There is a certain breed of tennis player who cannot be stopped by the weather, and the debate over winter tennis in Florida vs. summer tennis in New England resorts is one they live rather than argue.
From the prominent Coachella Valley to the breezy coastlines of San Diego and Santa Barbara, this guide covers seven standout properties that have made California one of the most celebrated tennis destinations in the world.
Kiawah Island Golf Resort has been serving unforgettable match moments from the time its first guests stepped onto the tennis courts in 1976. Fifty years later, that legacy continues to rally. In late 2025, the acclaimed Roy Barth Tennis Center added two new padel courts to its award-winning lineup.
There is a certain breed of tennis player who cannot be stopped by the weather, and the debate over winter tennis in Florida vs. summer tennis in New England resorts is one they live rather than argue.
From the prominent Coachella Valley to the breezy coastlines of San Diego and Santa Barbara, this guide covers seven standout properties that have made California one of the most celebrated tennis destinations in the world.
This guide covers six padel resorts in Italy, from a family-friendly all-inclusive village on the Calabrian coast to a five-star lakeside retreat in Veneto.
With 31 hard and clay courts, 12 of them indoors, and a six-court stadium for the UVA tennis teams, Boar’s Head appears as a very bright blip on any tennis vacationer’s radar. That’s a huge complex for a resort with only 168 rooms, and the fact that it sits in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains near such historic sites as Thomas Jefferson’s mountaintop home Monticello and the handsome University of Virginia campus that he founded only adds to the allure.
The entire resort, including its expansive Sports Club, is owned by the University of Virginia Foundation. As a result, the club also serves as the home site for the University of Virginia’s tennis teams. They can play, train, and host tournaments outdoors on their dedicated complex of six hard courts or indoors at the Boar’s Head Sports Club. What’s more, there are ATP and WTA Pro Challenger events that take place during the spring and fall which provide opportunities to see great tennis up close at no cost (Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek are past participants).
Boar’s Head Sports Club, which has long served local members and the University of Virginia teams magnificently, also has an interest in the needs of hotel guests. With a deep roster of tennis professionals under head pro Troy Porco, it has the staff to mount a broad program of weekly events, including several weekly clinics of various sorts—Beginner/Intermediate, Advanced, Cardio, and “Drills For Thrills”—every day of the week. There are also year-round junior camps/clinics (available to the children of hotel guests), run by Ohio State University standout and former ATP touring pro Ralf Steinbach, and an adult tennis academy—with customized programs offered most weekends—headed by seasoned ALTA coach Brian Glass.
Tennis Staff: Troy Porco oversees the entire Boar’s Head Tennis Club program. He played collegiate tennis at Florida International University and then went on to coach the Auburn University women’s team and helped to coach the UVA women’s team before joining the Boar’s Head staff.
Court Complex: There are 9 outdoor hard courts and 10 outdoor clay courts. Those are supplemented by 12 indoor hard courts. Pickleball has six indoor courts (on courts they share with tennis) and 6 permanent outdoor courts. All of that is in addition to the new 6-court stadium reserved for UVA tennis teams and competition. In 2025, the resort also added 3 padel courts: the first "infinity extreme" courts in America that can withstand winds of up to 160 miles per hour. Padel court reservations are available for members and guests.
Off Court
Golf Courses: Davis Love II recently redesigned the resort’s championship Birdwood Golf Course creating what is, in fact, a brand-new golf course, to the degree that some of its holes are on new land and others are now played in the opposite direction. Six sets of tees mean the par-71 course plays from 4,000 to 7,200 yards. Its signature 16th, 17th, and 18th fairways wrap around the historic Birdwood Mansion. In addition, there is a 6-hole, pad-3 course.
Spa & Fitness Center: The Boar’s Head Spa is once again open following a complete renovation. The tennis courts are part of the Sports Club, a sprawling complex comprising a Junior Olympic swimming pool and two other pools, a state-of-the-art fitness center with a Cardio theater and Cybex weight-training, a climbing wall, squash and racquetball courts, some 55 weekly classes (among them Pilates and water aerobics), kids’ programs, and child care.
Dining: There are four food outlets at the Boar’s Head, chief among them the recently renovated Mill Room in the restored 1834 grist mill. It focuses on fresh, local ingredients and has a lounge and outdoor seating. In addition, you have the choice Racquets Restaurant and the outdoor Deep End Bar & Grill, both located at the Sports Club, as well as the Birdwood Ba & Grill in the golf clubhouse.
Accommodations
The 170 rooms occupy four four-story buildings in stone and cafe-au-lait-colored clapboard with gables on their shingle or metal roofs. The decor runs to four-poster beds and brass lamps, typical of a country estate, but with modern amenities like high-speed Internet access. Some have fireplaces and balconies. Views tend to be of the lake or verdant countryside.
Getting there
Seasons: Year-round
Travel Instructions: The nearest airport is Charlottesville-Albemarle Regional Airport (CHO), which is 10 miles from the resort.
I’ve been to three academies at Boar’s Head and highly recommend it for a fun girls’ weekend, a USTA season kickoff, or fun team bonding. Brian and the rest of the coaching staff do an amazing job of blending top notch instruction with loads of fun and energy. If there’s a downside it’s that they’re so fun that the hours on court fly by!
DT
Our group of seven men had another terrific weekend tennis academy (clinics over three days) with Brian and team! A great tennis destination and multi-sports facility made even better by the newly redone outdoor har tru courts and the chance to watch the UVA mens and womens tennis teams in action this past weekend. Our group has a lot of fun and always brings away new tips from Brian and his fellow pros.
JE
Fantastic program all around. Fun, competitive, great tips, excellent facilities. Brian and Brader and Luka and others were terrific teachers.
SC
Has a great full day group session with Brian. So much fun and learned a lot. Can’t wait till next time.
JR
One of the best tennis resorts experiences I’ve had. Our USTA team went for a one day session with Coach Glass. He implemented a set of engaging drills which focused on multile aspects from increasing being consistent from the baseline to being aggressive and attacking the net. It was really nice that the resort had beautiful indoor courts. I would highly recommend and our team plans to go back this year.
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156 Reviews on “Boar's Head Resort”
I’ve been to three academies at Boar’s Head and highly recommend it for a fun girls’ weekend, a USTA season kickoff, or fun team bonding. Brian and the rest of the coaching staff do an amazing job of blending top notch instruction with loads of fun and energy. If there’s a downside it’s that they’re so fun that the hours on court fly by!
Our group of seven men had another terrific weekend tennis academy (clinics over three days) with Brian and team! A great tennis destination and multi-sports facility made even better by the newly redone outdoor har tru courts and the chance to watch the UVA mens and womens tennis teams in action this past weekend. Our group has a lot of fun and always brings away new tips from Brian and his fellow pros.
Fantastic program all around. Fun, competitive, great tips, excellent facilities. Brian and Brader and Luka and others were terrific teachers.
Has a great full day group session with Brian. So much fun and learned a lot. Can’t wait till next time.
One of the best tennis resorts experiences I’ve had. Our USTA team went for a one day session with Coach Glass. He implemented a set of engaging drills which focused on multile aspects from increasing being consistent from the baseline to being aggressive and attacking the net. It was really nice that the resort had beautiful indoor courts. I would highly recommend and our team plans to go back this year.