Dockside Dinks

Pickleball gets a floating court on Lake Washington.

Four people play pickleball on a blue inflatable court floating on a lake, with trees and a shoreline visible in the background.

Photo courtesy of Hyatt Regency Lake Washington

Seattle can’t resist putting things on water. We’ve got the world’s longest floating bridge, floating hot tubs on Lake Union, even a floating sauna. Now add a floating pickleball court to the list.

The temporary court, set up on Lake Washington off Renton’s Southport, is open to the public and can be reserved online for $50, for as long as the weather holds up. “Summer isn’t over yet, and we’re thrilled to bring one of the country’s most popular sports to the lake,” says Dana McKenzie, assistant director of marketing at Hyatt Regency Lake Washington. “With a few more weeks in the summer season, now is the perfect time to get some friends together for a fun and competitive pickleball game on the water.”

Pickleball, in case you missed the memo, was invented just across the Sound on Bainbridge Island in 1965 by Congressman Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum. Despite the myth, it wasn’t named after a dog (Pickles came along later). The name traces back to “pickle boat,” a rowing term for a crew cobbled together from spares. The game itself was stitched together the same way, using ping-pong paddles, a badminton court, a wiffle ball, and a tennis net. And if you want to return to its roots, you can still play at Battle Point Park, the site of the original game.

Two people play pickleball barefoot on an inflatable blue court near a lake, with trees and water in the background.

Several people play tennis on a floating court in a waterfront area with a large brick hotel and outdoor dining in the background.

From those scrappy beginnings, pickleball has exploded. The U.S. had nearly 20 million participants in 2024, a more than 300% jump since 2021. Washington even declared it the official state sport in 2022. Today, players pack into converted tennis courts at Green Lake and Soundview Playfield among many others, while cities around the region race to build more. Poulsbo recently opened new courts, and upscale concepts are on the way too, like Picklewood Paddle Club—a still-to-open Ethan Stowell–backed venue in SODO that looks swanky and playful, branded like something out of a Wes Anderson movie, which suits the quirks of pickleball well.

The floating court will be available for the rest of summer. And if you miss your shot, well, at least the lake will catch it.