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My Top 5 Sports Trips of 2025

  • Writer: Craig Johnson
    Craig Johnson
  • Dec 16, 2025
  • 3 min read

What a year for me with sports travel and experiences!


My goal for 2025 was twofold: to capture amazing moments as my son finished high school, and to keep fueling a new passion, continuing my deep dive into pickleball. With that and in the theme of the many "best of..." lists that come out at this time of year, here are my top five adventures that stood out for a variety of reasons.



#5: MLP in Grand Rapids, Michigan 🚙


The Trip: My road trip to experience a live Major League Pickleball (MLP) event.


The Fun: The unique, energetic, and highly fan-focused atmosphere of the team format did not disappoint. I loved how the MLP stop was also integrated with the Beer City Open, which is a historic amateur tournament taking place at the same time.


The Highlight: There was a definite buzz on site when I got there with ESPN on location. The sports broadcaster was there featuring not only the wild pickleball growth but also the many rising sports celebrities, including Anna Leigh Waters.


#4: RacquetX Miami Style 🌴


The Trip: Attending this new industry conference that is quickly becoming the leading event for all things racquet sports & business.


The Fun: Being fully engaged with a network of colleagues from various racquet sports. Escaping the late winter weather back home and experiencing sunny Miami for the first time was an added bonus.


The Highlight: RacquetX was hosted at the same time as the Miami Premier Padel P1 event and in tennis, the Miami Open — pro events highlighting the excitement happening across the racquet sports world.





#3: Las Vegas Slam to Phoenix PPA Tour Stop 🌵


The Trip: A winter getaway to Las Vegas to attend the star-studded celebrity event with Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Genie Bouchard, and Andy Roddick at Pickleball Slam 3. Following that, a drive through the desert to a PPA Tour event in Mesa, Arizona.


The Fun: Nights out on the strip never let you down, especially when combined with a super entertaining pickleball showcase led by Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, my favourite tennis players growing up.


The Highlight: Participating in another PPA Tour camp led by Jonny Pickleball, while also getting up close seeing matches featuring the games best like Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns.


#2: The World of Pickleball Gathers In Dallas 🌎


The Trip: Attending this global showcase hosted by the United Pickleball Association (UPA) that covered every facet of competitive pickleball.


The Fun: Experiencing the massive energy, the high-level competition, and the atmosphere on Pickleball Boulevard. It truly felt like the center of the sport.


The Highlight: This was a unique event for me as I was attending also as a volunteer; meeting great staff or fellow volunteers added to the uniqueness. From the action side, I loved taking in the Collegiate World Championship matches with students and schools competing from across the globe.


#1: A Field of Dreams In Iowa & Chicago ⚾️


The Trip: One last baseball road trip with my son and his travel team as he got set to finish high school.


The Fun: Throughout my kids sports journeys whether road trips to swim meets, hockey games or in this case, traveling for a baseball tournament, I always love the planning on how we can make these events a special experience. This trip all came together with a visit to the Field of Dreams movie set and a tour of Wrigley Field.


The Highlight: Nothing beats watching your kids play the sports they love; I was able to see my son pitch on our first day to Iowa; we also made sure not to miss Field of Dreams, which did not disappoint.



These five journeys were more than mere "sportcations"; they were experiences that sparked an exciting new chapter. I'm enthusiastic about using my event access insights to:


  • Introduce new market concepts as part of the pickleball boom

  • Share and grow all the best practices I've learned or continue to uncover with the power of youth sports engagement

  • Turn these travel insights into more unforgettable experiences with the many like-minded friends and colleagues that I love meeting during these adventures


Experiences like these confirm how tapping into sport, whether at the highest professional level or through family bonding, can provide unmatched moments. What was the most amazing sports or event trip that you took in this year?

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