It’s hard to think of skateboarding without thinking of New York City – where many people would argue the sport really began. Regardless of its origin, the city has helped define skateboarding (and vice versa). While there are plenty of famous skate spots on the street, there’s an abundance of amazing parks to enjoy across all boroughs in the city.
One thing we love about these skateparks is how they’re thoughtfully designed. Nearly every
skatepark on this list offers a truly New York experience, located under iconic bridges, along the pier, or in famous parks. Most of these parks are built for skaters of all skill levels, but it’s not
uncommon for a pro skater to show up and blow everyone’s mind.
But first…skate gear!
Most skateparks require skaters to wear helmets and pads, so why shouldn’t you? After all, it’s no fun to miss out on skating due to a totally preventable injury. So be sure to be smart at the park and follow safety guidelines. Having the right gear also helps, check out the different types of skateboarding wheels and trucks to best fit your style.
Our Top New York City Skateparks
- Les Coleman Skatepark
Location: 62 Monroe St and Pike Street, New York, New York 10002
Cost: Free
Hours: Sunrise to Sunset
Best for: Everyone
At the top of our list (and basically everyone else’s) of New York City skateparks is Les Coleman Skatepark, located directly underneath the Manhattan Bridge. This classic park has a ton of different ledges, banks, boxes, rails, stairs, gaps, hubbas, and more. It’s not uncommon to see pro skaters show up here, but Les Coleman is a great skatepark for beginners as well. This park is a landmark to the NYC skate scene and a must visit for the touring skater. It’s location in the Lower East Side means there’s plenty of food options nearby too. Helmets are required and pads are highly recommended. A waiver is also required to skate at this park.
- Pier 62 Skatepark
Location: 132 11th Ave, New York, New York 10011
Cost: Free
Hours: 5am – 10pm
Best for: Half pipes
One of the largest skateparks in the Big Apple is Pier 62 skatepark, just West of Chelsea on the
Hudson River. This 15,000 square foot skatepark is known for its wide-open feels, but also its
deep backyard bowls, banks, hips, and clam shell. There’s also a halfpipe. Needless to say, this
park is far more bowl-heavy than street, but skaters can still play on wedges, ledges, boxes, and
a staircase. One of the ledges is 24 feet long! This is a great park for skaters of all skill levels.
Helmets are required by the rules and seem like a good idea for how much vertical there is
here.
- Astoria Skatepark
Location: Hoyt Ave S, Astoria, New York 11102
Cost: Free
Hours: 10am – Dusk
Best for: All levels
Even larger than Pier 62 is Astoria Skatepark, located in Astoria Park (obviously) in Queens.
This skatepark stretches out over 21,500 feet across multiple levels separated by staircases. One thing we love about this park is its size, which keeps it from feeling too busy. The circular shape of this park gives skaters the chance to make creative flows over the banks, wedges, and
ledges. Those parks have boxes on boxes, as well as manual pads leading up to ledges. This is
a seriously fun skatepark located right under the bridge in a big, beautiful NYC park.
- Hamilton Bridge (Highbridge) Skatepark
Location: 2401 Amsterdam Ave, Highbridge Park, 7349, New York, New York 10033
Cost: Free
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Best for: Speed Lovers
The biggest skatepark in New York City is Hamilton Bridge Skatepark, also known as
Highbridge. This free city park is built for speed, literally. The skatepark is built on an incline, giving skaters added speed down ramps leading into a volcano, ramps, ledges, hubbas, handrails, and banks. This is one of the most colorful parks in NYC with tons of street art and graffiti adding to its character.
- 5050 Skatepark
Location: 354 Front Street, Staten Island, New York 10304
Cost: $14 for partial day, $20 all day
Hours: Check Website
Best for: Indoor days, kids
There’s something that just hits different about indoor skateparks. For those looking for an
indoor skating experience (or if it’s raining outside), head over to 5050 Skatepark in Staten
Island. This is New York City’s only indoor skatepark. In this park, you’ll find tons of ramps in an
ever changing configuration. The mainstay is a quarter pipe with a spine leading into other
ramps. There’s also a store full of clothing from popular skate brands, boards, bags, and shoes. The only real downside to this park is that it is relatively small and can feel crowded.
For older riders, check out the “Old Man Ride” on Thursday evenings – free of younger crowds.
Honorable Mentions
Choosing just 5 parks in all of NYC was no easy task with many great parks being left out and plenty for you to explore! Here are some other great parks that nearly made the list.
- Tribeca
- Kelley Park
- Thomas Jefferson
- Cooper
- Flushing Meadows
- Mullaly
- River Avenue
If you’re headed to New York City, bring your skateboard, and check out these great parks. We’d love to hear what you think and see your skate sesh pics and vids!