West of Tacoma, two parks carry most of the public pickleball: Harry Todd Park in Lakewood and Fircrest Park in Fircrest. I teach at both every week (they’re the two courts included in our lesson price), so consider this the verified picture.
Harry Todd Park, Lakewood
Harry Todd, on the waterfront at American Lake, has four dedicated pickleball courts with permanent nets. It’s one of the few places in the area where you can play outdoors year-round without bringing anything but a paddle and balls, which makes it the default winter court once Tacoma’s seasonal nets come down starting September 1; the verified court list has the rest of that schedule. Weekend middays get busy. Weekday mornings are the quiet window.
Some court-finder sites claim four more courts are coming. I’ve checked: no expansion is planned. Four courts is what there is.
Fircrest Park, Fircrest
Fircrest Park’s tennis courts are lined for pickleball, up to six courts’ worth when tennis isn’t using the space, but there are no permanent pickleball nets. Bring a portable one, or use ours: I carry a net to every lesson that needs it. Tennis players have equal claim to the space, and sharing is usually painless outside peak evenings.
Between the two, Fircrest is where I take students who need room to drill. Nobody’s waiting on your court, and a weekday morning there is close to private.
If you’re nearby
University Place players use these same two parks, since UP has no pickleball courts of its own. Steilacoom sits in the same boat. Both cities are inside our standard travel area, and lessons at Harry Todd or Fircrest never carry a travel fee at all. Book a lesson at either one; I’ll bring the net. Formats and rates for Lakewood specifically are on the Lakewood lessons page.
We coach private lessons and clinics across Tacoma, Fircrest, and Lakewood. Book a lesson or see pricing.