50 Best Skateboard Cities

There are tons of great places to skate throughout the world - too many, almost. So we compiled a list of the 50 best skateboard cities in the world.

You may not always be traveling with the intent of skating, but try to hit these spots if you're in any of these faraway cities - and you definitely won't be disappointed. So grab a board, and skate on - no matter where in the world you are. ✈️🌎🛹

1. Barcelona

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Love amazing sights, as well as skating? Then Barcelona is definitely for you.

Immortalized in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater - Barcelona has a ton of great spots for grinding and getting air. We also recommend checking out Viana Barcelona while you're there - it has some of the best food we've ever tasted.

2. Orange

Orange, California has many incredible skate spots. However, the Vans Skatepark is by far our favorite place to go, when in town.

3. Carlsbad

The first skatepark was opened in Carlsbad, California - and Tony Hawk only helped make it more famous. Check out this sick level from his game, which shows just how awesome skating in this area can be.

Best Skateboards (For Any City)

4. Vienna

Vienna, Austria is known for the U-Bahn, and incredible Baroque architecture - but they also have incredible skating. Start at Loretto Skatepark, and hit some of the other spots - you'll have a spectacular time.

5. Bristol

The Campus Skatepark in Winterbourne should be first on your list here. But Bristol is home to many awesome spots - explore and have fun, you will love it. 🛹

6. Portland

Another awesome skate spot immortalized in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Portland is a place with magnificent skating locations. Burnside Skatepark should be your first stop, but there are many great places to skate in this stellar Oregon town.

7. Honolulu

Honolulu is as close as it gets to perfection. Besides the amazing weather and beaches - they also have awesome spots to ride in, like Hickam Skate Hangar.

8. Prague

Prague not only had one of the best Phish guitar solos of all time - it has many totally rad spots for skating. Start at Centrální Park, and then go from there - you won't be disappointed.

9. Amsterdam

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Amsterdam is known for many things, but surprisingly - they also have stellar spots to skateboard in. The best is undoubtedly Olympiaplein Skatepark - but it's hard to go wrong with any of the rad spots in this fun city. Truly recommended.

10. Berlin

Berlin has many great options for skating, so if you're in Germany, you owe it to yourself to make the pilgrimage. This Instagram account can even help point you in the right direction.

11. Shenzhen

While China isn't exactly right around the corner, it does have some awesome skate spots. Shenzhen is one of the best, as seen in this video from Vans.

12. Los Angeles

What's not to love about LA? The West LA Courthouse is a perfect spot, as is Hollywood High School - but there are truly endless amounts of great spots for skating here.

13. Guangzhou

China may not have started out as a hot spot for skateboarding, but it definitely is now. Go near University Island - you won't be disappointed - though that's far from the only awesome spot located here.

14. San Francisco

This could arguably be called the mecca of skateboarding. San Fran is home to numerous legendary skate spots, with our absolute favorite being Pier Seven.

15. Brasilia

Love Brazil? Who doesn't? But Brasilia also has amazing skate spots. We recommend checking out some of the insane architecture you can skate - as seen in this Red Bull video.

16. Melbourne

What's not to love about Australia? Check out Sydney, where you can skate at Bondi, but Melbourne is the real gem - with 20 different skateparks in close proximity to each other.

17. Copenhagen

If you head to Denmark, go to Copenhagen. Bring your board, and you'll have a blast - especially at the district of Christiania.

18. Moscow

While the first images of Moscow most people think of aren't related to skateboarding, they actually do have some of the best skate spots in the world. We recommend checking out Victory Park, if you really want to skate something special.

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19. Mar del Plata

This awesome city in Argentina has some incredible skating spots. This coastal city has lots of street skating, as well as some awesome skate parks - which makes it a perennial favorite amongst serious skateboarders.

20. Marseille

This famous city has always been a favorite of skaters - at least since '91, when they really opened things up. Immortalized in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, it's hard to have a bad time skating here.

21. Rio

If you love to skate bowls, this is the place for you. Rio also has an insane beach life, as well as a crazy nightlife scene - which makes it perfect for lots of skaters.

22. Sofia

5-High Skatepark is particularly great here. Bulgaria is not where most people think solid skate action would occur - but it does, surprisingly.

23. Paris

What's not to love about Paris? In addition to all the tourist sight, there is a tremendous amount of skating you can do. We highly recommend La Défense - as well as the food.

24. San Diego

San Diego is a beautiful place to visit, but they also have great skating. Tony Hawk himself was raised in San Diego - making the city have a special place in all serious skateboarders hearts.

25. Lisbon

One of the most popular cities in the world for tourists, Lisbon is also a great place for skating. There is also insanely great food, as well as a very pleasant climate.

26. London

London has some absolutely insane street skating. While we don't love the food in this city, the skating more than makes up for it - especially at Stockwell Skate Park.

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27. Karnataka

India may not be well-known for their skateboarding scene, but this city has a very rad park. Called Play Arena Bengaluru, it's worth the trip, if you're visiting.

28. New York

Do we need to say anything here, about why New York is a stellar spot to skate? Not only is New York City proper a great place to shred - there are so many smaller areas and offshoots, which all offer amazing street skating.

29. Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires has a huge skate scene. As the capital of Argentina, this should come as no surprise. Be sure to check out Bond Street - you won't be let down.

30. Tijuana

Tijuana is another stellar place to skate - not to mention, a place to do other things. 😜 The Bullring level that was made famous in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater was directly inspired by Tijuana skating.

31. Venice Beach

Venice Beach is a fantastic place to visit, and one of the main reasons - is the incredible skating. Immortalized in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Venice has lots of cool places to do tricks - you definitely won't be disappointed.

32. Paradise Valley

Paradise Valley is home to one of our (many) favorite skateparks - the Paradise Valley Skatepark. Phoenix is a great place to begin with, but we always stop at this skatepark when we're in town - no exceptions.

33. Jacksonville

Jacksonville, FL has a suprisingly good skateboarding scene. We particularly love Kona Skatepark - seen here in this awesome drone video.

34. Brea

Brea, CA is yet another great location to get some rad skating done. Arovista Park is one option, but you're certainly not limited to just that.

35. Buena Park

Buena Park is probably best known for Knott's Berry Farm, but we also happen to love the skating here. Peaks Park is a great spot - as you can see in this video.

36. St. Petersburg

While we may not love all the political decisions of Russia, this doesn't change the fact that St. Petersburg has some great skating spots. Watch this fun video, where you can see just what we're talking about.

37. Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv is famous for many things - but we also love the skateboarding there. Head to the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, or go near the beach - you'll find lots of amazing spots (and here's a video skating tour of the area).

38. Chicago

Chicago has incredible street skating - full stop. While it's definitely a little more violent in Chi-Town than it used to be, with the proper safety precautions, this is a perfect place to skate.

39. Innsbruck

Austria has many awesome spots, but Innsbruck is particularly great. We recommend Skatehalle, it's a perfect place to start.

40. Tokyo

Tokyo is another city that was immortalized via Tony Hawk's Pro Skater - and for good reason. it offers tons of amazing street skating, plus the city has food that is truly to die for.

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41. Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa, California is famous for many things - girls, the beach, food - but we also happen to love the skating. The Costa Mesa Skate Park itself is sick, but there are also tons of other great places to skate - and then you can catch some waves out in the ocean.

42. Cocoa Beach

Florida has many reasons to make you want to visit - but Cocoa Beach Skate Park is probably our favorite reason. You can enjoy the beach, but also enjoy catching some sick air and pulling off some insane grinds - all in one day.

43. Houston

If you want 78,000 square feet to skate in - you need to go to Houston. Just the North Houston Skate Park alone is single-handedly the second largest skate park in the world.

44. Lyon

Lyon is undoubtedly the skate capital of France - and it's easy to see why. Not only do they have killer food, they have amazing spots to skate - like the Hôtel de Ville (HDV). Come for the food - stay for the skating.

45. Austin

Austin is a new hotbed of young professionals - as well as a totally rad place to skate. The Austin BMX & Skate Park is probably our favorite, but there are many great spots to choose from.

46. Brooklyn

There are numerous awesome spots to skate in Brooklyn, so you have a huge variety of places to skate in. Cooper Skatepark is probably the best choice, but your own mileage may vary.

47. Philadelphia

Philadelphia is famous for FDR Skatepark, which was replicated in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. You can perform any type of trick - whether it be riding on a vert ramp, grinding rails, or even jumping off a building. Be sure to check out some of the awesome gameplay footage, below.

48. Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City is home to the famous Mat Hoffman Action Sports Park, which has lots of great places to skate. You can also ride BMX here (obviously), so you're not limited in any capacity.

49. Denver

Want 60,000 square feet to skate, all in one park? Head to Denver. This city boasts a ginormous skate park, making it a must-see destination for any serious skater.

50. Woodward

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Home to one of the best skate camps on earth, Woodward is in the middle of nowhere in Pennsylvania - but it's definitely worth the trip. You can dive into a foam pit, practice on every type of ramp imaginable, and also make great friendships.

Other Factors To Consider

The best cities in skateboarding history include NYC, many iconic spots on the west coast, Los Angeles, and plenty of street spots on the east coast. Whether you want to skate in school yards with ledges and handrails, or you are looking for a new skate community - we’ve got you covered.

Professional skateboarders have been taking skate trips for decades - making skate history more interesting, and increasing the number of great skate cities. The skateboarding community has been rapidly expanding over the last decade, with skate culture, skate shops, and new skaters popping up all the time.

Magazines like Thrasher and Transworld used to be the purveyors taste, but now street skaters look to the internet. Resources like YouTube, and other sites, have made skate spots much easier to find.

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The Bottom Line On The Best Cities To Skateboard

No matter if you live in San Francisco, Barcelona, or California - there are a million great skate spots out there to find. We hope this list was informative, and be sure to check out some of our other great articles.