Skateboarding is one of the few sports designed for urban spaces, and while the city is a playground, these skate parks in NYC up the fun factor setting the stage for tricks, flips, and high-flying fun. These NYC skate parks provide a perfectly designed place to practice those skateboarding fakie flips and to grab some air. These skate parks in New York City are great for beginners and seasoned skateboarders alike. Often, inline skaters and BMX bikers join in the fun.
All these skate parks in NYC put safety first. Athletes must wear helmets, kneepads and elbow pads, and kids under age 18 are also required to put on wrist guards. That said, most NYC skate parks are unsupervised and have an enter-at-your-own-risk policy. Some do require parents to sign waivers for children. For more outdoor sports and kid-friendly fun, see our NYC Kids' Guide to Parks and Playgrounds.
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1. Pier 62 Skate Park – Chelsea
Hudson River Park at 22nd Street
Open 8am-dusk
This 15,000-square-foot skate park looks like it's sculpted into the earth, with natural curves and rounded shapes. It boasts a great view of the waterfront, and there are plenty of other things to do with kids in Chelsea, making it a wonderful destination for beginners.
2. Coleman Skate Park – Chinatown
Between Monroe and Cherry Streets, and Market and Pike Streets
Open dawn-dusk
Located under the Manhattan Bridge, this urban NYC skate park features ramps, jumps, and more. A signed liability waiver is required.
3. Riverside Skate Park – Upper West Side
Riverside Park and 108th Street
Hours vary
Known as the first skate park in NYC, this skaters' mecca in Riverside Park was renovated in 2013 to include a 10-foot half-pipe, a mini half-pipe, and a quarter pipe. Open seasonally from June to September. Hours are 3-7pm when public schools are in session and 11am-7pm during the summer. It's closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. A signed liability waiver is required.
4. Millennium Skate Park – Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
Owl's Head Park, Colonial Road between 68th Street and Wakeman Place
Open weekends 11am-7pm
This skate park is divided into two parts: a concrete "combi-bowl" and a street course area. BMX bikes are permitted. A signed liability waiver is required.
5. River Avenue Skate Park – Concourse Village, the Bronx
River Avenue at 157th Street
Open 6am-10pm
This 10,000-square-foot concrete skate park features stairs, rails, ledges, benches, banks, gaps, and transitional elements in a plaza setting. Bikes, scooters, and inline skates are also permitted. A signed liability waiver is required.
RELATED: Extreme Sports and More Thrilling Activities for Kids near NYC
6. Pier 25 Skate Park – Tribeca
Hudson River Park at North Moore Street
Open 8am-dusk
Rather than the smooth rounded look of Pier 62, the Pier 25 skate park in NYC is all angles and shelves, making it better for more advanced skateboarders. And again, there are a lot of other things to do in the vicinity!
7. Maloof Skate Park – Flushing, Queens
Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Open dawn-dusk
Pro skaters helped design this 16,000-square-foot course, which re-creates popular (but illegal) NYC skating spots, including the stairs at Union Square, One Police Plaza, and the Con-Ed "pyramid ledges." It's located in a remote corner of the park, near the Unisphere, and opened in 2010. Bikes, scooters, and inline skates are also permitted. A signed liability waiver is required.
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8. High Bridge Skate Park – Washington Heights
West 181st Street at Amsterdam Avenue
Open dawn-dusk
This uptown park is hidden in a wooden strip, overlooking the Harlem River. As the largest skate park in NYC, it won't disappoint with a multitude of banks and ledges, rails, and a brick mini-bowl. A signed liability waiver is required.
9. Harold Ickes Skate Park – Red Hook, Brooklyn
Van Brunt St between Hamilton Avenue and Summit Street
Open dawn-dusk
Once an underutilized asphalt softball field, this newly-opened park features a state-of-the-art space for BMX biking, skateboarding, bouldering, and parkour. This skate park also includes the first bike repair station and air pumps installed in a Brooklyn park. A signed liability waiver is required.
10. Astoria Skate Park – Astoria, Queens
Hoyt Avenue South
Open dawn-dusk
This enormous skate park in NYC provides ample space for skaters of all levels to practice their skills. Skaters can enjoy multiple levels with stairs, rails, banks, and ledges of varying heights and sizes. A signed liability waiver is required.
Originally published in 2011.