Listings last checked 2026-08-18 · verified monthly
From 1 listed starting price on this page (free classes excluded).
Prices change — confirm the current price with the venue before booking.
Tennis Coach Elias (independent coach) · Portland area
Price note: Per person per hour in groups of 4+; private $80/hr, semi-private $50/hr each
Book this class on Tennis Coach Elias (independent coach)'s siteSunset Athletic Club
Price note: Call 503-645-6713 for rates
Book this class on Sunset Athletic Club's siteSt. Johns Community Center (Portland Parks & Rec) · St. Johns (North Portland)
Book this class on St. Johns Community Center (Portland Parks & Rec)'s sitePortland Tennis Center
Book this class on Portland Tennis Center's siteNo classes match those filters.
| Class | Price | Duration | Level | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Group Tennis Lessons (4+ Players) | $28.75 (Per person per hour in groups of 4+; private $80/hr, semi-private $50/hr each) | 1 hour | All levels | Small groups of friends or coworkers |
| Adult Group Lessons (Cardio & Drills) | Price on request (Call 503-645-6713 for rates) | — | Intermediate | Rated players 2.5–4.5 looking for cardio and drills |
| Adult Tennis Classes 18+ | Price on request | 1h 30m | All levels | Adults who want a low-cost mid-day series |
| Adult Tennis Programming 18+ | Price on request | — | All levels | Adults wanting lessons on real city courts |
| Provider | Level | Price from | Classes | Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennis Coach Elias (independent coach) | All levels | $28.75 | 1 | Portland area |
| Sunset Athletic Club | Intermediate | n/a | 1 | — |
| St. Johns Community Center (Portland Parks & Rec) | All levels | n/a | 1 | St. Johns (North Portland) |
| Portland Tennis Center | All levels | n/a | 1 | — |
A structured series is the best deal: PCC's 8-week Beginning Level 2 runs $135–$139 total (under $18 a session). Independent coaches charge $28.75 per person per hour in groups of four or more, and private lessons run $80/hr. Parks & Rec city sessions are priced at registration and generally the cheapest entry point.
Groups are cheaper and more social — good for getting consistent court time; private lessons cost more but give your technique undivided attention. Most players do a mix: a group series to build the habit, then occasional private lessons to fix specific strokes.
Bring a racquet (loaners are sometimes available — ask when booking), a water bottle, and court shoes or any non-marking athletic shoes. Balls are provided in every class listed here, and classes run rain-or-shine indoors at PCC and the Portland Tennis Center.
Yes, and it's one of the biggest groups in the city. PCC's Beginning Level 2 is explicitly built for adults returning after years away, and the parks beginner series starts from zero. You will not be the oldest, the newest, or the rustiest person on the court.
No. Parks & Rec sessions, PCC courses, and independent coaches all work without a membership or a USTA rating. Sunset Athletic Club is the one exception here, and it's a fitness-club membership rather than a tennis federation rating.
If you haven't played tennis since high school gym class, you are the target audience for most adult programs in these guides. Cities and clubs everywhere run Level 1 classes for adults at roughly the same starting point — USTA rating 2.0–2.5, which means you can get a ball over the net inconsistently, or not at all. There is no age cap and no minimum fitness: beginner adults are the most common program they run.
The first decision is group versus private. Group classes (about $20–$40 per person per hour, or $80–$140 per multi-week session) are the right default: you get rally partners, built-in practice time, and usually a social circle, and the coach's attention is adequate for fundamentals. Privates ($60–$100 an hour) make sense when you have a specific problem, want faster progress, or can't find a group at your level. Most adults do a group series first and add a private later.
Where you take it matters mostly for price and indoor time. Parks and recreation departments run the cheapest classes — in our guides, $24–$140 per session series at city courts — outdoors, in daylight, with the least commitment. Tennis centers and clubs charge more but offer indoor courts, more level options, and clinics nearly every day. A membership is rarely required for classes, but check the class page: a few private clubs in our guides do require one.
What to bring to your first lesson: a racquet (borrow one or buy used if you don't have one), tennis shoes — running shoes will do for a first lesson, but tennis shoes protect your ankles on lateral movement — water, sunscreen and a hat. Balls are provided. You don't need tennis clothes. Show up ten minutes early, tell the coach you're brand new, and you'll get a warm-up, stroke basics on the forehand and backhand, and a short rally.
Expect progress in weeks, not days. Most people who do one class a week for a season feel solid enough to move to a league or a 3.0 clinic afterward — the pathway in these cities runs parks-and-rec Level 1 to Level 2 to club clinics to league play or USTA competition. And don't worry about the rating number on the schedule: coaches group by what they see on day one, not by what you put on a form.
We're adding more city guides as each one proves out. Meanwhile, these neighboring guides are live: