Laguna Niguel Regional Park adds four new free pickleball courts

Laguna Niguel Regional Park just got a lot more useful for a Southern California pickleball day. With 12 free public pickleball courts now open alongside two tennis courts, the park has become a stronger stop for weekend groups, mixed-skill runups, and anyone trying to avoid club fees while still getting reliable outdoor courts.

OC Parks marked the reopening on Wednesday, May 13, with Vice Chair Katrina Foley of the Orange County Board of Supervisors and agency staff on hand. The project resurfaced all of the courts and converted one existing tennis court into four new pickleball courts, pushing the park’s pickleball total to 12 and adding more capacity to a site that has already been drawing steady demand.

That extra capacity matters because Laguna Niguel Regional Park is not just a courts stop. The 227-acre park wraps around a 44-acre lake and is dotted with more than 2,000 shade trees, which makes it an easy place to turn a match into a longer hangout. The park also includes a bird sanctuary, picnic areas, a playground, hiking trails, a scenic overlook, an amphitheater, and day-use parking fees of $3 per vehicle Monday through Friday and $5 on Saturday and Sunday, with higher fees on some holidays and events. The address is 28241 La Paz Road in Laguna Niguel.

The court upgrade also fits the park’s long public-recreation history. The Laguna Niguel Corporation donated 109 acres for county park use in 1970, the County and Flood Control District bought another 45 acres that included the lake and dam area, and the park opened to the public in 1973. Another 20 acres were donated in 1981, helping build out the footprint that now supports both tennis and pickleball at a level few South Orange County parks can match.

The reopening followed a closure notice posted May 8 saying all tennis and pickleball courts would be shut on Tuesday, May 12 and the morning of Wednesday, May 13 for scheduled maintenance. Supervisor Katrina Foley’s office said OC Parks had been working toward 12 pickleball courts specifically to reduce overcrowding and wait times. That is the real story here: fewer lines, more open play, and a public park that now feels built for the way pickleball is actually being played in South County.