Where to play badminton in Boston

If you're looking for where to play badminton in Boston, start with a gym day pass in the city or a dedicated club just outside it. We found no city-run badminton hall in Boston, so the courts on this list are in a YMCA, two campus gyms and three clubs in Woburn, Belmont and Arlington. Your doubles group lives in Chinatown, Cambridge and Allston, and nobody knows which gym lets outsiders in.

This post lists six indoor spots with their prices and nearest stations. Then it covers group size, what to bring and how to get there without a car. It's part of our guide to Boston.

Where to play badminton on the T or a short drive?

Play on the T at the Wang YMCA, MIT or BU when the group is small, and drive to Woburn or Belmont when you need more courts.

Our picks in Boston

Chosen by the Where2Meet team. Photos, ratings and addresses load live from Google Maps.

• Wang YMCA of Chinatown

  The closest badminton to downtown runs here on Saturday and Sunday from 2:30 to 4:45 p.m. on the gym's far-side court, as a member program. Tufts Medical Center on the Orange Line is about a 1-minute walk, so ask the Y about a day pass for anyone who isn't a member.

• Rockwell Cage

  MIT offers three badminton courts in this field house, and players put up the nets themselves. Anyone can buy a $16 MIT Recreation day pass online on the day of play. Kendall/MIT on the Red Line is about a 13-minute walk.

• Boston University Fitness and Recreation Center

  Players from Allston and Brookline can use the 3-court gym here, which is lined for badminton during open recreation hours that change each semester. Adults pay $15 for a day pass and need photo ID. Amory Street on the Green Line's B branch is about a 3-minute walk.

• LJB Badminton Club

  With 14 courts, this Woburn club is the safest bet for a big group that wants several games at once. Walk-in play costs $20 on weekdays and $22 on weekends, and a booked court is $50 an hour. It's about a 21-minute drive from Alewife and open until 11 p.m. daily.

• Pantheon badminton club

  For a small group on a budget, this Belmont club sells a $12 walk-in pass, or a court for $39 an hour. It opens Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Alewife is about a 9-minute drive.

• Arlington Badminton Club

  Arlington Recreation runs this club on Friday nights from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Dallin School gym, for players 16 and up. A season costs $200 for residents and non-residents alike. The fall and winter sessions are full, so plan ahead for the next registration.

Google Maps

The hours, walk times and drive times on these cards come from Google Maps as of November 2026. The schedules, prices and court counts come from each place's own website.

On the T

The Wang YMCA posts its badminton slot on its November 2026 gym schedule. Courts can close for rentals, so check the schedule before you invite anyone.

At MIT, buy the day pass after you arrive in Cambridge, because it can't be bought in advance and it starts at purchase. Each player buys their own.

Outside the city

The clubs have more courts and longer hours. LJB Badminton Club and Pantheon both take court bookings through CourtReserve. Arlington's club is a town recreation program with a set season.

How many players should you bring?

Bring four for one doubles game, or eight if you want to rotate. A doubles game needs four players, so an even number keeps everyone on court.

At LJB, a booked court holds up to six players. A group of six can rotate in and out of one doubles game for the hour. For 10 or more, book two courts or use walk-in play, where groups join a queue and play doubles games to 21.

What should everyone bring?

Bring your own rackets, shuttlecocks and non-marking indoor shoes. LJB asks walk-in players to bring their own gear, and MIT sells rackets and shuttles at its pro shop.

For the campus gyms, each player needs photo ID and a pass in their own name. BU's day pass is good only for the calendar day it's issued.

How does everyone get there without a car?

Use the T for the Wang YMCA, BU and MIT, and share rides to the three clubs. The Chinatown, Allston and Kendall picks are each a short walk from a subway stop.

The clubs are harder. LJB is about a 16-minute walk from Mishawum on the Lowell Line, so check the train times first. For Belmont or Arlington, meet at Alewife and share a car from there. If the group wants food after, see where to hang out with friends in Boston.

How to do it in Where2Meet

Start a Badminton game plan in Where2Meet and have each player add the station they'd leave from, such as Alewife, Amory Street or Tufts Medical Center. Search Rockwell Cage and LJB Badminton Club by name and compare transit and driving times, since one sits on the Red Line and the other needs a car. Everyone votes, and the organizer books the court.

Common questions

Are there free badminton courts in Boston?

We didn't find any free public badminton courts in the city. The cheapest options on this list are Pantheon's $12 walk-in pass and BU's $15 day pass.

Can you play badminton without a membership?

Yes. MIT and BU sell day passes, and LJB and Pantheon take walk-ins. The Wang YMCA's badminton slot is a member program, so ask about a day pass first.

Does the Badminton and Tennis Club in the Back Bay have badminton?

No. The club's own history says it replaced its last cork badminton court with a clay tennis court by 1955.

Where else can a group play a court sport near the T?

For pickup basketball, see our basketball courts near me in Boston, sorted by T stop. To warm up after a winter game, see sauna with friends in Boston.