The Best Skateboard Parks In & Around Jax

The skateboard community in Jacksonville is thriving, and if you have a child who is showing interest in learning to skate, there are plenty of different skate parks you can take them to all over Jax — and most are free. (Not to mention nearby parks and playgrounds if you need a break!)

Basic Skating Etiquette & Safety

If you are new to skateboarding and your kids are, too, make sure they understand basic skating etiquette. There will be bigger kids and adults also skating and cruising much faster than they are. Teach them to be aware of their surroundings as much as possible so they don’t get hurt.

Watching the flow of the skate park is just as important. Treat it like you are crossing a road — you would definitely want to look both ways before crossing, or in this case, entering a skate park area.

Collisions can happen and sometimes can’t be helped, but being alert and aware will lessen the chance of people getting hurt. At the end of the day, skate parks are for the kids (and big kids alike), so let’s all do our part to be respectful and understanding. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get on to our list of local skate parks!

South Beach Skatepark & Sunshine Playground

Location: 2508 S Beach Pkwy, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250
Cost: Free
Lessons: Some independent instructors conduct lessons here
Camps: No

South Beach Skatepark, also referred to as Sunshine Skatepark, has smooth concrete throughout and flows as one continuous circle, which makes it great for beginners and scooters. A snake run, two bowls, handrails, and lots of banks and ledges also make this skate park fun for the bigger kids. Since it is right next to a playground, it is especially important for your little guys to be alert and aware of their surroundings if they visit here to skate or scoot. Equally as important is for the big kids and kids at heart to also be patient, alert, and aware, and understand that skateparks are for the kids. We all want to shred, but maybe a Saturday afternoon might not be the best time to shred so hard.

Artist Walk Skatepark

Location: 718 Riverside Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32204
Cost: Free
Lessons: Yes
Camps: No

The city of Jacksonville listened to its skateboarding community’s feedback and truly thought Artist Walk through by taking advantage of typically unusable space underneath bridges to create a shady, Florida-friendly skate park for all ages. A walking/bike/skate path surrounds the entire skate park, and is filled with a mix of street and some transition. This skate park gives you many options to get creative with your skating — you can even skate the letters J-A-X. Skateboards, scooters, bikes, and inline skates are all welcome. There’s also artificial turf in some areas, which is great for lawn chairs while you watch your kids skate, or for toddlers and babies to play. The best part about this one, in my opinion, is that it has lights, so when it gets dark, you can keep skating. The least favorite part-there are no bowls at this one, but still plenty of fun to be had.

READ: If You Build It, We Will Come: Artist Walk Skatepark

My family’s favorite thing to do when skating here is to go grab lunch or dinner in the Riverside area afterward at places like Carmine’s Pie House or the Fox Restaurant. This skate park has given our family a reason to visit our beautiful downtown area and local happenings more often, like the Riverside Arts Market, which is directly across from this skate park.

When skating here, it is also very important to understand how to be alert and aware, as this park is the newest to the city and considered a favorite by a lot of skaters, which means you can run into bigger crowds at certain times. Skate clinics are offered on the first Saturday morning of every month. Check out @artistwalkskateparkjax on Instagram for up-to-date information.

Kona Skate Park

Location: 8739 Kona Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32211
Cost: 2-hour session is $10; all-day pass is $15; 1/2 off during last hour open; spectators are $5 except parents are free
Lessons: Yes
Camps: Yes

Kona Skatepark is one of the oldest and most iconic skate parks in the world, built in 1977, and was even recreated in a level of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 video game.

Kona has a bowl, two snake runs, mini ramps, and a newly added street course. The concrete vert ramp built in 1989 has also been restored with better transitions, added roll-ins, and a new deck area. Currently, there is also a fundraiser happening to help restore the wooden vert ramp. Check out the Kona website for more information on how you can help bring vert back to Jax and give this historic spot a visit to check out all of the updates. Kona also provides skate lessons, vert lessons, and hosts many skate events that are sponsored by big names like Red Bull.

Veterans Park

Location: 1332 Veterans Pkwy, St. Johns, FL 32259
Cost: Free
Lessons: No
Camps: No

You may have been at Veterans Park for your kid’s soccer or flag football game. In an adjacent parking lot and near the walking path, they added a few metal ramps, similar to the Emerson Skate Park.

Robert-Laryn Skatepark at Treaty Park

Location: 1595 Wildwood Dr, St. Augustine, FL 32086
Cost: Free
Lessons: No
Camps: No

There is plenty of room in this 28,000-square-foot concrete skatepark for skateboarders of all ages and abilities, known as Treaty Skatepark. There are handrails, ledges, banks, and a 9-and-a-half-foot kidney-shaped pool to challenge even the most experienced skater.

At the front, they have a smaller bowl, which is great for beginning skaters and those wanting to practice tricks.

Adjacent Treaty Park boasts a fenced playground, picnic tables, a 3-acre lake for fishing, many lighted sports courts, walking trails, and tons of space to run around.

Cuba Hunter Skatepark (Emerson Skate Park)

Location: 4380 Emerson St, Jacksonville, FL 32207
Cost: Free
Lessons: No
Camps: No

Also referred to as the Emerson skate park because of its location, the 10,000-square-foot Cuba Hunter Skatepark has great features, including a spine ramp, a 6-foot half pipe, a 7-foot quarter pipe, jump boxes, multiple rails, and a bank ramp with a partial pyramid. Cuba Hunter Skatepark was recently given a facelift with an upgrade to the existing ramps.

Nearby is a multi-use athletic field, a 0.25-mile boardwalk winding through more than 3.5 acres of wetlands, and a covered pavilion with three picnic tables and two grills. In 2005, a gymnasium with an elevated track and a community building were added. There is also a pavilion great for picnics and a park nearby for littles, including climbing and swings. Updates (below) to the existing ramps give the Emerson skate park a new feel.

Ed Austin Skatepark (Monument Skatepark)

Location: 11751 McCormick Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32225
Cost: Free
Lessons: No
Camps: No

The Ed Austin Skatepark, also known as the Monument Skatepark (again, based on its location), can be scooter-friendly, but it’s definitely more for advanced skateboarders. It’s 9,000 square feet of smooth concrete, but this one can feel crowded at times, even with only a handful of people there.

Right by the skatepark is also a paved walking and biking trail loop around the pond, along with basketball courts, soccer fields, baseball fields, an 18-hole disc golf course, and a playground. There is also a large, wooded off-leash dog park on the north side of the park, which has separate areas for small and big dogs and a picnic area with tables.

The Skate Yard

Location: 52 W 3rd St #3306, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233
Cost: Available to rent for a private session at $30/hour (minimum of 2 hours)
Lessons: Yes
Camps: Yes

The Skate Yard is a privately owned facility operated by two local dads. It’s  not open to the public, but you can attend one of their camps, participate in their after-school or Saturday group sessions, book private lessons, or book two hours with friends and not have to worry about crowds. You can also host a birthday party here, which we love to do. You can check out their website for more information on how to rent this facility, book a camp, or set up a private lesson.

Oceanside Rotary Skatepark at Jack Russell Park

Location: 850 Seminole Rd, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233
Cost: Free
Lessons: No
Camps: No

The bowls at Oceanside Rotary Skatepark have deep transitions with a path to cruise around on the entire outside. This skatepark is a little more advanced, but if it’s not too crowded, it’s still relatively easy for the little guys to practice and ride around. Skate contests like the annual Matt “Rasta” Grey contest are held here each year. Right next door is Jack Russell Park, featuring swings, a basketball court, tennis courts, and plenty of playground fun.

Orange Park Skatepark

Location: 1006 Fromhart St, Orange Park, FL 32073
Cost: Free
Lessons: Yes
Camps: Yes

Orange Park Skatepark is a great free outdoor skateboard park featuring two covered pavilions, grills, a nature walk, a fitness course, and a tot playground. Skateboards and in-line skates are permitted, but no scooters. A helmet and a waiver are required to skate. Helmet rental is available. A concession stand and skateboard shop are on location, operated by the nonprofit support group, The OP Skatepark, Inc. This skatepark flows similarly to Sunshine Skate Park and has a half-moon quarter pipe, ledges, rails, and places to roll in.

Fernandina Beach Skate Park (Poe Pinson Skate Park)

Location:25 Tarpon St, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034
Cost: Free
Lessons: No
Camps: No

Recently renamed the Poe Pinson Skate park in honor of the local 19-year-old Olympian who placed 5th and made her little beach town so proud, the Fernandina Beach Skate Park is for skateboards, inline skates, and scooters.  This skate park is right near the beach, and you can find banks, a spine ramp, a quarter pipe, and rails.

Fun fact: Friends of Fernandina Skate Park is a non-profit local organization whose mission is to promote healthy physical outdoor activity and encourage self-esteem. Through FFSP’s Boards for Boarders  (B4B)  program, they invest in the youth by providing skateboards to those who would not normally be able to get access to them.

What skateparks do you love most in and around Jax?