Berkeley
Cedar Rose Park is Berkeley's flagship venue — four dedicated outdoor courts with city-run online booking, and by far the busiest place to play in town. James Kenney Park backs it up with one lighted court near downtown. A couple of other parks see informal play, but pickleball isn't official there yet — call before making a special trip. A rooftop court downtown and the Claremont Club round out the paid options.
Where to play
Berkeley's real flagship court. Four dedicated outdoor hard courts with permanent lines and nets: three bookable through the city's CivicRec system in up to 2-hour blocks between 8am and 8pm, plus a free walk-up court (#4) that opens around 2pm. Cost is $7/hour for residents, $8 for non-residents, with reduced rates for youth, seniors, and people with disabilities. Court hours run narrower than the park's 6am–10pm gate hours, "in consideration of neighbors." On-site: wheelchair access, restrooms, a water fountain, and quieter balls for noise mitigation. This is the most popular place to play in Berkeley.
Book a court →One dedicated outdoor hard court with a permanent net and lines, lighted for evening play, plus a practice wall for solo warm-ups. Whether it's reservable or walk-up only isn't settled — call ahead to confirm before you plan around a specific time.
3 outdoor courts in Berkeley, open 6am–10pm as a park. Played informally as a pickleball spot, though not part of the city’s official court lineup — Berkeley lists pickleball at Cedar Rose and James Kenney only, so that window is the park’s and not a court schedule. Call ahead (510-981-6150) before a special trip.
6 outdoor courts in Berkeley, open 6am–10pm as a park. Same caveat as Grove Park — pickleball here isn’t official, and the city’s own amenity list shows a tennis court with no pickleball entry, so the hours are the park’s rather than a court’s. Call ahead (510-981-6150) before a special trip.
Neighborhood Pickleball - Rooftop - Level 6
Mixed levelsThree dedicated courts with permanent nets on Level 6 of the 2061 Allston Way parking garage — a rooftop site in the middle of downtown Berkeley. Access is by membership, capped at 75 members, with no per-visit court fee once you're in. Hours aren't published; ask the club. The ZIP isn't confirmed by the sources we checked (likely 94704), so navigate to the garage rather than the postal address.
Club & membership info →Claremont Club and Spa
Mixed levelsFour dedicated outdoor courts at the Claremont, up in the hills on the Berkeley/Oakland line. Members get a programme rather than open access: Open Play Monday 8–11am across all four courts, a Twilight Round Robin at 4:30pm and a Night Round Robin at 6:30pm, with other sessions varying by day. Courts are reservable. Membership required — this is a resort club, not a drop-in.
- Cedar Rose Park is the safest bet for a confirmed, bookable court — reserve via CivicRec, or use Court #4 for free walk-up play.
- Reservation questions or on-site issues at Cedar Rose Park: Recreation Coordinator Brian Legaspi, BLegaspi@berkeleyca.gov, 510-981-6150.
- James Kenney Park is the closer-to-downtown backup — confirm reservation vs. walk-up status before you go, since it isn't settled.
- Grove Park and San Pablo Park are worth a phone call, not a special trip, until pickleball is officially part of the city's court lineup.
Source-checked
City of Berkeley — Cedar Rose Park · Places2Play — Cedar Rose Park · City of Berkeley — Sports Fields and Courts. Verified July 2026 — always confirm hours and reservation status before a special trip.
Nearby cities
Other cities we cover, nearest to Berkeley first.