dunes Resort)
Palmetto Dunes Tennis Club – This world-class tennis club boasts 17 clay tennis courts, four of which are lighted. Lessons, round robins, clinics (some seasonal), and private lessons can be scheduled in advance. We chose here to play drills during our latest stay on Hilton Head Island and enjoyed our 1.5 hour group drill (1 instructor to each 4 players). You have the most direct access by staying at partner resorts, or you can do a guest rate, as we did. The pro shop staff is very knowledgeable and responsive and the shop itself has a good selection.
Palmetto Dunes Pickleball Club – This pickleball center has 24 lighted pickleball courts, which look sparkling new. They were almost always full, so do book a court or instruction.
Any stay at the Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort, which includes the Omni and Westin, is on-property to this tennis club and typically offers a discount. Check out their Tennis Stay & Play package. They of course also have golf here.
For those staying at Omni Hilton Head, this is the tennis facility you will have access to as a guest. Top-notch resort stay on the island.
Where to stay: Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort, Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa
Hilton Head Island Beach and Tennis Resort
Hilton Head Island Beach and Tennis Resort – Highly rated, but a bit smaller and more budget-friendly than the other two more inclusive options. Stay in a condo on the property and enjoy the 6 tennis courts and 12 pickleball courts. You can arrange courts or lessons by contacting them. This club boasts a top 50 tennis resort ranking and top 5 pickleball staff by Tennis Resort Online. This would be an easy and leisurely option for staying at a resort with tennis access, with a bit less overall resort fuss.
Where to stay: Hilton Head Island Beach and Tennis Resort
Open play or lessons/round robins/clinics
If you choose your own accommodations but plan to attend some clinics or workshops, consider these open-play tennis or pickleball options on Hilton Head Island, SC.
Van Der Meer Tennis
Van Der Meer Tennis – There are extensive offerings and two locations on the island. The Van Der Meer Tennis Center has 14 hard courts, four of which are lit, and the Van Der Meer Shipyard Resort has 20 courts, 8 of which are lit, and most clinics are held on these clay courts. They have a variety of multi-day adult and junior clinics if you want to play a lot during your trip. Review their site to plan your travel around clinic schedules. Otherwise, they offer daily (Monday-Friday) drills, round robins, and private/semi-private lessons you can call to schedule.
The top affiliated hotel to the facility, and one of our top recommendations, is Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island.
Where to stay: Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island
South Beach Racquet Club
South Beach Racquet Club – Located within Sea Pines and offering 12 clay courts, open 8 am-6 pm daily. You are right by Salty Dog Cafe, meaning you can get a nice reward after you play. This is a great choice for those staying in the Sea Pines Resort area. Adults can select from tennis or pickleball clinics or schedule private/small group instruction. Juniors can schedule pickleball or tennis private, semi-private, or group instruction. South Beach Pickleball is expanding to 20 courts and offers a variety of 1-1.5 hour events. There is a 24 cancellation policy, but book in advance.
Where to stay: Sea Pines Resort Area
Free/public court play on the island
If you’re looking for free tennis play or pickleball play, your best bet is any neighborhood court or the Cordillo Tennis Courts. Courts are striped for both tennis and pickleball and are open Monday through Sunday from 8:30 am-7:30 pm. Hours are informed via a locked chain outside of these hours. The risk here is that there may not be an open court when you want to play on Hilton Head public tennis courts.
Where to stay: Coral Sands Resort
Tennis Lessons on Hilton Head
We highly recommend scheduling lessons, group or private, or drills to play tennis on Hilton Head Island. For those new to tennis or pickleball, getting a new set of expert eyes on your form and play strategy will do you well and it’s a good break from more beachy activities.
Our choice for lessons was the Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center. We wanted a morning class, so we selected the 1.5-hour Grand Slam Tennis Drill class. Instruction was small with 2 instructors for 8 players on 2 clay courts. Most players were experienced, so if you are at least 2.5+ or 3.0 USTA you will play in this drill just fine. There are many additional choices for classes and drills, and we found the phone lines easy to get through to someone and ask questions in advance. The tennis racquets we rented weren’t fancy, but they did the trick and were included in the price.
Tip: See the links to the tennis facilities to get the latest drill schedules and lesson contact information.
Where to play based on where you’re staying
To make planning effortless, here is the recommendation in reverse. If you know where you want to stay on Hilton Head Island, choose the courts nearest to your stay to limit back-and-forth time during your stay.
- Staying in the Sea Pines Resort Area, play tennis or pickleball at:
- Staying in/near Coligny Beach Park, play tennis or pickleball at:
- Staying in/near Palmetto Dunes play tennis or pickleball at:
Going to Hilton Head for the first time? Visit our guide to the closest airports to Hilton Head.
Q&A: Tennis vs Pickleball on Hilton Head
Is tennis or pickleball more popular?
Hilton Head Island pickleball courts were busy at all times. So, pickleball. Bring those paddles and find a court on your vacation!
Are there more tennis or pickleball courts?
Without a specific count, it feels about 50/50 on the island with more and more tennis courts being converted to pickleball.
Are the tennis or pickleball courts nicer?
Due to the newness of the pickleball trend, the pickleball courts on Hilton Head Island look and feel much newer, giving a premium experience.
Can you play on clay?
Playing tennis on Hilton Head Island on a clay surface is a great experience. You won’t get as dirty as you expect (if you stay upright, of course), and it’s good practice to experience hitting a ball without as much bounce. The tennis ball bounced less on clay than on a hard court.
Summary: Hilton Head Island tennis and pickleball
If you want to include tennis or pickleball on Hilton Head Island in your vacation, you won’t be disappointed. The top-notch facilities and instruction are reason enough to plan a trip to the Lowcountry. Maybe you’ll even try playing on a clay court for the first time! And for those not wanting to travel with their tennis or pickleball racquets, there are rentals available at some facilities. Working out on vacation will set you up for feeling great.
Happy hitting, and happy breezy travels!
See all of our Hilton Head Island guides for overall travel planning simplicity.
