NE Tennis Holidays
#1 U.S. tennis camp; VT/FL/NH Cape Cod;Fine dining/lodging
netennisholidays.com
Here's what others have had to say about Sea Colony Resort and Sea Colony Tennis Camp.
"The lodging and tennis facilities are excellent. Staff is friendly and helpful. The tennis director, Thomas Johnston, is a highly motivated and motivating coach. He knows the game inside out and surrounds himself with very good pros. For example, one of my clinic instructors was Craig Wittus, a top US professional doubles player in the '80s and an outstanding tennis coach."—M.F., Adv., September 2010
"Great tennis instruction, very organized."—M.B., Int., September 2010
""—A.C., September 2010
"Coaching staff is exceptional! Alex, Pete, Ryan, Tim, Lou and Tennis Director Thomas Johnston make instruction fun and challenging. I've learned so much from them... and the facilities are amazing! Sea Colony is the one to watch. I'll be back!"—G.S., Int., August 2010
"Superb facilities! Great coaching staff! I spent this summer at Sea Colony and the staff elevated my game."—P.S., Adv., August 2010
"Head Pro is a good manager and attends to everyone. The young tennis pros are great. Alex and Tim give great cardio classes. There is a nice variety to the offerings. Big improvement over the last few seasons at Sea Colony."—R.G., Low Int., August 2010
"The program is overall a tradition that has been there for a long time with a fresh new twist with Thomas Johnston as Director of Tennis. Cardio Tennis at 9 am is an excellent addition. Teaching staff is an upgrade from previous years as well."—R.T., Adv. Int., August 2010
"We just returned from a 1 week stay at Sea Colony and thought the tennis program was terrific. My husband and I attended the 1 hour clinics focusing on different strokes each day. Our children participated in the afternoon clinics and my husband had 2 matches set up with other visitors to Sea Colony. We also rented the ball machine one day. The strengths were: quality of instruction, variety of programs and availability of programs. 
We thought Thomas Johnston, the tennis director and Lou, one of the pros were exceptional. There were no weaknesses- we thought it was great."—P.H., Adv., August 2010
"The new tennis director, Thomas Johnston, is an excellent teacher and very up-to-date on the latest techniques in tennis. He is personable, fun and creates a friendly environment. Some of the youg pros who work there are likewise excellent in their tennis skills and interactions with clinets, in particular, Alex Justiniani, head pro. Pete Silverman always dows a wonderful job as well.
The clinics are, for the most part, fast-paced and invigorating. Most (but not all) guests participate at the appropriate level."—L.G., Adv., August 2010
"The new program is terrific. lots of choices. good sign-up via website. good management of session participation. plenty of good pros. love the cardio tennis!"—S.C., Adv. Int., August 2010
""—M.M., Int., August 2010
"There was a lot of activity, with all ages and levels of participation. There were flexible hours and the instructors were readily available and talented."—T.F., Int., August 2010
Sea Colony begins as a phalanx of 10-to-14-story
towers on the beach, crosses over Route 1, and continues westward
as a series of quiet residential 
neighborhoods
consisting of one- to three-story clapboard houses and townhouses.
There are some 2,200 condo-miniums and homes altogether, and
during the first week in August, when I visited, I was told
that literally every one was occupied, either by its owner
or a renting vacationer.
Pro Shop: 302-539-4488
For a majority of vacationers who come here, the beach is an obvious lure. However, many owners told me that the deciding factor in their purchase of a home was the quality of the tennis, both for them and their kids. That's because after the beach, the most important amenity at Sea Colony is its 34 hard and clay tennis courts.
Tennis Staff. Early in 2010, Thomas Johnston 
took the reins as Sea Colony's tennis director. He brings a diverse background: he played junior tennis in Texas, was a Division III All American in southern California, went on to the satellite circuit and then settled into coaching, first at Pomona/Pitzer in southern California, and then at the University of Virginia at Charlottesville. Following his stint at UVA, he moved to nearby Wintergreen Resort to direct its programs and run an academy. Along the way, he earned a Master's in sports psychology.
Tennis Programs. During the busy summer season, there are adult clinics each weekday morning and junior clinics each weekday afternoon (on Fridays the junior clinic becomes a midday cookout and round robin), both divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced sections. There are also 90-minute junior academy sessions three days a week. Designed for tournament players these are also open to adults. And there are three round robins weekly. At any season the staff is there to help set up games, aided now by the ability of guests and members to sign up online (see Sea Colony Tennis for a detailed overview of all things tennis). Casual round robins and exhibitions round out the program.
Though impressed with the strong roster he inherited, Johnston has plans for further improvements, including Cardio tennis, an experiment with Quickstart for young beginners, and some 
USTA-sanctioned tournaments. He continues to offer tailor-made weekend camps for small groups, modified to include the option of a mental toughness component that draws on his sports psychology training. On paper, this all appears to be rock-solid choice of tennis options, but what sets them apart is the number of participants. On a day in August when temperatures had soared above 95 degrees, more than 30 adults and juniors turned out for the 10 a.m. intermediate clinic and another 30-plus attended the 11 a.m. advanced clinic. I also counted 20 beginners in the 1 p.m. junior clinic which had astutely been scheduled for the indoor courts.
Courts & Fees. The vast majority of the courts are at the tennis center, where there are 12 Har-Tru and 10 hard courts outdoors (4 with with new NCAA quality lighting) in a semi-circle around the building housing the four indoor courts and pro shop. A path across the street leads to four more courts (the so-called "Doubles Courts" because they can be booked only for doubles on summer mornings). Finally, there are 4 hard courts next to the midrise towers on the beach side of the development. All the courts were resurfaced in 2010, the hard courts getting a coat of U.S. Open blue, while the clay courts were either laser graded or rebuilt as needed. The devotion to tennis also shows in the courtside Smith & Hawken teak furnishings and new landscaping. Court fees: None.
Beach. Sea Colony fronts ½ mile of Bethany Beach, a broad boulevard of soft sand washed by the Atlantic Ocean. A free shuttle takes guests from Sea Colony West (where the tennis center is) across Route 1 to the beach.
Fitness Center. A short walk from the tennis center is a multi-use fitness center with indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a snack bar, basketball court, and a workout room containing roughly a dozen pieces of cardiovascular equipment, Paramount weight stations, and free weights. classes vary with the season but in summer include kick boxing, tai chi, Pilates, yoga, and drop-in basketball and volleyball.
And ... Bike paths lace Sea Colony West making it easy for kids to get from houses and townhomes there to the tennis courts, fitness center, or marketplace (though to reach the beach they have to cross busy Route 1).
The exact schedule for the Summer 2006 Children's Programs hasn't been set yet but typically includes such activities as Dinner & a Movie, Teen Meet & Greet, bonfires, sandcastle contests, junior lifeguards, swim meeting, money hunts, junior tennis clinics each weekday afternoon, a junior tennis academy three days/week, and more.
Lodging at Sea Colony ranges from one-bedroom condos to four-bedroom homes, all of them privately owned and decorated. Prices vary partly with location and partly with the category of the units: Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. There are nine different types. All have fully equipped kitchens, washer/dryers, central air conditioning, and cable TVs with VCRs. Be aware that a bronze unit, while functional, may not meet your personal criteria for elegance and comfort. Some have readier access to swimming pools than others. Check the website for details.
The Marketplace at the entrance to Sea Colony has two restaurants: Gary's Beach Cafe, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner; and the Chalkboard Tavern and Grille, which serves seafood and steaks. Locals, however, are much more likely to suggest places like Sedona and the Parkway (both with big city cuisine and big city prices), and DiFebo's (Italian), all in Bethany Beach; and the Grove Market, a shack in Bishopville, Maryland so popular for its superb fish—some smoked on the premises—duck, and seafood pasta that this tiny place can book out weeks in advance in summer.
Among the other tennis resorts similar to Sea Colony are:
Lodging consists of 1-to-5 bedroom condos and houses, some oceanfront, others near the tennis complex. During the summer, one-week bookings are required.
Seasons. Year-round thanks to its indoor courts.
Travel Instructions. The nearest major airports are Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), each roughly a 2½-hour drive from Bethany Beach. The alternative is to fly into Wicomico Regional Airport (SBY) in Salisbury, MD, which is approximately 45 minutes' drive south of Bethany Beach and is served by US Airways and United.
General Tourist Information. Apart from other reasons to visit Bethany Beach is the fact that Delaware does not charge sales tax. Rehoboth, 14 miles north of Bethany Beach, has some 140 factory outlet stores along a two-mile stretch of Route 1 to help you better take advantage. For general information about travel within Delaware, visit the Delaware Tourism Office website or contact them at 99 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901. Phone: 302-739-4271 or toll-free 866-284-7483. For specific information about the Bethany Beach area, visit the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce website or contact them at Delaware Rt. 1, Bethany Beach, DE 19930-1450. Phone: 302-539-2100 or toll-free 800-962-7873.