Destination Tennis: Owl’s Nest Resort

Calling all sunbirds. When stifling heat and humidity set in, escape to a place where days are sunny and warm, but not burning and brutal.

The White Mountains of New Hampshire are just that place, beckoning with pleasant summer conditions. Even peak season brings what locals call “sweata weatha”—temperate 80-degree days that give way to evenings just nippy enough for long sleeves.

The Owl’s Nest Resort is the premier destination in the beautiful corner of New England defined by 48 mountains over 4,000 feet high. Racquet sports, championship golf, fine dining, relaxation and outdoor adventures create an award-winning playground an hour from Manchester’s airport, and two hours from Boston.

Sprawling across 600 acres, the upscale retreat centers around a world-class racquet-sports center completed in 2022. Owl’s Nest is the only resort in the country with the court trifecta: tennis, pickleball and platform (or paddle) in the same location.

Click below to see Monica Puig's visit to Owl's Nest Resort. ⤵️

Situated around the Sports Nest clubhouse and observation decks, the 25 courts buzz every day with clinics, lessons and tournaments. All eight tennis courts are red clay, sourced from Vermont quarries. The surface plays “very feathery,” like European terre battue, says Owl’s Nest owner Brian Lash, an avid player himself.

To me, red clay is the most beautiful and well-playing surface in the world. Rallies are longer, and it’s less demanding on the body.

He also loves the insider wink the surface leaves on players.

“You know how your socks get all dusty around the ankles? I love that. I wear my red socks with pride,” he says. “When I see guys and gals walking around with red dust on their socks, I think, Ah, tennis player.”

With 13 courts—two of them championship arenas—the pickleball facility was rated No. 2 in the world by Tennis Resorts Online. The tennis and pickleball programs run May through October.

Platform tennis on four heated courts takes over from October through April. As a four-season resort, Owl’s Nest offers plenty of activities any time of the year, including spectacular hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, road-running and skiing at three destinations within 20 minutes of the resort.

👉 For more videos from Owl's Nest Resort, visit Destination Tennis.

Golf is another draw at Owl’s Nest. The resort sits on an 18-hole course redesigned by Jack Nicklaus. With dramatic elevation changes, the par-72, 6,819-yard course offers breathtaking views from the tee boxes and classic Nicklaus doglegs in mint condition. And it’s a bargain at less than $100 for green fees. In fact, The Golf Channel ranked Owl’s Nest No. 6 among Nicklaus’ value courses. The resort owns another 18-hole course a few miles away that will unveil a fresh design later this year.

When it’s time to wind down, Owl’s Nest keeps its Olympic-size pool and 25-person Jacuzzi heated year-round, and offers yoga classes by the lake. Panorama Six82, named for the resort’s elevation, is hailed as the No. 2 restaurant in the White Mountains by the area’s industry experts. Three more restaurants open this year: Hooks for seafood, lobster rolls and cocktails, Slice pizzeria, and Butch’s New York–style deli.

For accommodations, families and USTA teams enjoy the new homes with one to four bedrooms. Among the 59 hotel rooms, about half of them are oversized lakeside units with balconies.

👉 For more videos from Owl's Nest Resort, visit Destination Tennis.

Owl’s Nest Resort

• Address: 40 Clubhouse Lane, Thornton, NH, 03285
• Phone: 603-726-3076
• Rates: Hotel rooms: $195/night in winter, $249/night in the summer; four-bedroom house: $900/night winter, $1,300/night in the summer
• Website: owlsnestresort.com
• Instagram: @owlsnestresortnh
• Facebook: /owlsnestresortgolfclub

Tennis at a Glance

• Facilities: 13 pickleball courts, 8 red-clay courts, 4 platform tennis courts (year-round), clubhouse, pro shop, equipment rental
• Lights: Yes
• Rates: $25 and up for clinics (adult, kids and family clinics are offered for tennis, pickleball and platform tennis); $90/hour for private instruction
• One Thing You Need to Know: The resort is the largest racquet-sports facility in the Northeast.