Rated one of the top 25 adult tennis camps in the country by Tennis magazine, longtime favorite Gardiner’s Resort in Carmel Valley serves up more than just the best tennis instruction. The four hours a day you spend on the court fly by, and in the evening you’re rewarded with entrées like oven-roasted veal chops or seared duck breast—plus, you can pamper yourself with massages and spa treatments to ease your tennis elbow (and knees and back). During the two-, three-, and five-day clinics, you’ll find Gardiner’s eight pro courts to be the perfect circuit for honing your game, whether you’re a casual player or gunning for a match against Roger Federer.

Having a great time! “First of all, the flowers will knock you dead,” says Gardiner’s veteran Dr. Phil Morris of Santa Rosa. “And the pros actually listen to you and let you work on what you want to while you’re there. I’ve seen U.S. Senators playing tennis there from dawn until dusk. And one year my tennis partner was Alan Greenspan.”

-Matt Bloom

RATES RANGE FROM $810 PER PERSON FOR A TWO-DAY CLINIC TO $1,980 PER PERSON FOR A FIVE-DAY CLINIC. 800-453-6225, GARDINERS-RESORT.COM.