About
paraíso
Paraíso Pickleball was born in the lush jungles of Nosara, Costa Rica, where our love affair with the game first ignited. At Paraiso Pickleball we live and breathe the Pura Vida lifestyle! We're captivated by the breathtaking natural beauty around us, fueled by a passion for adventure and travel, and devoted to curating unforgettable, wonder-filled experiences for people from across the globe. As a dedicated pickle-head with 20+ years experience in event planning and a decade of boutique retreat expertise, creating Paraíso Pickleball retreats was a natural—and exhilarating—evolution.
A common thread found in Blue Zones across the world is strong community.
I believe in the purpose and power of strong community. I have witnessed it volunteering in my own community. On International Children’s day, The Dreamcatchers Foundation brought in a jumpy house, pizza and cotton candy machine to celebrate children who will likely never experience having these things at their own birthday party. I painted their faces. It was pure joy!
I’ve also worked alongside other Dreamcatcher volunteers putting together care packages of food, toiletries, bedding and cleaning supplies for the families who just lost everything in a flood. I will never forget the look of total devastation and exhaustion on their faces as they lined up for their care packages. I felt immense gratitude to be in a position to offer them some relief and a glimmer of hope in their hour of need.
I hold the community in deep reverence and Paraíso Pickleball is committed to being a positive force within it. I understand the greatest impact we can make in the world is at home on the local level. For this reason I have decided to donate 10% of profits to the local organizations below. This is an offering from the heart. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to give back to a community that allows me to be here.
Dreamcatchers works to ensure a prosperous future for Nosara’s at risk children & youth offering programs and workshops for art and music, dance, martial arts, surf and more. They provide educational and professional development resources as well as emotional support.
The Bomberos are far more than our local volunteer fire department. They provide lifeguards to keep us safe at the beaches. They are our first responders when there is a car accident (or any accident). They even rescue snakes that find their way into a street or home!
IAR is a local wildlife shelter that rehabilitates injured or fostered animals (mostly monkeys) to return them to their rightful place in the jungle.
The Nosara Food Bank supports our most vulnerable community members by providing them with the basic food necessitities, clothing and household items.
CONtributing to our nosara COMMUNITY
I have been a supporter of The International Animal Refuge (formerly Nosara Wildlife Refuge) for about 15 yrs, long before moving to Nosara full time! In addition to making donations, each year I returned with new guests; friends, retreat attendees and one year, my entire family! That was a particularly special visit. The refuge had just received a sonogram machine they did not know how to use. My brother, Dr. Brandon Lewis taught the staff how to use the donated sonogram machine to check the animals for organ damage.
Meet Kelli, Founder of PARAÍSO PICKLEBALL
Kelli has spent over two decades bringing people together — from concerts and club events in Austin to yoga and wellness retreats across California and Costa Rica. From her first visit in 2002, she was captivated by Costa Rica, returning yearly and forging deep relationships with locals until she finally made it home. When her passion for pickleball ignited, she naturally combined her decades of event expertise with her love of the sport — creating immersive retreats where players connect over the game in one of the most beautiful places on earth.