First invented in 1965 on Washington’s Bainbridge Island, pickleball has morphed from a casual backyard sport to a global sensation that’s taking the world by storm—and in the mid-2020s, this beloved activity is gearing up to become more popular than ever. While the sport has been popping up at world-class resorts all across the United States, courts have extended to some of the east coast’s most cosmopolitan cities as well, with the New York-based CityPickle leading the charge. Established in the summer of 2021, this lavish lifestyle brand made waves by opening Long Island City’s first indoor pickleball club, with multiple seasonal popups spanning from Brooklyn down to Philadelphia.
For Forbes, co-founders Mary Cannon and Erica Desai offer insight into the benefits of pickleball, the evolution of the sport and how it’s impacting the travel industry as a whole.
What first drew you to pickleball and why did you decide to launch CityPickle?
MC: Before going into business together for CityPickle, we were longtime friends and tennis partners. We both discovered pickleball separately during the pandemic when we were outside of New York City. It was a completely new sport for both of us. I tried it for the first time in South Carolina, while Erica started playing while spending time in Vermont. Coming back to New York, we discovered there were very few places to play in the City—only a handful of public outdoor courts that demanded hour-long wait times for 15 minutes of play. With pickleball exploding all over the country, we saw an opportunity to create a brand that celebrates the sport while also catering to the busy lives of urban professionals combining bookable indoor courts with the added benefit of pre-game or post-game socializing at a full bar and café.
As we’ve continued to expand, we’ve consistently found that the lack of places to book and play pickleball isn’t isolated to New York. Our goal ultimately is to be in all major cities.
You’ve installed pickleball activations in destinations such as Wollman Rink in Central Park, Hudson Yards, TWA Hotel at JFK Airport and Philadelphia City Hall. Why did you choose to partner with these locations?
ED: With CityPickle, our mission is simple: spread the joy and community of pickleball to as many people as possible.
When we introduced CityPickle in New York City, it became clear to us that many people had never played before, and our priority was to position ourselves in areas with a high volume of foot traffic. We initially launched one-court activations in both Hudson Yards and TWA Hotel at JFK Airport to spark curiosity from New Yorkers and travelers alike. In doing so, we experienced overwhelming demand, which has helped us solidify our strategy
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
On Monday evening, T Magazine held its annual party to help kick off the Salone del Mobile design fair in Milan. For the sixth year, guests flocked to Villa Necchi Campiglio, the 1935 Rationalist-style home designed by the Italian architect Piero Portaluppi. But this year, the cause for celebration was twofold: The event also marked the magazine’s 20th anniversary, and to honor the occasion, T’s editor in chief, Hanya Yanagihara, commissioned the Parisian multidisciplinary artist Ramdane Touhami to oversee the party’s design.
Choosing your cruise ship cabin or stateroom is an essential part of planning a dream cruise vacation. The right accommodation can enhance your cruise experience, providing you with a comfortable retreat after a day of adventure, but some choices may turn out to be an expensive mistake.
Travel certainly plays a role in our circadian rhythms and the way we sleep. A rather suprising joint One Poll-National Sleep Awareness Month study (2023) showed 3 out of 4 participants reported getting a more restful sleep in hotel rooms over sleeping at home.
Towering snow-capped mountains, evergreen forests filled with wildlife, deep-blue waters and coastlines dotted with little towns: this isn’t the setting of a fantasy novel, this is Canada, home to some of the world’s most thrilling landscapes.
Astro-tourism is one of 2024's biggest travel trends, but with so many of the best stargazing places in the U.S. in the nation's west, a road trip is the easiest way to visit them.
When Galataport, Istanbul's new waterfront shopping complex and cruise terminal, opened along the Bosphorus in late 2021, a major highlight was the revamped Ottoman-era post office, a grand open-plan space dedicated to homegrown Turkish brands. Now the site of some 250 stores, the bustling retail hub reflects a tradition dating back to the early days of Istanbul's 500-year-old Grand Bazaar, when artisans, or “usta,” composed such a lauded echelon of Turkish society that streets were named after them. Visit today and you'll still see signage decorated with odes to the Halıcılar (carpet makers), Kuyumcular (goldsmiths), Aynacılar (mirror makers), and many other craftspeople whose wares line the arcades. But contemporary Turkish creatives are also attracting global attention far beyond the walls of the world's most famous bazaar, thanks to modern twists on jewelry, fashion, furniture, and textile techniques rooted in the rich history of the Ottoman era. And in doing so, they're shaping the futures of the Istanbul neighborhoods they call home.
The American Cruise Lines fleet is growing again: Less than a week after announcing it had purchased four former American Queen Voyages ships, American Cruise Lines has revealed that it’s building two additional ships.
Holland America Line is celebrating a pair of sustainable seafood certifications—one from the Marine Stewardship Council, and the other from the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.
The enhanced Hilton Honors American Express Business Card follows the recently enhanced Hilton Honors American Express Surpass and Aspire Cards, announced in October 2023 to consumer Card Members.
The deal will also guarantee eSky customers that their correct contact and payment info is provided to Ryanair, ensuring that they have direct access to their myRyanair account and receive important flight information straight to their email.
Steve Singh, co-founder of Concur, and a group of firms have fully acquired the corporate travel agency Direct Travel. And they’re planning to release a new platform for customers later this year that combines several new technologies from Direct Travel and three other startups that Singh has a stake in.