The holidays can be a time to warm the heart of a tennis player by giving things that reflect his or her passion for the fuzzy green ball. This holiday season, Tennis Tourist will share some of the things he has discovered that the tennis player on your holiday gift list may like as well. Join us for the 12 Days of Tennis Gifts where we start small and work our way up to things that may put a smile on the face of even the most discerning of ralliers.
Day 2-Natural Gut Tennis String
"Natural gut has been regarded as the premiere tennis string since the early 1800s. It has been, and remains, the most frequently used string on the pro tour"
Tennis Warehouse
...a thoughtful gift that just might improve your loved one's game.
Stocking Stuffer Ideas-Santa Claus Ties
...He just might find some new people to play with if he wears one of these to a holiday party
The holidays can be a time to warm the heart of a tennis player by giving things that reflect his or her passion for the fuzzy green ball. This holiday season, Tennis Tourist will share some of the things he has discovered that the tennis player on your holiday gift list may like as well. Join us for the 12 Days of Tennis Gifts where we start small and work our way up to things that may put a smile on the face of even the most discerning of rallyers.
Day 1-Rafa Bull Ball Cap by Nike
Maybe you can't play like Rafa, but you can carry a bit of his style with you on the court. The Tennis Tourist gives this 'bull' ballcap the thumbs up.
Stocking Stuffer Idea-Mmm...Martha Stewart Tennis Ball Macaroons
No one knows how to blend creativity and tasty food quite like Martha Stewart. Slip some of these macaroons in a tennis players stocking, and they just might love you even more. Check Martha's website for the recipe.
You’ll never forget playing tennis at Bay View in Key West. Like everything else in this unique tip of the United States, it seems to have a flavor of its own. There are a group of regular KeyWesters and guests, and a sign up sheet to get on these free courts. They make you feel very welcome, and after a few rounds of tennis, you can see why some people choose never to leave. The facility has five courts that are also lit for night play.
Bay View Tennis Courts
1398 Truman Ave,
Key West, FL 33040
1-305-809-3700
What to Do After
The sunset is a reason for celebration every night in Key West. Once you’ve seen one, you’ll understand why. The city’s Mallory Square sets the stage for the sun’s always dazzling exit from the day over the Gulf of Mexico, highlighting the solar spectacle with art and street performers, all watched by thousands of people.
Where to Stay The most laid back way to stay in Key West has to be camping. This southernmost tip of the continental United States is only about 90 miles from Cuba and shares with it a balmy climate that makes sleeping outdoors comfortable most of the year. Boyd’s Campground is an interesting mix of snowbirds, young campers, regular folks who have Key West on their itineraries, and even tennis players. Besides being on the ocean, the campground has a great pool that is one of the social centers of the resort.
Kitsilano Beach in Vancouver is one of Vancouver's 'places to be' year round.
It was voted the third sexiest beach in North America by Forbes Traveler Magazine. And it's also a great place to play tennis. Even in the cooler months, it's a spot where Vancouverites love to hang out. After all, what more can you say about a neighborhood where Lululemon was founded, and where the store still offers free yoga classes in it's store and sometimes even on the beach.
Kitsilano has a reputation as a place to be and be seen in Vancouver. But it's also a great place to play tennis. There are a group of regulars there who are always willing to pick up a game with you, so you'll never be left out in the cold. And you just might get an invite to go for a coffee at one of the trendy java houses adjacent to the park where the courts are.
What to Do After the Game
Do what all of Vancouver's 'beautiful people' do. Take a walk along the beach, gaze out at the amazing view of the mountains and water from a beach-side vantage point, play basketball or beach volleyball, or let the kids play on the state of the art playground that was a legacy gift from the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Where to Stay
Mickey's Kits Beach Chalet
This quaint B&B tucked away on a side street in historic, funky Kitsilano makes a good base for playing tennis at the Kitsilano Tennis Courts which are only a short stroll away.
Two years in a row we have attended Reed Anderson's Adult Tennis Camps at the prestigious Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage California. Reed is a skilled and lively coach and leads a well-rounded coaching staff. Camps can be mornings or full day and divided by level. Adult students are both locals and visitors and every different ability is welcome.
After class we managed to get in a game on the beautifully manicured grass courts that Missions Hills has.
Mission Hills Grass Courts
How to Get There
Reed Anderson Tennis Academy
71333 Dinah Shore Dr Rancho Mirage, CA 92270, United States
+1 760 770 2148
What To Do After The Game
We hiked in the hills above Palm Springs. The views are magnificent and there are literally oasis' where there are Palm trees and water in the middle of the desert.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at the beautiful Desert Princess Resort which also has a fantastic tennis facility. We loved it so much there that we ended up buying a condo which we rent to other tennis lovers.
Stanley Park is one of the world’s great urban parks in the heart of Vancouver British Columbia, Canada. It is a 1,001 acre public park that borders downtown Vancouver and is almost entirely surrounded by the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The park has 11 free tennis courts that are available on a first come, first served basis. There are also more free courts near Lost Lagoon along Lagoon Drive at Robson Street if they are full. During the warm season, six of the courts are operated as pay courts and can be booked through the tennis pro shop at Stanley Park. There are a lot of regulars at these courts and the play can be at quite a high level on the courts at Beach Avenue. You can find the courts near the Beach Avenue entrance to Stanley Park. 604-605-8224.
What to Do After the Game
Stanley Park and English Bay
Strolling along the seawall through this world class urban park, hanging out on English Bay Beach, kayaking, watching legendary sunsets. It’s all part of visiting the west end of Vancouver, an area that draws locals and people from around the globe. With Vancouver’s moderate climate, the park is a popular place to go year round.
Stanley park is designated a national historic site and is a 400 hectare oasis of rainforest, trails and beaches with mountain and water views in the heart of urban Vancouver. There are restaurants, an aquarium, totem poles and many other points of interest in the renowned site.
Where to Stay
The Sylvia HotelStanding guard over English Bay Beach and the entrance to Stanley Park since 1912, the grand old hotel is truly a Vancouver landmark. It was designed as an apartment building for a Mr. Goldstein who had a daughter named Sylvia. Now dwarfed by surrounding high rise towers, until 1958 it was the tallest building in Vancouver and also the site of the first cocktail bar in the city. The outside is completely covered by Virginia Creeper and inside the charm continues with tasteful period pieces combined with modern amenities. The rates are very reasonable considering the location, and it is therefore a very popular place for visitors. It’s easy to spend lots of time without even leaving the hotel. Eating in the restaurant is an experience in itself. The views of English Bay and the sunsets in the evening are spectacular.
The hotel was designated a historic building in 1975 and has also been immortalized in two children’s books by Lois Simmie about the hotels famous cat. A song by singer-songwriter. Cheryl Wheeler also mentions the feline.
Legendary sunsets from the restaurant and bar of the Sylvia.
November means cooler temperatures in North America and Europe, so playing tennis in a warmer climate sounds appealing. Here’s a tennis destination we discovered in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Tennis at 700 Years Stadium in Chiang Mai Thailand
We went looking for tennis and found a world-class facility in Chiang Mai. The 700 Years Stadium built in honor of the city's seventh century anniversary features 11 practice courts and one center court which are open 7am to 9pm. They are lit at night, sometimes a good idea because the days can be very warm in Thailand, even in the north. There is a pro-shop there that is stocked with virtually everything you would need to play the game.
How to Get there
You can find the courts by going down Chotana road to the new city hall. Turn left and keep going until you cross Canal Road. Once you're in the sports complex, follow the signs and arrows.
What to do after tennis
Wat Doi Suthep
After playing tennis we took our rented motorcycle and rode up the mountain to Doi Suthep budhist wat (temple). The views were stunning and hill tribes people sold their traditional crafts at some spots on the way up. The Doi Hutep wat was magnificent. Be prepared for lots of tourists at this well-known temple though.
Where we stayed
Chiang Mai Boutique House Hotel
We arrived there at night. We clambered out of the songthaew(open air shared taxi) after a twelve hour train ride from Bangkok, and there it was, the Chiang Mai Boutique House, an eclectic statement of a hotel that gently represents many of the elements of this northern city, and is a backstreet refuge in this city of bars, stunning Buddhist Wats(temples), markets and Thai massage parlors. The rooms are wrapped around a courtyard, pool and breakfast lounge area where you can watch the interesting world of Chaing Mai pass by your eyes while surround by northern Thai design.
