Pickleball as a Cultural Connector

When I was asked to consider running groups trips that combine pickleball and travel, it was important to me that this be more than just a visit to a resort to play. As a pickleball player and coach, I know the potential of the game to bring connection, to find joy, to literally play as if children once again!

The sport is in fact, shared by all ages, children and adults, multigenerational, it is accessible and possible to combine teams; grandparents and grandkids enjoy together! Wonderful wonderous!

Travel, we know, has the power to break down barriers, to undo stereotypes. Pickleball is a connector. We can play together. I proceeded to create what I now have developed as my main brand: With Heart Travel.

The first trip in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic in 2023 is where it began. Connecting with a local school, I developed a relationship that continues today. My goal, to bring participants out of the resort to connect with local people.

Everywhere I travel I meet kind and caring people. Stepping outside one’s confirm zone is a choice. Doing it through a sport that is played in community becomes a way to find common ground. Some of the trips I organize have pickleball instruction as the primary focus; these include daily instruction from fine coaches who are part of the group who give players of all levels greater understanding of the game’s strategy, point by point, so the game is played with longer rallies, combining dinks, drives, drops, drips, paddle tap and joy!

These pickleball-focused trips also build in a “with heart experience” to connect with local people. Those who participate, whether visiting a school, sharing time with the local organizations in some way, all say it is a real highlight and are glad to have taken part in this opportunity. They feel a renewed and real connection with the place and people in the destination. It is a way again to enjoy play, but more than that, a vehicle to meet and connect with local people in a way that fosters friendship and changes perspective. Not only for the traveler, but for the local people too. I call this a “giving exchange” because everyone benefits.

If you are interested in a pickleball-focused style for 2027, join in Antigua March 2027 – an all- inclusive trip at Verandah resort and Spa. There is daily instruction and afternoon open play, with a low coach:player ratio so it is very personalized. In addition, we will meet and play with Pickleball Antigua at the local club 268.Thanks in great part to Anna Marie Joseph who has formed a local club and works to share the sport with guests who visit any of the five Elite Island Resort properties, pickleball has taken off and become very popular on the island; the local team went to Vietnam and medaled in the 2026 world cup!

Some of the other With Heart group trips only contain a small amount of pickleball, with more travel and exploring the country. In these, pickleball serves as one of the ways to connect. If you want to travel more to explore the destination as part of a small group, more intimate experience than just typical tourist, join a With Heart trip that includes a variety of activities. Still focused on building connection with the people and places we visit; and just one of the ways, through pickleball.

You may want to join us June 2027 in Istria, a peninsula in Croatia where we will explore the beautiful villages, enjoy delicious cuisine, experience the culture and iconic sights. We will venture through medieval hill towns, coastal villages, and vineyard-dotted valleys where Roman, Venetian, and Slavic influences have shaped history and share time with local producers to sample award-winning olive oils, regional wines, and prized truffles, while strolling along cobblestone streets lined with artisan workshops, we experience the peninsula’s renowned culinary traditions.

We will have a chance to play pickleball with a local club to meet and share time with people in the community. We will have an “with heart experience” too with youth to enjoy the game with local families.

There are also visits to Pula’s remarkable Roman Arena, the colorful harbor town of Rovinj, the artists’ village of Grožnjan, and the crystal-clear shores of Rabac, which reveal the remarkable diversity of Istria’s landscapes and heritage.

A small taste of what With Heart Travel offers. I hope your curiosity is tapped to want to learn more! I am open to exploring ideas and have other trips already in the works.  Join a Thursday Travel Talk, expore with us!

Thank you ~