Best Tennis and Pickleball courts in Palo Alto, Santa Clara County for 2026

15 pickleball courts with lights in Mitchell Park in Palo Alto, California. Drop-in play is available seven days a week.

8 dedicated pickleball courts (2 courts as you enter by parking lot and 6 in the main area), rest are portable nets. Courts are closely spaced together. These temp courts will soon be converted to permanent.

There are two challenge courts all the way to the left side (at the far end) intended for beginner/intermediate players, but even those have pretty competent intermediate players. One is for advanced and one is for intermediate.

Challenge courts are win and stay, you leave after 3 wins. Challenge courts are good for finding players around your level and you can paddle down with them on other courts as well. All other courts are open play.

Courts are very busy in the mornings and early evenings. Early afternoons less so. Play happens all hours of the day, weekdays and weekends. Play level is competitive on most courts. Great mix of beginners to advance players. Mitchell Park is also home to the Palo Alto Pickleball Club.

Practice is to lay your paddle down to request to play or challenge. If there are fewer than 4 of you, then the winners stay to play. When courts are crowded there is a maximum playing time of 20 minutes. You can rotate back onto courts after that. Court closes at 10 pm.

Bathrooms are in the red barn after you cross the blue “magical bridge”. Restrooms are clean, smell good, and stay stocked. Water fountain around the corner of the courts. There is plenty of parking. Parking is in the back lot, or you can park on the street by the curb.

Pickleball and tennis court rules

• During pickleball priority hours shared use courts may be used for either tennis or pickleball play. Upon request, priority use must be given to pickleball players within 20 minutes.
• If courts are full and players are waiting, court time is limited to 20 minutes.
• An individual may not hold a court when players are waiting.
• Court shoes only, no cleats allowed.
• Recreation department programs have priority use.
• No private lessons permitted.

Pickleball priority days and hours

7 days a week 8 am – 10 pm

Pickleball court cleaning schedule

1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month The city of Palo Alto’s landscape contractor is responsible for cleaning city maintained courts. On scheduled cleaning days, please be aware you may be asked to vacate the courts between the hours of 8:00 am and 3:00 pm for court cleaning and inspection for your enjoyment and safety.

Pickleball court rules

• Courts are available on a first come, first served basis for both doubles and singles play.
  
• If all courts are full and players are waiting, court time is limited to 20 minutes.
  Players can rotate back onto courts as many times as they desire.
  
• When courts are full, waiting players may place paddles next to the net of a game in play.
  When the game is over, players will relinquish the court to those waiting, as follows:
  
  • 4 paddles down: all players leave court to those waiting.
  • 2 paddles down: the winning team may stay on, or the waiting players may choose to play singles.
    
• Double stacking of paddles (playing a game while having a second paddle waiting on another court) is not allowed.
• City permits and recreation programs have priority over drop in play.
• An individual may not hold a court when players are waiting.
• Court shoes only, no cleats allowed.
• No wheeled vehicles allowed inside fence.
• No private lessons for compensation permitted.