Updated October 2026. Tennis City SF › Playing Tennis While Visiting San Francisco
For a tennis weekend in San Francisco, book a week ahead: city courts open on rec.us 7 days ahead at 8am, and Goldman Tennis Center opens to visitors 7 days ahead at 12:30pm. Some city courts open 2 days ahead at noon, and walk-up courts cover the rest. Visitors can book both systems; there is no residency requirement for rec.us.
Booking countdown
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Before you travel | Create a free rec.us account (rec.us/sfrecpark) with a payment card, and a CourtReserve account for Goldman. |
| 7 days before, 8am | Most Rec & Park courts release, in 90-minute slots starting at 7:30am. $5 per court per hour. |
| 7 days before, 12:30pm | Goldman courts release for non-residents (residents get 8 days). Weekends are prime time: $20 per court per hour for non-residents. |
| 2 days before, noon | The short-notice courts release, often one court per park, mostly in 60-minute slots. |
| On the day | Walk-up courts, plus any reserved court still empty 15 minutes after its start time. |
Full booking rules are on how to book a court, and the weekend-specific tactics are in getting a weekend court.
Limits that matter on a short trip
- rec.us: one reservation per person per day and three per calendar week. Two players can each book a different day to cover a long weekend.
- Goldman: one reservation per person per day, for 30, 60 or 90 minutes. Full payment is due at check-in, and an unclaimed court is forfeited after 10 minutes.
- Cancelling: rec.us gives only a $3-per-hour credit, not a refund, if you cancel 48 hours ahead (March to November) or 24 hours ahead (December to February). Goldman charges the full fee if you cancel less than 4 hours ahead.
Courts with a weekend twist
At Angelo J. Rossi Playground in the Inner Richmond, a June 2026 pilot makes courts 1 and 2 reservable on Saturday and Sunday from 7:30am to 1:30pm and walk-up at other times; court 3 is reservation-only. Mission Dolores Park pairs 3 reservable courts with 3 walk-up courts, so a group can book one and wait for another. See walk-up courts for the rotation rules.
Playing with locals
- Goldman round robins are weekday-only in fall 2026, so they suit a long weekend: Friday 1:30 to 2:50pm, plus Monday midday and Tuesday and Thursday 9pm. Registration opens 7 days ahead at class time.
- Tennis Coalition SF Community Social Doubles alternate between Friday 6 to 8pm and Sunday 3 to 5pm at Goldman. The remaining 2026 dates are Friday, November 13 and Sunday, December 13. Registration opens two weeks before.
- A hitting partner: post in the Slack group; see finding a partner.
More options are on drop-in tennis.
Gear and strings
The Goldman pro shop is open 7am to 10pm daily. Stringing labor is $25 if you bring your own string, and 24-hour rush service is $10 extra with 4 hours’ notice. The shop also runs a demo program for trying racquets. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and closes at 12:30pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. See racquet stringing.
Picking the weekend
September and October have the warmest normals and the least fog. The Kunal Patel San Francisco Open, a $50,000 pro event at Goldman with free admission, ran September 23 to 27 in 2026. Summer afternoons bring the strongest wind. See weather by month and tournaments.
FAQ
Can visitors book San Francisco public tennis courts?
Yes. Rec & Park says any individual may reserve a court on rec.us. At Goldman, non-residents book 7 days ahead instead of 8 and pay the non-resident rate.
What does a weekend of court time cost a visitor?
A 90-minute rec.us slot is $7.50 per court. A weekend hour at Goldman is $20 per court for non-residents. Walk-up play is free.
Everything is booked. What now?
Check the 2-day courts at noon, look for no-shows 15 minutes after the hour, or go to a site with several walk-up courts.
Source: SF Rec & Park booking rules, Tennis Court Directory, Goldman court policies, Goldman pro shop, Goldman round robins, Tennis Coalition SF, KPSF Open, checked October 2026.
Related guides
- How to Book a Tennis Court in San Francisco
- Goldman Tennis Center: Fees, Booking and Tips
- Drop-In Tennis in San Francisco
- San Francisco Tennis Weather by Month
Looking for someone to play with? Join nearly 1,800 San Francisco players in the Tennis City SF Slack group and post a day, time and court at your NTRP level.