How I fell in love with Croatia..

In 1990, I set out with a friend on a bike trip from Italy through what was then Yugoslavia, with the goal of reaching Dubrovnik in about three weeks. No phones, no GPS, no credit cards, no tent—just tarps, hammocks, fresh young legs, and a thirst for adventure.

One day after pedaling up and down countless hills, winding through landscapes that seemed lost in time, we reached a tiny village perched on a hilltop on the island of Brač, and our thirst had become literal. A beautiful, kind elderly woman offered us water from her century-old cistern, fruit from her garden, creative conversation, and a sprig of money plant for the road. We were so taken by her hospitality—and the sheer beauty of the island—that we decided to skip Dubrovnik and stay for our remaining days of our journey. I fell in love with Milica, and with her island.

Fast-forward 33 years. After years of living between Berlin and Pennsylvania, I returned to Croatia in 2023 to help introduce pickleball—on the invitation of an energetic Croatian-Canadian woman, Mirijana, who was retiring back to her husband’s home island of—Brač.

I led a clinic for a small group of locals who had stumbled upon pickleball, culminating in a fun tournament. Then I joined Mirijana for the very first games on the two newly built courts she had convinced the mayor to create—at a time when pickleball was almost unheard of in Croatia. From there, we shared the sport in Zagreb, hosting an event attended by two U.S. ambassadors, the former Croatian president, and nearly 100 enthusiastic guests. The energy was unmistakable—pickleball was catching on.  

Later that fall, I brought a group of friends back to Croatia to share my excitement. We explored the region, played with locals, and were once again embraced by the country’s incredible warmth. Then, before returning in the summer of 2024, I dug out my old journal and scanned the slides from that 1990 trip. When I shared the images with my new friends on Brač, they immediately recognized the woman who had shown me such kindness all those years ago. It felt like one of the great serendipities of my life. Though Milica is no longer with us, her home still stands—and it now calls to me as a space ready to be transformed into my new home and a community cultural hub.

Now, I split my time between Pennsylvania and Brač, and I’d love to share my happy place with you.

I’ve been playing pickleball since 2016, competing in tournaments across the U.S. and Europe—and earning top finishes at the 5.0 level. But with the hyper-commercialization of pickleball, the changing tournament dynamics and skyrocketing costs—travel, registration, food, accommodations—started to feel less rewarding, especially as I realized that for the same cost as a tournament weekend event in Pittsburgh, I could instead enjoy a week being immersed in culture, connection, and play in places like Berlin, Santorini, Costa Rica, or Brač. After being invited to teach in Germany, Greece, Costa Rica, and Croatia, I decided to focus my energy on teaching and pickleball travel so I could once again the pure joy of pickleball.

While I do feel some concern as commercialization spreads worldwide, I also know how much good pickleball can bring to local and global communities. Anywhere I go, I can find an instant sense of belonging through the game—or create one by introducing others to it. I love connecting with people whose lives may look completely different from mine and discovering shared joy through laughter, culture, and play on the court. That’s the authentic experience I hope to share with you on these adventures.

So I’m putting a lot of care and planning into each trip, while I’m also committed to keeping costs low and surprises to a minimum. My pricing includes everything but your flights—and just one drink per night (to keep things fun but reasonable!). If you want a luxury hotel or high-end Airbnb, I’m happy to arrange that for your group. But for most travelers, I offer a more local, grounded style of travel that still meets high standards and lets you truly experience Croatia.

To keep trips affordable and intimate, I base the pricing on group sizes of 6–7 (one van) or 12–15 (two vans). Our amazing local drivers and guides are not just there for logistics—they’re part of the experience, sharing insider knowledge and keeping us safe and on track. If you’d like to travel with a smaller group, we can absolutely make it happen—the per-person cost just will reflect that adjustment.

I truly hope you’ll join me. I can’t wait to share the joy of pickleball, the warmth of Croatian hospitality, and a little dose of Dalmatian fjaka with you.