Have Tennis, Will Travel: Georgia

Longer days and warmer temperatures— combined with travel starting to feel more accessible—means the season is ripe for tennis getaways. Ready to get back into the swing of things? Pack your gear and point your compass towards one of these southern states.

As it is in the Carolinas, some of the best tennis opportunities in Georgia can be found by the ocean.

Sea Island Resort, Sea Island

• On the southeastern coast of the state, Sea Island is an iconic resort boasting 16 Har-Tru clay courts, with clinics and USPTA-level instruction available. A range of accommodations, five miles of private beach, a yacht club, shooting school and three golf courses round out its impressive list of amenities.

Jekyll Island Tennis Center, Jekyll Island

• On Jekyll Island—a barrier island located midway between Savannah and Jacksonville—a robust conservation program makes for a beautiful blend of unspoiled beaches and mature maritime forest. The Jekyll Island Tennis Center is a public facility with 13 Har-Tru clay courts and is a popular host for USTA tournaments. The courts are framed by live oak, moss and wild palmettos, giving players a taste of what’s in store after tennis.

Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Reynolds Lake Oconee

• Further inland, in Georgia’s lake country, the Reynolds Lake Oconee golf community is a great place for a country retreat-style getaway. Guests can stay at vacation rental homes and cottages, or at The Ritz-Carlton hotel. The grounds include four marinas, six golf courses and the eight-court Reynolds Lake Club Tennis Center, operated by Peter Burwash International.

ITA Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame, Athens

• Even if you’re not looking to play on your spring getaway, you may want to swing by the ITA Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame on the University of Georgia campus in Athens. Peruse more than 1,800 rare photos of players and coaches who’ve been enshrined.

Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association, Atlanta

• In the state’s capital, the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association is a great resource for locating courts across the city. Some of the most popular include the Bitsy Grant Tennis Center, which has 13 clay and 10 hard courts, and the Sharon E. Lester Tennis Center at Piedmont Park, a public facility with 12 lighted courts. Piedmont Park, Midtown’s centerpiece, has enough to keep you busy long after your match has wrapped, from walking tours and a Green Market, to Lake Clara Meer (where you can fish, with a valid fishing license) and wetlands that are home to native plants and animals. The park also hosts many of the city’s festivals—which should start to slowly resume later in 2021, and return in full celebratory force in 2022.