Play Pickleball at JFK Airport

Pickleball. It’s a sport that those who know say is very easy to start, hard to stop, and super easy to love, will now be taking off for the next two weeks from New York City’s JFK Airport, at the TWA Hotel’s tarmac.

Making the courts available to airport travelers, hotel guests, and New Yorkers who just want to play, starting this Friday and on premise weekends through November 13, CityPickle,  who operate this and are the folks behind a similar temporary fielding in New York Hudson Yards, say the courts will be open during the week, on a first-come, first served basis.

Pickleball is a game that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and pingpong, and like them all, can be played either indoors or outdoors.

Invented in 1965 by three dads whose children had grown bored of the games and toys they already had, it has become immensely popular in the US and Canada, and the joy is spreading to Asia and Europe, too.

But in the NYC court, players are welcome to bring their own rackets, or they can rent custom CityPickle paddles (say that three times fast) for $10 each.

Here's the open-play schedule:

Friday, November 4 from 3 to 6pm

Saturday, November 5 from 3 to 6pm

Friday, November 11 from 9 to 11am

Saturday, November 12 from 9 to 11am

Sunday, November 13 from 11am to 1pm

And for those who like to play and then want to get a view of the city from a different angle, CityPickle has partnered with BLADE, the company that allows people to “Commute by helicopter or seaplane within and around cities and jet to popular destinations.” BLADE is offering 10% discounts on the usual rate for a 5 minute helicopter ride from Manhattan to the TWA Hotel for folks using their app and the code CityPickle.