Where to play
Castro Park
All levelsCastro Park is El Cerrito's only public pickleball venue: two tennis courts were converted into six dedicated, individually fenced pickleball courts in a July 2025 renovation, funded largely by the East Bay Pickleball Association with additional city money. Free open play runs at least 16 hours a week across scheduled blocks; outside those windows the courts can be reserved by the hour. Courts are color-coded by skill level (green/blue/red), and restroom access requires a key rented with a refundable deposit at the adjacent Community Center. The correct address is 1420 Norvell St — you may see it wrongly listed elsewhere as 1441 Lawrence St.
- Free open play: Sat–Sun 9am–12pm, Mon–Tue 10am–12pm, Wed–Fri 4–6pm (summer) / 3–5pm (winter) — no reservations during these blocks.
- Outside open play, courts are reservable 8am–sundown: $8.25/hr for El Cerrito residents, $10.50/hr for non-residents, $21/hr for instructors (one-hour minimum). Book at elcerrito.gov/onlinereg.
- Restrooms require a key, rented with a refundable deposit at the El Cerrito Community Center — not open for casual walk-up use.
- No lights; park grounds are open sunrise to one hour after sunset daily.
Source-checked
City of El Cerrito — Courts & Play Fields · Pickleheads · Livable El Cerrito. Verified July 2026 — always confirm hours before a special trip.
Nearby cities
Other cities we cover, nearest to El Cerrito first.