Pickleball Tournament Travel Guide 2026: Top 25 Tournaments and Clinics in the U.S. and Abroad

Want a 2026 calendar that mixes competition with actual vacation energy? This guide pulls together the best tournament trips across the U.S., plus a growing set of international events, and a new section on PPA Tour Asia, which is helping push the sport across the region.

Tournament weekends are one of the best reasons to travel: you compete, you meet people fast, and you go home with stories that have nothing to do with museums.

How to Pick the Right Events (So You Do Not Burn Your Budget)

In 2026, there are more tournaments than ever, and that is a gift and a trap. The gift is options. The trap is overbooking your year and showing up tired, undertrained, and overcharged by travel costs.

Choose your tournament lane

  • PPA Tour events for big stage energy, strong amateur brackets, and a pro tournament atmosphere.
  • APP Tour events for deep amateur participation and a schedule that includes international destinations.
  • USA Pickleball Golden Ticket events if your goal is a clean path toward USA Pickleball Nationals.
  • Clinics and camps if your main goal is leveling up while traveling, with a tournament as a bonus.

A simple planning framework that works

Build your year around three anchors:

  1. One A Trip (bucket list, major, or Nationals goal)
  2. One B Trip (a solid tournament in a city you actually want to visit)
  3. One Drive Trip (low-cost reps, low stress, no flights)

This keeps your calendar fun, your wallet alive, and your legs fresher for match day.

Top 25 Pickleball Tournaments and Clinics to Travel For in 2026

Note: exact dates can shift, so always confirm registration details on the official event pages before booking nonrefundable travel.

Bucket list majors and Nationals goals

  1. Minto US Open Pickleball Championships (Naples, Florida)
    April 11 to 18, 2026. The classic bucket list event with huge brackets, nonstop matches, and a true festival vibe.
  2. USA Pickleball National Championships (San Diego, California)
    Confirmed to return to the Barnes Tennis Center in 2026. Plan backward from late fall and use Golden Ticket events as your pathway.

PPA Tour stops to build a serious 2026 travel calendar around

These popular PPA Tour stops combine pro-level energy with massive amateur participation.

  1. The PPA Masters (Palm Desert, CA): Jan 12 to 18, 2026.
  2. Indoor National Championships (Lakeville, MN): Jan 19 to 25, 2026.
  3. Cape Coral Open (FL): Feb 9 to 15, 2026.
  4. Carvana Mesa Cup (AZ): Feb 16 to 22, 2026.
  5. Newport Beach Open (CA): March 2 to 8, 2026.
  6. Veolia Texas Open (McKinney, TX): March 9 to 15, 2026.
  7. Greater Zion Cup at Black Desert Resort (Ivins, UT): March 23 to 29, 2026.
  8. Sacramento Open (CA): April 13 to 19, 2026.
  9. Atlanta Pickleball Championships (GA): April 27 to May 3, 2026.
  10. PPA Finals (San Clemente, CA): May 4 to 10, 2026.

USA Pickleball Golden Ticket events (Nationals qualification)

Secure your spot at Nationals by winning your bracket at these
Golden Ticket events.

  1. Glendale, Arizona (Golden Ticket): Jan 21 to 25, 2026.
  2. Las Vegas, Nevada (Golden Ticket): Feb 18 to 22, 2026.
  3. Opelika, Alabama (Golden Ticket): March 11 to 15, 2026.
  4. Boise, Idaho (Golden Ticket): June 12 to 14, 2026.
  5. San Diego, California (Golden Ticket): Dates TBD (see Nationals and qualifiers pages).
  6. Wayne, New Jersey (Golden Ticket): Check the official qualifiers schedule for summer dates.
  7. Colorado Springs, Colorado (Golden Ticket): May 29 to 31, 2026.
  8. Seattle, Washington (Golden Ticket): Aug 14 to 16, 2026.

APP Tour and international destination events

The APP Tour has a strong international presence in 2026.

  1. APP Daytona Beach Open (FL): Feb 18 to 22, 2026.
  2. APP Fort Lauderdale Open (FL): March 25 to 29, 2026.
  3. APP Kuala Lumpur Open (Malaysia): Feb 9 to 14, 2026.
  4. EPIC World Championship (Singapore): April 30 to May 3, 2026.
  5. Gold Coast Grand Slam (Queensland, Australia): June 5 to 7, 2026.

Quick planning tip

If you are flying anyway, consider pairing one tournament with a clinic the day before the event. You arrive early, get extra reps, and your travel spend turns into skill growth.

Top 2026 Clinics and Training Camps

If you want to spend your travel budget on intensive training rather than just a tournament bracket, these are strong options to track for 2026.

  • LevelUp Pickleball Camps:
    Camps by skill level with destinations that rotate each year. Check their camp list and choose by rating.
  • Nike Adult Pickleball Camps:
    Destination style weekends that pair well with a longer trip. Use their camp finder for dates and locations.

Pro Led Clinics and Training Camps Abroad (and How to Sign Up)

If you want a true pickleball trip that includes coaching from top pros, your best bets are organized travel clinics and tour camps. These are the easiest ways to combine instruction with international destinations without trying to piece it all together yourself.

Quick note before you book

Pros rotate. Always confirm which pros are listed for your specific camp week before you buy flights. If a camp page does not list instructors, email the organizer and ask who is confirmed.

1) Pickleball Getaways (pro led destination trips)

Pickleball Getaways is built for players who want a vacation plus daily play and instruction. They handle the logistics so you can show up with a paddle and play.

View Pickleball Getaways Trips Example: Slovenia and Croatia Trip

Another example: Costa Rica trip page.

2) PPA Pickleball Camps (tied to tour weeks, pros rotate)

PPA Pickleball Camps are designed to give amateurs structured instruction during PPA tournament weeks. The instructor lineup can change by stop.

Register for PPA Camps

3) Tyson McGuffin Signature Pickleball Camps

Tyson McGuffin runs his own signature camps under the McGuffin Method. These are often U.S. based, but they are one of the most visible pro branded training programs to pair with tournament travel.

Explore Tyson McGuffin Camps View More Camp Dates

4) PPA Tour Asia (find events, watch updates, join the list)

If your goal is to play abroad and be close to where pros are traveling, PPA Tour Asia is worth tracking. Major stops often include community events around tournament week.

View PPA Tour Asia Calendar Join PPA Tour Asia Updates

Know a great tournament or clinic in a fun destination?

If you have an event we should add to this 2026 list, send it our way. Bonus points if it comes with good weather and a great food scene.

Get in touch with us.

Get to Know the Pros: PPA Tour Stars to Watch in 2026

If you are building a 2026 tournament travel calendar, it helps to understand the pro scene. The PPA Tour is the main stage for many of the sport’s biggest names, and it influences what you see at major events: faster hands at the net, heavier topspin from the baseline, and doubles patterns that trickle down into amateur play fast.

Why this matters for tournament travelers

Watching the pros is not just entertainment. It is the quickest way to level up your shot selection and positioning before your next tournament trip. Start with doubles and mixed doubles since that is where most amateur matches are won. You can watch the PPA on https://pickleballtv.com.

Best places to check current form and rankings:
PPA Tour rankings and
PPA athlete directory.

Top men’s players to know

  • Ben Johns (benchmark for doubles IQ): profile
  • Federico Staksrud (elite singles and evolving all-court game): profile
  • Hayden Patriquin (fast rising, strong doubles instincts): profile
  • Tyson McGuffin (explosive and experienced): profile
  • Andrei Daescu (high impact and momentum player): profile

Top women’s players to know

  • Anna Leigh Waters (dominant across formats): profile
  • Anna Bright (aggressive and consistent): profile
  • Catherine Parenteau (elite all-around): profile