Tacoma has six official Metro Parks outdoor pickleball sites, all lined, all first-come first-served, and all fitted with SwiftNets that come down for the winter starting September 1. I coach on these courts every week, so this list is checked in person. That matters more than it should: the big court-finder sites get Tacoma details wrong more often than you’d think.
The six Metro Parks pickleball sites
| Park | Address | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| STAR Center | 3873 S 66th St | South Tacoma; our home base is minutes away |
| Point Defiance Park | 5400 N Pearl St | Combine with a Five Mile Drive walk |
| Jefferson Park | 801 N Mason Ave | Central, near Proctor |
| Stewart Heights Park | 5715 Reginald Gutierrez Ln | East side |
| Vassault Park | 6100 N 37th St | West end |
| Browns Point Playfield | 4915 La Hal Da Lane NE | Organized open play weekday mornings 9–11am |
All six are free, and none can be reserved. If a court is packed, the local custom is paddle stacking: leave your paddle by the fence to mark your place in line, and winners stay on for one game.
The one to skip: Wright Park
Several court-finder sites list pickleball courts at Wright Park. Wright Park has no pickleball courts. Don’t drive there with a paddle. Jefferson Park is a few minutes north and has the real thing.
The seasonal net schedule
Metro Parks installs the SwiftNets for the warm months and removes them for winter starting September 1. Removal runs from that date rather than finishing on it, so in the first half of September check before you drive: Metro Parks Sports answers at 253-305-1060 or metrosports@tacomaparks.com. Nothing official names a date for the nets going back up, so ask the same desk in spring. The lines stay painted year-round, so a portable net makes any of them playable; that’s how I run winter lessons. Near the STAR Center, indoor open play runs in the Boys & Girls Club Schatz gym next door (this season’s hours). For more roofed options, see the indoor pickleball guide.
Nearby, outside the city
Other cities and Pierce County run these, which is why they’re not on the Metro Parks list. Two of them keep their nets up all winter:
| Park | City | Courts and nets |
|---|---|---|
| Harry Todd Park | Lakewood | Four dedicated, permanent nets, year-round |
| Fircrest Park | Fircrest | Up to six on lined tennis courts; bring a net |
| Sprinker Recreation Center | Parkland | Four lined courts, free; bring a net all year |
| Puyallup Recreation Center | Puyallup | Five courts; city nets up May through October |
| Clark’s Creek Park North | Puyallup | Four lighted courts, push-button lights |
| Doris Heritage Park | Gig Harbor | Six dedicated courts, free, lights 6am–10pm |
| Sehmel Homestead Park | Gig Harbor | Lines on two tennis and one basketball court; bring a net |
Harry Todd and Fircrest are included in our lesson price, and they’re where I take students once Tacoma’s nets come down. University Place has none of its own; its players come here too.
Where should a beginner start?
Browns Point. The weekday-morning open play is the friendliest structured entry in the city. If you’d rather learn the basics before jumping into games, that’s what a first lesson is for. I teach at any court on this page. Book a lesson when you’re ready.
We coach private lessons and clinics across Tacoma, Fircrest, and Lakewood. Book a lesson or see pricing.