Fullerton Tennis Center, Fullerton: What to Know Before You Play

Seventeen lit courts, split nine tennis to eight pickleball. For a public facility in Fullerton that is an unusual amount of room — enough that both sports keep their own evening rhythm instead of negotiating for the same space.

The Basics

• Address: 110 E. Valencia Mesa Dr, Fullerton, CA 92835 — just across the street from St. Jude Medical Center

• Sports: Tennis, pickleball

• Courts: 9 tennis, 8 pickleball, all lighted

• Hours: Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–9 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday 7 a.m.–1 p.m.

• Cost: Court rental $10 resident, $14 non-resident

• Reservations: Online through CivicRec, by phone at (714) 773-5776, or in person

• On site: Pavilion with a lounge and locker rooms with showers

• Parking, courtside water and shade: not listed on the city's page — check before you go

What it's good for

This is a book-a-court facility rather than a walk-on park, which makes it the right pick when you want a guaranteed hour instead of a maybe. Nine tennis courts is enough for a group of eight to run doubles side by side, and an eight-court pickleball bank keeps a rotation moving without anyone sitting out long. The city programs both sports for beginning, recreational and advanced players, so it works for a first lesson and for a fast singles run alike.

Before you go

• Book ahead. Courts are reserved through CivicRec, by phone, or at the desk — the reservation is the difference between an hour of tennis and a drive home.

• Bring $10, or $14 if you are not a Fullerton resident. Confirm what the desk takes when you book.

• Weekends run on a short clock: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Plan weekend play as a morning.

• Every court is lit and the weekday gates close at 9 p.m., so a 7:30 p.m. start is a full session rather than a rushed one.

• Carry your own water bottle. The pavilion has a lounge and locker rooms with showers; what sits courtside is not listed, so bring your own.

• Pin the tennis center itself, not the hospital. It sits across Valencia Mesa from St. Jude, and the medical campus is the easier thing to drive into by mistake.

Best times to play

Weekday mid-morning is the widest block on the calendar — doors open at 7 a.m. and the after-work hours are still ahead. Evenings are the other honest answer: the lights cover every court and play runs to the 9 p.m. close. For weekends, treat 7 to 10 a.m. as the real window, since the gates close at 1 p.m. The reservation calendar shows live availability, so check it before you drive over rather than guessing.

Who plays here

The mix is wide by design. The city runs tennis and pickleball programming for beginning, recreational and advanced players, so on one evening you may find a lesson on one court and a quick doubles game two down. Because courts are reserved rather than claimed, groups tend to arrive as groups — if you are new and want to be pulled into a game, the clinics and programs are a faster route in than waiting at the fence.

Play here

Find or organize a tennis or pickleball game at Fullerton Tennis Center on StartTime: 📍Fullerton Tennis Center