More than 30 people were already on the teaching courts when I joined one of the morning drop-in clinics Sea Colony runs on weekdays. It was approaching July, when every one of some 2,200 condominiums and homes fill up with summer guests and homeowners. While the beach is unquestionably the biggest draw, tennis with 34 hard and clay courts, 6 of them indoors, could easily lay claim to being the No. 2 reason people opt to vacation at Sea Colony.
Many owners told me that the deciding factor in their purchase of a home At Sea Colony was the quality of the tennis, both for them and their kids. Apart from those midweek clinics, Sea Colony’s summer roster lures players to the courts with Live Ball and Cardio sessions, doubles clinics, Nike Adult Camps, Sea Colony’s own tennis camps, custom-designed tennis getaways with optional mental-toughness component, social pro-run round robins, and a mix of junior programs running the gamut from drills and games for 4- to 7-year-olds to Nike tennis camps and tournament tough training. And the year is otherwise peppered with exhibitions, junior tournaments, demo days, and more. 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. All of this is designed to keep tennis in the forefront of people’s consciousness.
Sea Colony dates to the early 1970s and has something of a split personality. Route 1 divides two completely different neighborhoods. On one side is the beach—a broad boulevard of soft sand bordered by dunes over which looms a phalanx of frankly rather stark 10-to-14-story towers, their harshness somewhat relieved by long dune-fronting boardwalks, broad patios, and the occasional swimming pool, one of them indoors. On the opposite side of the highway, a tiny marketplace of shops and restaurants marks the entrance to a leafy and altogether tranquil community of residential streets with low-rise condominiums and homes, lakes, ponds, swimming pools, and a $7.5 million fitness and aquatics center, linked to one another and the beach by trams and dedicated bike paths.
Sea Colony boasts a top-tier tennis and pickleball facility—a three-time winner of the USTA Outstanding Facility of the Year award, most recently in 2022—and a wide range of programs that serve as a tremendous asset. This excellence is further enhanced by the friendly and always-helpful staff. With a talented team of professionals, including college and former college players, Sea Colony continues to deliver exceptional racquet sports experiences for players of all levels.
Tennis Programs: During the busy summer season, there are daily adult clinics, daily Cardio sessions, and a variety of junior clinics for various ages from Monday through Friday. There are as many as five round robins weekly during the busy summer. 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). And roughly once a month from April to October, some sort of special event—a professional, sanctioned, or social tournament, a visiting pro, or an exhibition—rounds out the program. And during the summer months of June to August there are two or three NIKE adult tennis camps each month (ALERT: these tend to sell out early). Beyond that, Sea Colony offers tailor-made weekend camps for small groups.
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 advanced clinic. I also counted 20 beginners in afternoon junior clinic, which had astutely been scheduled for the indoor courts.
Tennis aside, Sea Colony has also made the move into pickleball with four permanent courts and blended lines on 14 of the tennis courts and an additional 4 permanent courts, a total of 8 with lights. Certified pickleball instructors are available for clinics and private lessons, supplemented by pickleball and hybrid tennis and pickleball camps for adults (including some for advanced pickleball), and NIKE camps for juniors. Instruction aside, Sea Colony stages pickleball clinics, social round robins, and a variety of morning and evening Open Plays sessions for all levels. Court Complex. Although there are four lighted hard courts at the beach, the real tennis action takes place at the main tennis center. It comprises six indoor hard courts with sandwiched between another six outdoor courts and 14 Har-Tru courts. There are and additional four hard courts in the trees across the road, two of those now sporting blended lines to accommodate pickleball. Grand Central Station for tennis is the pro shop on the ground floor of the indoor building. Above it, a long viewing area overlooks the indoor courts and has a bar for use in special events. It opens in back onto a broad deck with a panoramic perspective on the Har-Tru courts, where The Vacasa Pro Women’s Open, a $25K Pro Circuit event, takes place in May. Although the pro shop closes at 7 p.m., those well-lighted indoor courts remain open on a first-come, first-served basis until 10 p.m.
Court fees: None, not even for the indoor courts.
Off Court
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:Â A short walk from the tennis center is $7.5 million multi-use fitness and aquatic center with indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a snack bar, gymnasium, and a well-equipped workout room. Personal trainers are available as are a variety of classes, including spinning, Zumba (both aquatic and dry land), yoga, Barre toning, and water aerobics.
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).
Children's programs: Colony Kids and Club Sea Colony take kids for 2 and 4 hours respectively for a mix of swimming, games, crafts, and other diversions.
Dining: The Marketplace at the entrance to Sea Colony has two restaurants: several restaurants, Fin’s Ale House and Armand’s Pizza among them, but there are numerous other choices within easy driving distance in Bethany and Fenwick Beaches.
Accommodations
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.
Getting there
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 Salisbury Regional Airport (SBY) in Salisbury, MD, which is approximately 45 minutes’ drive south of Bethany Beach.
Outstanding facility a few minutes from the beach, with excellent staff and instructors. Wide variety of programs and events are offered year-round. Definitely a favorite tennis destination!
EH
DC
NP
Best all-around tennis and pickleball resort we’ve been to
EB
LS
Great pball instructors. Learned a lit! Will probably sign up for the June Tennis Clinics.
LN
Alex was our pro for 3 clinics. He was great! Very well organized and alot of good tips. Highly recommend!
MA
Alex Justiniani was a great instructor!
LR
I live near Sea Colony so my review does not include an overnight experience. The facilities and staff are outstanding. People travel from far distances to participate in the tennis and pickleball events. I took four private pickleball lessons and the teaching pros improved my game immensely. I also participated in a pickleball clinic in the Summer of 2023 with two Top Ten touring pros and enjoyed the experience immensely. Everything is first class at Sea Colony so don’t hesitate to take advantage of the overall experience to improve your tennis and pickleball games.
WR
AS
My women’s USTA team organized a weekend away at Sea Colony tennis camp and I could not have had a better time! The tennis facilities were clean and very close to the condos. The instructors were extremely knowledgeable and friendly. My team received so many valuable pointers and personalized instruction. 10/10 recommend, definitely want to return!
SP
TF
Alex is a fantastic pro and he has assembled an excellent team that provides great instruction in a fun and high energy setting. It is a very welcoming environment but it is also competitive at the high levels. I love it!!
KF
I have been playing tennis at Sea Colony for several years, love it ! The clinics, lessons are always top notch. The pro’s are energetic, encouraging and fun. Alex does an outstanding job keeping the programs challenging but so much fun. Highly recommend!!
SG
Fantastic tennis facilities with amazing and skilled tennis pros. Great clinics and the pro sho is very well stocked. Other tennis facilities I’ve been at don’t compare to Sea Colony.
LC
CP
Alex and Gene have been instrumental in the development of my 6 year old son’s tennis game. The progress from when he was 4 years old is amazing. Alex and Gene provide great instruction and make the game of tennis fun for all. Thank you to you both. My family loves the staff at Sea Colony Tennis and are very grateful for all of you. Thank you Krista for all you do, as well as the custodial staff and grounds crew! Here’s to 2024!
KB
The tennis clinics and camps have wonderful, high energy, thoughtful and experienced pros. I have done a variety of camps and clinics and Gene, Alex, and Josh are all excellent and varied on how they reach but layer on each others instruction.
JG
This is an AMAZING tennis facility. The staff is awesome; high energy, great feedback. All of the tennis professionals are terrific — Alex, Gene, Josh, Russell, Chris. I have done every conceivable type of clinic here and the mix of play is unparalleled anywhere else; I’ve done camps in FL, SC, and Mid-Atlantic and this is by far the best. No weaknesses.
PH
Outstanding facility and staff make for great weekend tennis clinic Have been a few times and plan to attend again in the future Excellent small Beach resort town
RC
I own a Townhome in Oceanview and love to play tennis at Sea Colony. All the courts wheather indoor or on the Hartru are always immaculate and well maintained. I would highly recommend it to the tennis enthusist!!
JH
The tennis clinic was well organized. Our coach, Gene, was outstanding. He really listened to what areas we wanted to work on and worked them into the drills. He has a special way of coaching that makes you feel good about your game. We all thoroughly enjoyed all the sessions and hope to return again some time.
GA
Excellent resort and best pickleball courts in the area. Alex the Director of Racquet Sports and staff are very professional and amazing instructors. The pickleball program and facilities continue to grow year after year. I have taken clinics along with private and group lessons with Alex. He is fantastic! Makes the clinics and lessons fun as well as helping me improve my game. Last year Alex arranged to have top pickleball pros Riley and Lindsey Newman come in for a weekend of clinics. I was fortunate to attend one of the clinics. They were great! Looking forward to my time at Sea Colony this summer. Would highly recommend!
IM
Great staff, great programs, year round fun! I love Sea Colony tennis!!
JR
Sea Colony tennis camp far exceeded expectations. Tennis Pro Ethan was knowledgeable on skills, strategy & tactics in addition to.being very positive & encouraging. We will definitely return!
RL
Great tennis weekend. Learned a few key things which is more than I expected
KM
Ethan was awesome!
ST
Sea Colony Tennis camp is phenomenal. Our group visited in 2019 and we had a blast. We visited again in April 2023 and we enjoyed every minute of camp. High energy drills, instructions, game play, working on serves and ground strokes etc so much to learn and improve on. Thanks to our coaches Ethan and Chris- they are very knowledgeable and patient!!
YP
The daily tennis clinics are exceptional, and I’ve learned so much to make my game better, and better understand the finer points of strategy. I highly recommend this tennis center for all levels of tennis players Alex, Ethan, Thomas, and Chris are great instructors and make the entire experience so much fun.
CJ
I’ve done a few tennis weekends with my friends at Sea Colony. I get a lot out of the instruction and practices. The instructors are fun and lively and really are what makes the experience one of my favorite weekends. Absolutely plan on going back next year!
SK
Sea Colony was great! Easy to work with, good instruction.
Chris Slaby, tennis pro, gave me the best private lesson ever. He listened, offered valuable tips, and provided positive, valuable feedback. Thank you
PG
There are many courts and they are well maintained. Area inside and outside the courts is well maintained. Staff are all approachable, friendly, and helpful. The pros that lead the camps and clinics are outstanding! They not only have very useful instruction/information but they make playing tennis a lot of fun!
KC
Sea Colony has exceptional tennis instructors at a state of the art tennis facility. I have participated in multiple clinics, camps, and tournaments at Sea Colony and they have all been extremely well run with high quality competitive tennis.
SR
I have travelled to Sea Colony twice and love the instructors and the facility.
JP
Our tennis group enjoyed an amazing weekend of tennis camp with Alex, Chris and Ethan. Super fun, organized, energetic. Great music and instruction!
BP
Ethan, Chris Alex & Russell, All were very energetic & encouraging. They created a combination of drills that kept all active with a good amount of instruction and fun. I didn’t want to leave when the weekend was over! I will definitely come back again. Thanks Sea Colony
AM
I attended a weekend of clinics with my friends that included 3 hours on Friday and Saturday and 2 hours on Sunday. The instructions were very informative and fun and high energy. The instructors were excellent- both helpful and entertaining. I highly recommend this resort for a great tennis getaway.
JD
Outstanding tennis program – pros, facilities and support staff.
JA
I was at Sea Colony for a tennis weekend with 15 women. The facilities are great and I can’t say enough about the staff! Our instructors were phenomenal and kept our 3 hours on the court fun and engaging with lots of variety in instructional games. I highly recommend and will definitely book again!
GL
After spending 8 hours of quality instruction, my game has taken on a new level. Looking forward to incorporating everything I learned this weekend into actual match play. Alex , Chris and Ethan were EXCEPTIONAL instructors. Would highly recommend Sea Colony for an awesome tennis experience.
MB
Wonderful experience. Pros outstanding. Time well spent. Great drills.
PB
The tennis pros were excellent….high energy….very encouraging. There were a variety of drills and they kept us moving. They were also able to tell each of us, after observing our play, what we need to do to improve of shots. The pros were also very friendly, organized and we had fun with them. Would definitely come back and will certainly share this experience with my friends.
MK
Amazing and knowledgeable staff. High energy, positive in all ways.
SM
The tennis is the best on the East Coast. Staff is great. People who work there are welcoming and eager to make your time special and fun. Best tennis camp around. Pros are top notch.
SM
Throughout the whole program, I was helped with new drills and was able to learn many new things. Before, my serve was inconsistent and I had no idea what I was doing wrong but with the excellent help of the instructors, I have a much more comfortable and consistent serve, Not just the serve, there were many other things that I was able to improve on including forehands, backhands, volleys and basically everything. The instructors gave clear and concise instructions that were very easy to understand and replicate. Over all, a great experience and I would highly recommend.
HL
I went to a tennis camp weekend with a few friends and we had Alex. I learned so much and I can’t wait to practice all of the skills he taught us. He is a patient coach and takes the time to explain strategies really well. I am hoping to go back this year and do another camp weekend with Alex. The pro shop was great too. The staff are very friendly and helpful! Thanks for a great weekend!!
JA
Alex was fantastic!
LK
Sea Colony is a solid year round destination for tennis! It’s my go-to camp because it’s large but not anonymous. Alex is the Director of Racquets and really knows how to break down techniques and strategies. I’ve been to several camps on both coasts and Sea Colony is where I keep returning to. I highly recommend it whether you go in the summer (and have the beaches to enjoy) or winter when you have the peace and quiet of an intimate beach community. You won’t regret it!
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614 Reviews on “Sea Colony Racquet Sports”
Outstanding facility a few minutes from the beach, with excellent staff and instructors. Wide variety of programs and events are offered year-round. Definitely a favorite tennis destination!
Best all-around tennis and pickleball resort we’ve been to
Great pball instructors. Learned a lit! Will probably sign up for the June Tennis Clinics.
Alex was our pro for 3 clinics. He was great! Very well organized and alot of good tips. Highly recommend!
Alex Justiniani was a great instructor!
I live near Sea Colony so my review does not include an overnight experience. The facilities and staff are outstanding. People travel from far distances to participate in the tennis and pickleball events. I took four private pickleball lessons and the teaching pros improved my game immensely. I also participated in a pickleball clinic in the Summer of 2023 with two Top Ten touring pros and enjoyed the experience immensely. Everything is first class at Sea Colony so don’t hesitate to take advantage of the overall experience to improve your tennis and pickleball games.
My women’s USTA team organized a weekend away at Sea Colony tennis camp and I could not have had a better time! The tennis facilities were clean and very close to the condos. The instructors were extremely knowledgeable and friendly. My team received so many valuable pointers and personalized instruction. 10/10 recommend, definitely want to return!
Alex is a fantastic pro and he has assembled an excellent team that provides great instruction in a fun and high energy setting. It is a very welcoming environment but it is also competitive at the high levels. I love it!!
I have been playing tennis at Sea Colony for several years, love it ! The clinics, lessons are always top notch. The pro’s are energetic, encouraging and fun. Alex does an outstanding job keeping the programs challenging but so much fun. Highly recommend!!
Fantastic tennis facilities with amazing and skilled tennis pros. Great clinics and the pro sho is very well stocked. Other tennis facilities I’ve been at don’t compare to Sea Colony.
Alex and Gene have been instrumental in the development of my 6 year old son’s tennis game. The progress from when he was 4 years old is amazing. Alex and Gene provide great instruction and make the game of tennis fun for all. Thank you to you both. My family loves the staff at Sea Colony Tennis and are very grateful for all of you. Thank you Krista for all you do, as well as the custodial staff and grounds crew! Here’s to 2024!
The tennis clinics and camps have wonderful, high energy, thoughtful and experienced pros. I have done a variety of camps and clinics and Gene, Alex, and Josh are all excellent and varied on how they reach but layer on each others instruction.
This is an AMAZING tennis facility. The staff is awesome; high energy, great feedback. All of the tennis professionals are terrific — Alex, Gene, Josh, Russell, Chris. I have done every conceivable type of clinic here and the mix of play is unparalleled anywhere else; I’ve done camps in FL, SC, and Mid-Atlantic and this is by far the best. No weaknesses.
Outstanding facility and staff make for great weekend tennis clinic Have been a few times and plan to attend again in the future Excellent small Beach resort town
I own a Townhome in Oceanview and love to play tennis at Sea Colony. All the courts wheather indoor or on the Hartru are always immaculate and well maintained. I would highly recommend it to the tennis enthusist!!
The tennis clinic was well organized. Our coach, Gene, was outstanding. He really listened to what areas we wanted to work on and worked them into the drills. He has a special way of coaching that makes you feel good about your game. We all thoroughly enjoyed all the sessions and hope to return again some time.
Excellent resort and best pickleball courts in the area. Alex the Director of Racquet Sports and staff are very professional and amazing instructors. The pickleball program and facilities continue to grow year after year. I have taken clinics along with private and group lessons with Alex. He is fantastic! Makes the clinics and lessons fun as well as helping me improve my game. Last year Alex arranged to have top pickleball pros Riley and Lindsey Newman come in for a weekend of clinics. I was fortunate to attend one of the clinics. They were great! Looking forward to my time at Sea Colony this summer. Would highly recommend!
Great staff, great programs, year round fun! I love Sea Colony tennis!!
Sea Colony tennis camp far exceeded expectations. Tennis Pro Ethan was knowledgeable on skills, strategy & tactics in addition to.being very positive & encouraging. We will definitely return!
Great tennis weekend. Learned a few key things which is more than I expected
Ethan was awesome!
Sea Colony Tennis camp is phenomenal. Our group visited in 2019 and we had a blast. We visited again in April 2023 and we enjoyed every minute of camp. High energy drills, instructions, game play, working on serves and ground strokes etc so much to learn and improve on. Thanks to our coaches Ethan and Chris- they are very knowledgeable and patient!!
The daily tennis clinics are exceptional, and I’ve learned so much to make my game better, and better understand the finer points of strategy. I highly recommend this tennis center for all levels of tennis players Alex, Ethan, Thomas, and Chris are great instructors and make the entire experience so much fun.
I’ve done a few tennis weekends with my friends at Sea Colony. I get a lot out of the instruction and practices. The instructors are fun and lively and really are what makes the experience one of my favorite weekends. Absolutely plan on going back next year!
Sea Colony was great! Easy to work with, good instruction.
Wonderful facility with great tennis and the best Pickleball courts in the area. What a treat to be able to stay at a beach resort and play top level Pickleball , the racquet sports Director has done wonders to improve the Pickleball program in the last couple years as the sport has grown. Sea Colony has always been known as a fantastic tennis resort and now can add Pickleball to that résumé.
Chris Slaby, tennis pro, gave me the best private lesson ever. He listened, offered valuable tips, and provided positive, valuable feedback. Thank you
There are many courts and they are well maintained. Area inside and outside the courts is well maintained. Staff are all approachable, friendly, and helpful. The pros that lead the camps and clinics are outstanding! They not only have very useful instruction/information but they make playing tennis a lot of fun!
Sea Colony has exceptional tennis instructors at a state of the art tennis facility. I have participated in multiple clinics, camps, and tournaments at Sea Colony and they have all been extremely well run with high quality competitive tennis.
I have travelled to Sea Colony twice and love the instructors and the facility.
Our tennis group enjoyed an amazing weekend of tennis camp with Alex, Chris and Ethan. Super fun, organized, energetic. Great music and instruction!
Ethan, Chris Alex & Russell, All were very energetic & encouraging. They created a combination of drills that kept all active with a good amount of instruction and fun. I didn’t want to leave when the weekend was over! I will definitely come back again. Thanks Sea Colony
I attended a weekend of clinics with my friends that included 3 hours on Friday and Saturday and 2 hours on Sunday. The instructions were very informative and fun and high energy. The instructors were excellent- both helpful and entertaining. I highly recommend this resort for a great tennis getaway.
Outstanding tennis program – pros, facilities and support staff.
I was at Sea Colony for a tennis weekend with 15 women. The facilities are great and I can’t say enough about the staff! Our instructors were phenomenal and kept our 3 hours on the court fun and engaging with lots of variety in instructional games. I highly recommend and will definitely book again!
After spending 8 hours of quality instruction, my game has taken on a new level. Looking forward to incorporating everything I learned this weekend into actual match play. Alex , Chris and Ethan were EXCEPTIONAL instructors. Would highly recommend Sea Colony for an awesome tennis experience.
Wonderful experience. Pros outstanding. Time well spent. Great drills.
The tennis pros were excellent….high energy….very encouraging. There were a variety of drills and they kept us moving. They were also able to tell each of us, after observing our play, what we need to do to improve of shots. The pros were also very friendly, organized and we had fun with them. Would definitely come back and will certainly share this experience with my friends.
Amazing and knowledgeable staff. High energy, positive in all ways.
The tennis is the best on the East Coast. Staff is great. People who work there are welcoming and eager to make your time special and fun. Best tennis camp around. Pros are top notch.
Throughout the whole program, I was helped with new drills and was able to learn many new things. Before, my serve was inconsistent and I had no idea what I was doing wrong but with the excellent help of the instructors, I have a much more comfortable and consistent serve, Not just the serve, there were many other things that I was able to improve on including forehands, backhands, volleys and basically everything. The instructors gave clear and concise instructions that were very easy to understand and replicate. Over all, a great experience and I would highly recommend.
I went to a tennis camp weekend with a few friends and we had Alex. I learned so much and I can’t wait to practice all of the skills he taught us. He is a patient coach and takes the time to explain strategies really well. I am hoping to go back this year and do another camp weekend with Alex. The pro shop was great too. The staff are very friendly and helpful! Thanks for a great weekend!!
Alex was fantastic!
Sea Colony is a solid year round destination for tennis! It’s my go-to camp because it’s large but not anonymous. Alex is the Director of Racquets and really knows how to break down techniques and strategies. I’ve been to several camps on both coasts and Sea Colony is where I keep returning to. I highly recommend it whether you go in the summer (and have the beaches to enjoy) or winter when you have the peace and quiet of an intimate beach community. You won’t regret it!