Swing for the Fences at the Batting Cages at Upton Hill

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You don’t need to drive to a dedicated sports complex or pay membership fees to find a legitimate batting cage in Arlington. At over 93,000 rounds per year, the batting cages at Upton Hill Regional Park are one of the most popular batting sites in the entire region — and most people who live within a few miles of them have never swung a bat there. The facility is tucked alongside the park’s waterpark and mini golf course at 6060 Wilson Boulevard, operated by NOVA Parks, and open to anyone regardless of skill level or affiliation. Upton Hill offers six baseball cages — two each at slow (35–40 mph), medium (50–55 mph), and fast (60–65 mph) pitch — plus three softball cages with two slow (20–25 mph) and one fast (50–55 mph) option. That range covers every player from a child swinging a bat for the first time to a serious adult working on their fast-pitch timing, making it genuinely useful at every skill level rather than just aspirationally.

The cages are available by walk-up with no reservation required for general use — all cages are token operated — but if you want to reserve a specific speed cage for a group, team practice, or private session, reservation forms are available online through NOVA Parks, and cage rentals include unlimited pitches during the rental period. Weekday mornings are the quietest times to go; Friday evenings and Saturdays draw the biggest crowds. The surrounding park adds real value to a batting cage visit: mini golf next door makes it an easy two-activity afternoon, and the Ocean Dunes Waterpark (open Memorial Day through Labor Day) turns the whole complex into a full summer day for families. Bats and helmets are available at the facility. The batting cages and mini golf are open spring through fall; the waterpark runs Memorial Day through Labor Day. Located at 6060 Wilson Blvd; accessible via ART Bus 1A/1B from Ballston Metro. Check current pricing and availability at novaparks.com.