Southampton opens summer recreation sign-up, tennis court access expands

Southampton’s summer recreation sign-up lands at exactly the moment Hamptons tennis families start chasing court time, lessons and weekend schedules. Registration for the Town of Southampton Parks and Recreation Department’s 2026 summer programs opened May 5 at 8:30 a.m., with sign-up available online, in person or by phone.

The town is pushing residents to get their recreation accounts in order before they register. That means checking email access, resetting passwords, uploading residency documents and confirming emergency contact information ahead of time so the process runs more smoothly when summer bookings open. The town’s new recreation software platform is part of that push, giving residents one place to register for programs, book facilities and find event information.

For tennis players, the timing matters because Southampton’s public facilities are getting busier and better equipped at the same time. Red Creek Park now spans 45 acres and includes three new tennis courts, eight new pickleball courts, two renovated basketball courts, three turf fields, three lighted championship softball fields and a newly resurfaced hockey tile rink. The park also includes walking and cross-country trails that connect to the Paumanok Trail, along with an indoor activity center, an outdoor picnic pavilion and the Southampton Animal Shelter/Adoption Center.

The latest turf field at Red Creek Park was installed in 2024, underscoring how much the site has become a central recreation hub. For families trying to balance tennis lessons with everything else that fills a Southampton summer, that concentration of facilities makes the park a key stop in the town’s recreation network.

Hampton West Park is also getting attention. The 15-acre active recreation site in the western part of Southampton Town has two asphalt tennis courts and two basketball courts, and it has long served local Little League and youth soccer clubs. The town said it received a maximum grant to help rebuild the aging sports courts there and expects the work to be finished by the end of 2026. Upgrades are slated to include new surfacing, fencing, equipment and accessible-design elements, with Parks Director Kristen Doulos tied to the project.

The practical takeaway is clear: Southampton is not just opening summer registration, it is building a larger public-sports system around it. For tennis families looking for affordable court access, the combination of a May 5 sign-up window, updated recreation accounts and expanding facilities makes early planning essential.

The Town of Southampton Parks and Recreation Department is based at 6 Newtown Road in Hampton Bays. Weather-related outdoor cancellation information is available after 8:30 a.m. by calling 631-728-8585.