Pickleball tournaments have changed a lot over the past decade.
There are still plenty of weekends built around a few brackets and a medal ceremony, but the biggest events have become something else entirely. Thousands of players travel to compete, fans pack championship courts, and professional matches happen alongside amateur divisions.
Some tournaments have become annual traditions. Others stand out because of the venue, the city, or simply the experience of playing where the pros play.
For anyone thinking about building a trip around pickleball or competing in a tournament, these are some of the ones worth knowing.
US Open Pickleball Championships—Naples, Florida
The US Open has been taking over East Naples Community Park every spring since 2016, growing into one of the biggest gatherings in pickleball. The tournament celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2026 with more than 3,750 players from all 50 states and 53 countries, plus more than 55,000 spectators.
For eight days, the park feels almost entirely devoted to pickleball. Nearly 60 courts are filled with amateur and pro matches, while spectators move around the grounds between games, vendors, food, and live music. It feels more like a pickleball festival than a traditional tournament.
Amateurs are a huge part of that atmosphere. Players across age and skill divisions come to compete, and no qualification is required, although demand has grown enough that registration is handled through a lottery.
The US Open begins its second decade in Naples April 17–24, 2027.
Beer City Open—Grand Rapids, Michigan
Beer City Open started in 2018 with about 400 players and $12,500 in prize money. Since then, it has grown into one of the summer tournaments players circle on the calendar while still holding onto the laid-back personality of its early years.
Held at Belknap Park in Grand Rapids, Beer City mixes serious competition with an atmosphere that doesn’t feel quite like a traditional tour stop. Players and spectators fill the park, food and drinks are part of the scene, and the city’s well-known brewery culture has always fit naturally with the tournament.
Since that first event, Beer City has grown considerably, but it still feels like a summer pickleball gathering that happens to feature some very good competition.
The next one is set for July 6–11, 2027.
Carvana Mesa Cup—Mesa, Arizona
Arizona has become one of the hubs of American pickleball, so it’s no surprise that the Mesa Cup has developed into one of the PPA Tour’s bigger stops. The next edition lands right in the middle of winter, February 15–21, 2027, at Arizona Athletic Grounds.
The tournament brings amateurs and pros together for a full week of competition. Players can finish their own matches and stick around for the professional draw, while spectators have plenty happening across the grounds beyond Championship Court.
Mesa has become a draw for fans, too. In 2026, it set a PPA Tour ticketing record for the highest-grossing event outside the World Championships.
Add February sunshine to the equation, and Arizona starts looking pretty good.
Pickleball World Championships—Farmers Branch, Texas
The PPA Pickleball World Championships are meant to feel like one of the biggest weeks in the sport. This main Worlds competition runs November 2–8, 2026, at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch, with related Worlds programming beginning October 30.
Worlds brings together a deep professional field, amateur competition, and plenty happening around the grounds. The pro draw builds throughout the week toward Championship Sunday, but fans don’t have to spend the entire time sitting around waiting for the next match on the main court.
Practice courts offer another chance to see the pros up close, while clinics, round robins, autograph opportunities, and amateur brackets keep things moving throughout the week. For someone who would rather spend several days immersed in professional pickleball than simply buy a ticket for the finals, there’s plenty to see.
APP Vlasic Classic Chicago—Highland Park, Illinois
Chicago has long been an important stop for the APP, but one of its biggest strengths is how much of the tournament still revolves around amateur players.
The event includes amateur divisions across different ages and skill levels alongside the pros, Champions 50+, and Masters 60+ competition. That mix gives the tournament a different feel from events built primarily around a professional show court. There is almost always something happening, whether it’s a pro match or two amateur teams working their way through a bracket.
The 2026 APP Vlasic Classic Chicago ran August 6–9 at Danny Cunniff Park in Highland Park, with select amateur divisions at nearby Club Pickle & Padel.
The pros give everyone another reason to stick around, but this still feels like a tournament people come to play in.
For Midwest players, having a major tournament during a Chicago summer is a pretty nice bonus.
Cape Coral Open—Cape Coral, Florida
Southwest Florida doesn’t exactly have a shortage of pickleball, and the Cape Coral Open has become another major event in an area that already lives and breathes the sport.
The tournament is held at The Courts in Cape Coral, with PPA professionals and amateurs competing during the same week. Registered amateur players compete alongside the pro event and receive grounds access during the tournament.
Next up is February 1–7, 2027, bringing another week of tournament pickleball to Southwest Florida while much of the country is still dealing with winter.
Of course, nobody says the entire trip has to be spent at the courts. Beaches, restaurants, and warm February weather make adding an extra day or two a fairly easy decision.
More Than Just a Pickleball Tournament
Part of the fun of these events is that they don’t all offer the same experience.
Naples feels like a pickleball festival. Beer City has become a summer tradition with a personality of its own. Worlds puts the professional game on one of its biggest stages, while Chicago keeps amateur players at the center of the action. Mesa and Cape Coral bring their own mix of major-event atmosphere, warm weather, and plenty of pickleball.
For players who already plan vacations around finding somewhere to play, building one around a tournament isn’t much of a stretch.
The harder part may be picking just one.
