Moving to the US - best tennis towns?

[Pat Rafter's Ponytail]

Hello! I'll be moving to the US this fall for work and am lucky enough to have a fully remote job, so can basically pick anywhere in the US to live.

What are the best towns/cities in the US for tennis players?

I currently live in London where the weather is terrible for a lot of the year, and the public courts aren't much better, so I joined a private club a few years ago. Is that the norm in the US, or are public courts more accessible/higher quality?

Many thanks in advance!

 

[Racingclub]

I heard ATL is the best town for tennis. Although I live in the bay area (west coast).

 

[guanzishou]

Probably somewhere in Florida where a lot of pros train?

 

[jimmy8]

LA is good because the weather is fantastic almost all the time. You probably would want to join a club if you have the means - that will save you from waiting at public courts. But you have to deal with traffic - it can't be that different from London.

 

[sureshs]

Figure out if timezone differences are going to affect your remote work with your team. Choose the most convenient one.

That should narrow down the choices.

 

[atatu]

1. Atlanta-lot of courts and players, good public and private facilities, decent weather most of the year.
2. LA- Great weather, lots of courts, international, but very expensive.
3. Miami-Lots of courts, good players, multi cultural, great night life. You're going to suffer in the heat and humidity.
4. Dallas-Tons of courts, good weather, healthy league scene. Go see the movie "Vengeance" by BJ Novak for an idea of the social scene.

 

[Pat Rafter's Ponytail]

Thanks everyone! Really appreciate it.

LA is good because the weather is fantastic almost all the time. You probably would want to join a club if you have the means - that will save you from waiting at public courts. But you have to deal with traffic - it can't be that different from London.

The weather definitely appeals to me! Do you know of any good clubs in LA (that don't have years-long waiting lists?) Actually we're quite lucky in London, the public transport is really good so you can get around the city quite quickly without having to sit in traffic.

Figure out if timezone differences are going to affect your remote work with your team. Choose the most convenient one.

That should narrow down the choices.

My boss is on ET and my team is on PT - so I think pretty flexible! Perhaps somewhere in the middle, like Denver...

1. Atlanta-lot of courts and players, good public and private facilities, decent weather most of the year.
2. LA- Great weather, lots of courts, international, but very expensive.
3. Miami-Lots of courts, good players, multi cultural, great night life. You're going to suffer in the heat and humidity.
4. Dallas-Tons of courts, good weather, healthy league scene. Go see the movie "Vengeance" by BJ Novak for an idea of the social scene.

1. Haven't been but I've read it has a ton of courts
2. The weather/courts/international scene definitely appeal.
3. I do love Miami! I'm actually originally from Australia so not too bothered by the heat - although Miami will definitely be more humid.
4. Haha it's funny you mention that, I just saw the trailer for "Vengeance" and it's on my list of movies to watch - looks hilarious.

Thanks again!

 

[janelgreo]

What level do you play at?

I live in south Florida, a little bit north of Miami and unless you’re a 10 UTR+, good luck competing. UTR events are basically only 10+ UTR, USTA events are very scarce, there are flex leagues and a really good community if you’re not “competing”. Miami definitely has a lot of younger players while where I’m from is mostly saturated with older people who play together in their retirement communities and friendly drills at the clubs.

As a rec player it’s been really tough finding decent people to just hit and play with, and the heat and humidity doesn’t help at all but you’re from Australia so you should be good!

 

[optic yellow]

What like ecological surroundings do you want to live in?

 

[sureshs]

Thanks everyone! Really appreciate it.



The weather definitely appeals to me! Do you know of any good clubs in LA (that don't have years-long waiting lists?) Actually we're quite lucky in London, the public transport is really good so you can get around the city quite quickly without having to sit in traffic.



My boss is on ET and my team is on PT - so I think pretty flexible! Perhaps somewhere in the middle, like Denver...



1. Haven't been but I've read it has a ton of courts
2. The weather/courts/international scene definitely appeal.
3. I do love Miami! I'm actually originally from Australia so not too bothered by the heat - although Miami will definitely be more humid.
4. Haha it's funny you mention that, I just saw the trailer for "Vengeance" and it's on my list of movies to watch - looks hilarious.

Thanks again!

Join your team's PT time and move to San Diego where the top players like yours truly reside. Rents will leave you little remaining to spend on food so you will also be fit!

 

[onehandbh]

Other things to consider. How important are good restaurants, the music scene, traffic, safety, distance to nearby attractions, ... to you?

LA area is pretty good overall. Close to nice beaches, a couple hours from skiing and snowboarding in the winter. Not far from the desert and Palm Springs. A few hours from some amazing national parks.

When it comes to having a variety of really authentic and good restaurants, I think LA tops the list.
Probably because there are large numbers of people from many countries. Some of the best Vietnamese and Pho restaurants outside of Vietnam. Same for Thai food, Chinese restaurants. There is even an area with some Ethiopian restaurants. Lots of good Japanese and Sushi.

Housing-wise it is not super cheap in the better areas, but the weather as long as you're not too far inland or in the valley, is fantastic. Not too humid and mild Winters.

 

[rommil]

Rents will leave you little remaining to spend on food so you will also be fit!

So what thre h3ll happened to you?

 

[Pat Rafter's Ponytail]

What level do you play at?

I live in south Florida, a little bit north of Miami and unless you’re a 10 UTR+, good luck competing. UTR events are basically only 10+ UTR, USTA events are very scarce, there are flex leagues and a really good community if you’re not “competing”. Miami definitely has a lot of younger players while where I’m from is mostly saturated with older people who play together in their retirement communities and friendly drills at the clubs.

As a rec player it’s been really tough finding decent people to just hit and play with, and the heat and humidity doesn’t help at all but you’re from Australia so you should be good!

I haven't come across UTR ratings before (the UK doesn't really use a rating system, unlike the US or France!) but I'd be a 4.0-4.5 NTRP (I think), so I'd mainly be looking for flex leagues/community rathern than serious competition. Miami sounds like a great place for it!

What like ecological surroundings do you want to live in?

After 11 years in London I'm pretty over the rainy winters! Would definitely prefer warm, dry weather with good access to beaches, hiking, skiing etc.

Other things to consider. How important are good restaurants, the music scene, traffic, safety, distance to nearby attractions, ... to you?

LA area is pretty good overall. Close to nice beaches, a couple hours from skiing and snowboarding in the winter. Not far from the desert and Palm Springs. A few hours from some amazing national parks.

When it comes to having a variety of really authentic and good restaurants, I think LA tops the list.
Probably because there are large numbers of people from many countries. Some of the best Vietnamese and Pho restaurants outside of Vietnam. Same for Thai food, Chinese restaurants. There is even an area with some Ethiopian restaurants. Lots of good Japanese and Sushi.

Housing-wise it is not super cheap in the better areas, but the weather as long as you're not too far inland or in the valley, is fantastic. Not too humid and mild Winters.

Yeah LA seems like a great combination of a lot of things. Good restaurants, music, weather, proximity to the beach but also to national parks/skiing etc. are really important to me. I'm not as concerned about safety (famous last words) but don't want to spend hours every day in a car. I know LA is a driving city, but seeing as I won't have to commute to the office, I'm hoping that if I pick a "neighbourhoody" area that's reasonably self-contained, I won't have to drive across to town get to tennis courts, good restaurants, beaches etc.

I have a golden retriever too, so I enjoy being outdoors/active with her. London is great with dogs - you can take them to any pub and they're welcome in a lot of restaurants, so a dog-friendly neighbourhood would be a huge plus.

Do you live in LA? Any recommendations?

 

[optic yellow]

After 11 years in London I'm pretty over the rainy winters! Would definitely prefer warm, dry weather with good access to beaches, hiking, skiing etc.

They call 'em pommies for a reason

I think it comes down to how you are envisioning that access to beaches and mountain recreation. Are you viewing these as places you can go to for day trips or do you want them "there" reachable with no great inconvenience?

 

[onehandbh]

I haven't come across UTR ratings before (the UK doesn't really use a rating system, unlike the US or France!) but I'd be a 4.0-4.5 NTRP (I think), so I'd mainly be looking for flex leagues/community rathern than serious competition. Miami sounds like a great place for it!



After 11 years in London I'm pretty over the rainy winters! Would definitely prefer warm, dry weather with good access to beaches, hiking, skiing etc.



Yeah LA seems like a great combination of a lot of things. Good restaurants, music, weather, proximity to the beach but also to national parks/skiing etc. are really important to me. I'm not as concerned about safety (famous last words) but don't want to spend hours every day in a car. I know LA is a driving city, but seeing as I won't have to commute to the office, I'm hoping that if I pick a "neighbourhoody" area that's reasonably self-contained, I won't have to drive across to town get to tennis courts, good restaurants, beaches etc.

I have a golden retriever too, so I enjoy being outdoors/active with her. London is great with dogs - you can take them to any pub and they're welcome in a lot of restaurants, so a dog-friendly neighbourhood would be a huge plus.

Do you live in LA? Any recommendations?

I lived in LA for awhile. It is a bit of a driving city, but if you don't have to commute, then that makes things a lot easier.
Which part of LA County you'd like to live in on a daily base depends you. You might consider exploring each area a week or 2 at a time. Maybe temp stays (airbnb) for awhile before commiting to a longer lease or purchasing a property.

 

[Pat Rafter's Ponytail]

They call 'em pommies for a reason

I think it comes down to how you are envisioning that access to beaches and mountain recreation. Are you viewing these as places you can go to for day trips or do you want them "there" reachable with no great inconvenience?

Haha exactly. I think daily access to beaches/hikes would be nice (and I think realistic in LA?) but accept that access to skiing etc. might be more of a weekend thing.

I lived in LA for awhile. It is a bit of a driving city, but if you don't have to commute, then that makes things a lot easier.
Which part of LA County you'd like to live in on a daily base depends you. You might consider exploring each area a week or 2 at a time. Maybe temp stays (airbnb) for awhile before commiting to a longer lease or purchasing a property.

That's what I'm thinking of doing, trying out a few different neighbourhoods and maybe even spending time in other cities like San Diego or (much further afield) Denver, which I keep hearing great things about.

 

[denoted]

Multi-, even deca-millionaires complain about the cost of living in Los Angeles. See recent Sydney Sweeney piece for an example. I appreciate that tennis players incomes skew upward, but some of the advice here is not very realistic unless you are very wealthy indeed or do not require much in the way of housing.

 

[Pat Rafter's Ponytail]

Multi-, even deca-millionaires complain about the cost of living in Los Angeles. See recent Sydney Sweeney piece for an example. I appreciate that tennis players incomes skew upward, but some of the advice here is not very realistic unless you are very wealthy indeed or do not require much in the way of housing.

Sadly, I'm not even a lowly multi-millionaire, but I am very used to living in a shoebox in London, so perhaps I expect less on the housing front!

 

[onehandbh]

You mentioned living in London, so I assumed that LA's cost of living is not out of budget. Plus your d.o.g. can meet Snoop D.o.g.g.

 

[Pat Rafter's Ponytail]

You mentioned living in London, so I assumed that LA's cost of living is not out of budget. Plus your d.o.g. can meet Snoop D.o.g.g.

That's the real reason I'm leaning towards LA!

 

[guanzishou]

Just keep an eye on your new balls and vibration dampeners and your snacks if you play against sureshs.

 

[rommil]

Ehhhh LA, give it a try first and get a feel
for it. On paper it can be good

 

[Slicehand]

Alexandria, kentuky, only grass courts, with no lines or net but you can just imagine they are there

 

[Rattler]

Go see the movie "Vengeance" by BJ Novak for an idea of the social scene.

Lol well, this is true

 

[onehandbh]

Another thing to consider is your race/appearance due to racism. (e.g. I would not recommend parts of Idaho for some people...)

 

[USMC-615]

Get you a place around Atlanta...ain't nobody got no time to be foolin' around with that left coast over there.

 

[rommil]

Get you a place around Atlanta...ain't nobody got no time to be foolin' around with that left coast over there.

The traffic and drivers through ATL are horrendous but so does the LA people, I just moved to north of Atlanta in Buford and still looking for more hitting partners but the sports facilities (including tennis) in the towns around me are really really nice

 

[USMC-615]

The traffic and drivers through ATL are horrendous but so does the LA people, I just moved to north of Atlanta in Buford and still looking for more hitting partners but the sports facilities (including tennis) in the towns around me are really really nice

Buford's a pretty nice place, been there many times. If nothing else, Hotlanta and the surrounding areas are known for some uppity, clickish stuff no doubt.

 

[rommil]

 

[rommil]

Buford's a pretty nice place, been there many times. If nothing else, Hotlanta and the surrounding areas are known for some uppity, clickish stuff no doubt.

Im coming from Connecticut which can have bragging rights for one of the most uppity and clickish people. Are you still in the ATL area? Maybe we can hit and give me pointers lol?'m

 

[USMC-615]

Im coming from Connecticut which can have bragging rights for one of the most uppity and clickish people. Are you still in the ATL area? Maybe we can hit and give me pointers lol?'m

Actually I’m about 2 hrs south of Atlanta, straight down I-75. But hitting some tennis balls wouldn’t be any problem in the Atlanta area on a weekend if I’m north of here, or if you ever venture south on I-75 near Warner Robins/Macon area.

 

[rommil]

Actually I’m about 2 hrs south of Atlanta, straight down I-75. But hitting some tennis balls wouldn’t be any problem in the Atlanta area on a weekend if I’m north of here, or if you ever venture south on I-75 near Warner Robins/Macon area.

I see, the southest I’ve been of ATL while in Georgia is the airport but thank you

 

[rommil]

Oh I have signed up for Ultimate Tennis singles, doubles and maybe eventually wheelchair division the way my body is breaking down. And there is also ALTA? where the ratings are a bit different and a lot of matches are played on Saturdays which over the years Ive alloted to curing hangovers. I must say there's tennis here everywhere

 

[USMC-615]

Oh I have signed up for Ultimate Tennis singles, doubles and maybe eventually wheelchair division the way my body is breaking down. And there is also ALTA? where the ratings are a bit different and a lot of matches are played on Saturdays which over the years Ive alloted to curing hangovers. I must say there's tennis here everywhere

Curing hangovers…good one!

 

[rommil]

When it comes to having a variety of really authentic and good restaurants, I think LA tops the list.
Probably because there are large numbers of people from many countries. Some of the best Vietnamese and Pho restaurants outside of Vietnam. Same for Thai food, Chinese restaurants. There is even an area with some Ethiopian restaurants. Lots of good Japanese and Sushi.

Well on this side of the country in the South we have a chain of wonderful restaurants which the French calls La Maison des Gauffres (best to go at 3AM)

 

[USMC-615]

Well on this side of the country in the South we have a chain of wonderful restaurants which the French calls La Maison des Gauffres (best to go at 3AM)

I’m lacking a little in the French department…would that translate to either the Waffle House or Huddle House? The 3am timeframe is my indicator, lol.

 

[rommil]

I’m lacking a little in the French department…would that translate to either the Waffle House or Huddle House? The 3am timeframe is my indicator, lol.

LOL yes, the infamous Waffle House

 

[jindra]

Best place for tennis in the US is Florida. The issue is that you have to live in Florida.

 

[USMC-615]

LOL yes, the infamous Waffle House

I’ve occupied a seat at a Waffle House a hundred times or more in my younger days btwn the hours of 2am and 6am trying to eat and sober up. Lol

 

[Biologydropout]

Charleston, SC and Wilmington, NC are both pretty decent places to live and play. Plenty of clay (har-tru) and hard courts to choose from. Public courts and private clubs are readily available. Weather is generally good though it does get a little unpleasant in the summer. There aren’t a ton of tournaments anymore but plenty of opportunities for league play or casual hitting. Beaches are close by, mountains a few hours west.

 

[AceyMan]

I heard ATL is the best town for tennis.

and ..... worst for traffic.

I'd look into the smaller "big towns" in the Carolinas like Asheville or the Raleigh–Durham area.

/Acey
(born & raised ATL, now in Los Angeles)

 

[PMF]

If you can afford it, the suburbs of San Diego are very nice. La Jolla, Del Mar, Solana Beach. You would probably have to join a tennis/fitness club though.

 

[rommil]

Coming from CT and Georgia, I went to SoCal few weeks ago and the trees and vegetation looked very dry and brown . I was told it doesn’t rain a lot there which is prob good for OP having to have endured all that rain in England

 

[jhick]

California is really expensive! Atlanta and Florida are super humid and hot in the summers. MN/WI is a bit cold in the winter but you can play indoor tennis and participation in the twin cities is very high. I'm guessing you being from London, the heat and humidity will be oppressive. I would maybe look other places. Cali might be an option though if you aren't opposed to the high cost of living. Denver might be another option for you.

 

[optic yellow]

Haha exactly. I think daily access to beaches/hikes would be nice (and I think realistic in LA?) but accept that access to skiing etc. might be more of a weekend thing.



That's what I'm thinking of doing, trying out a few different neighbourhoods and maybe even spending time in other cities like San Diego or (much further afield) Denver, which I keep hearing great things about.

Well I think you should ask yourself just how nice that ideal of the beach being your regular playground sounds. Denver does not have that and it also has days of extreme cold and extreme dry heat that are rarely present in coastal Southern California. It kinda seems like a non-starter to me personally.

 

[sureshs]

Coming from CT and Georgia, I went to SoCal few weeks ago and the trees and vegetation looked very dry and brown . I was told it doesn’t rain a lot there which is prob good for OP having to have endured all that rain in England

Droughts are coming due to climate change but the locals are more concerned about keeping their lawns and golf courses watered. They never learn.

 

[10sbeast888]

this kinda question is like - moving to the US, where has the best burger.

you only need 2-3 partners to have too much tennis... these 3.4-4.0 guys are dime a dozen... anywhere in the US... public courts are everywhere... check google maps.

 

[hiltonhead]

Hello! I'll be moving to the US this fall for work and am lucky enough to have a fully remote job, so can basically pick anywhere in the US to live.

What are the best towns/cities in the US for tennis players?

I currently live in London where the weather is terrible for a lot of the year, and the public courts aren't much better, so I joined a private club a few years ago. Is that the norm in the US, or are public courts more accessible/higher quality?

Many thanks in advance!

I have 40+ hartru tennis courts with less than a 15mn bike trail ride from my door....

 

[optic yellow]

I have 40+ hartru tennis courts with less than a 15mn bike trail ride from my door....

yeah but where are you located

 

[AceyMan]

yeah but where are you located

he's cleverly encoded that data in his nick handle ...