The Sunshine State has no shortage of skateparks from Miami to the Panhandle. From privately owned to city parks, you can fulfill your concrete dreams both indoors and outdoors. Some parks require pads and helmets; every park requires a signed liability waiver (signed by a parent if you are younger than 18). It is recommended you call or visit the skatepark's website before visiting to ensure you have the proper equipment and identification.
West Coast
Fossil Skate Park in St. Petersburg has a street course, rails, mini ramp and quarter-pipe. The Sarasota Skate Park is located close to downtown and has plenty of concrete for you to shred, with separate sections for beginners and advanced skaters. You can skate all day for $8, as of 2010. The Edge Johnny Nocera Skate Park in Naples is 40,000 square feet of concrete and wood, with a snake run, bowl, boxes and quarter-pipes. Helmets are required.
East Coast
Cocoa Beach may be known for surfing, but you should skip the beach and head to the Cocoa Beach Skatepark for the full-pipe, concrete bowl and cheap rates (just $3 every day, as of 2010). Jupiter Skate Park is owned and operated by the Town of Jupiter and offers a concrete bowl, pyramid and stairs. They also host a summer camp for skaters. Protective gear is required. Stone Edge Skatepark in South Daytona Beach has a street course with rails and ledges, ramps and a concrete bowl. Helmets are required.
North Florida
Kona Skatepark in Jacksonville is one of the oldest outdoor skateparks in the country and it is a must-do for serious skaters, with a 30-foot bowl, a 10-foot kidney pool and a 15,000-square-foot X-games-style course. Rates are reasonable ($5 to $10, girls skate free), and yearly memberships are available. The Mike Blankenship Skate Park in Tallahassee is a 26,000-square-foot facility featuring rolled lips, wall extensions and a 5-foot pool that rolls down to 9 feet. It is open every day from sunrise to midnight, and skating is free.
Central and South Florida
You can skate all day on the 8,000-square-foot flow course for just $8 at the Orlando Skate Park, or beginners can practice on the mini rails and half-pipe. The Grove Skate Park, located in Peacock Park in Coconut Grove, is Miami's only nonprofit skate park, where rates are adjusted according to income and scholarships are available. It is a 10,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor facility for beginners and advanced skaters.
Indoor Skate Parks
Florida summers are hot and humid and there is often a chance of an afternoon thunderstorm, so you may want to check out a climate-controlled environment for skating. MIA Skate Park, located in the Miami suburb of Doral, is a large facility with quarter-pipes, half-pipes and stairs, and they also host lessons, contests and exhibitions. Ladies always skate for free. Skatepark of Tampa is inside a huge warehouse near downtown Tampa and they change their course every year so you never get bored. They also offer lessons and camps for beginners. Waterboyz Skatepark in Pensacola has 5,000 square feet of air conditioned space for cool skating.
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