Beginner skateparks in California

A skatepark is good for a first visit when it has low, gentle ramps, wide flat ground to practice pushing and turning, and few big features (tall ramps, handrails, deep bowls) that experienced skaters fly off. A fence between the park and the street and lights for evening visits help too.

We score every park from the features it lists. Gentle features such as a mini ramp (a small ramp to learn on), low banks and quarter pipes (short curved ramps) add points; lights, a fence, restrooms and staff on site add a little more; big features such as stairs, handrails, deep bowls and vertical ramps take points away, and a park with a handrail, vertical ramp, pool or large half-pipe is never labelled great. Parks that owners or skaters have marked beginner-friendly come first. Labels are great for beginners, mixed, or advanced. 58 parks in California earn the great label; the mixed parks are listed further down for a grown-up to check first.

Great for beginners

1. Miners Skatepark, Marysville, CA · low ledges; a low manual pad; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; staff on site
2. Whittier Narrows BMX, South El Monte, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); lit at night; restrooms on site; staff on site; described as good for kids
3. Orizaba Park Skatepark, Long Beach, CA · low ledges; a low manual pad; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); staff on site; described as beginner-friendly
4. Centennial Way Park South Bike Pump Track, South San Francisco, CA · low ledges; a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); staff on site; described as beginner-friendly; wide flat areas to practice
5. Quincy Skatepark, CA · a small kicker ramp; low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; staff on site
6. Ramsay Park Pump Track, Watsonville, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); restrooms on site; staff on site; described as good for kids; described as family-friendly
7. West Side Pump Track, Santa Cruz, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); restrooms on site; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly; described as good for kids
8. Pacific Highlands Ranch Pump Track, San Diego, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); restrooms on site; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly; a place to learn
9. Church of Glad Tidings Skatepark, Live Oak, CA · a small kicker ramp; a low manual pad; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); restrooms on site; staff on site
10. Elkhorn BMX, Rio Linda, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); staff on site; described as beginner-friendly; described as family-friendly; described as all ages
11. Provident Skatepark, Visalia, CA · low ledges; a low manual pad; lit at night; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly
12. Rocklin Skatepark, Rocklin, CA · low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; described as beginner-friendly; a place to learn
13. Roseville Skatepark, Roseville, CA · a low manual pad; a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); restrooms on site; staff on site; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
14. San Mateo Skatepark, San Mateo, CA · a small kicker ramp; low ledges; a low manual pad; lit at night; described as beginner-friendly
15. Whitney Park Pump Track, Rocklin, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); restrooms on site; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly; described as good for kids
16. Inglewood Pumptrack, Inglewood, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); staff on site; described as family-friendly; a place to learn; smooth surface
17. San Clemente Pump Track, San Clemente, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); staff on site; described as beginner-friendly; a place to learn; smooth surface
18. Carson Warner Memorial Skatepark, Healdsburg, CA · low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly
19. Chanticleer Park Pump Track, Santa Cruz, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); restrooms on site; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly; described as family-friendly
20. Devil's Velodrome, San Diego, CA · a small kicker ramp; a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); staff on site; a place to learn; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
21. Lodi Skatepark, Lodi, CA · a small kicker ramp; low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); restrooms on site; staff on site
22. Newburg Park Pump Track, Fortuna, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); restrooms on site; staff on site; described as family-friendly; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
23. Pacifica Skatepark, Pacifica, CA · a small kicker ramp; low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; staff on site
24. Pleasanton BMX Park, Pleasanton, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); restrooms on site; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly; described as good for kids
25. Quarry Park Pump Track, El Granada, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); restrooms on site; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly; described as good for kids
26. Travis AFB Skatepark, Fairfield, CA · low ledges; a low manual pad; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); restrooms on site; staff on site
27. BMX Pump Track at Clyde Bland Park, Tracy, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); restrooms on site; staff on site; described as all ages; a place to learn
28. Andres and Maria Cardenas Skatepark, Panorama City, CA · low ledges; a low manual pad; lit at night; described as beginner-friendly; a place to learn
29. Glorya Jean Tate Park Pump Track, Marina, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); staff on site; described as all ages; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
30. Morro Bay Skatepark, Morro Bay, CA · quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; restrooms on site; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly
31. Turlock Skatepark, Turlock, CA · low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly
32. The Loop Pump Track, Corcoran, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); staff on site; a place to learn; smooth surface; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
33. Laguna Skategarden, Sebastopol, CA · low ledges; a low manual pad; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); restrooms on site; staff on site
34. Potrero Del Sol Skatepark, San Francisco, CA · a small kicker ramp; low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; described as beginner-friendly
35. Camarillo Skatepark, Camarillo, CA · low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly
36. Oakland Pump Track, Oakland, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); staff on site; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
37. Berkeley Skatepark, Berkeley, CA · low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); staff on site; described as beginner-friendly; a place to learn
38. Crescent City Pump Track, Crescent City, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); restrooms on site; staff on site; described as good for kids; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
39. Hobert Skatepark, Ventura, CA · a small kicker ramp; low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); staff on site; described as beginner-friendly
40. La Verne Skatepark, La Verne, CA · low ledges; a low manual pad; staff on site; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
41. McBean Skatepark, Lincoln, CA · low ledges; a low manual pad; restrooms on site; staff on site; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
42. Newbury Park Skatepark, Newbury Park, CA · low ledges; lit at night; staff on site; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
43. Stonegate Skatepark, San Jose, CA · a small kicker ramp; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; described as beginner-friendly; a place to learn
44. Temescal Valley Skatepark, Santiago Canyon Road Riverside, CA · low ledges; a low manual pad; staff on site; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
45. Weed Skatepark, Weed, CA · quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly; a place to learn
46. Bonita Skatepark, Arcadia, CA · a small kicker ramp; low ledges; a low manual pad; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly
47. Burgess Skatepark, Menlo Park, CA · low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); restrooms on site; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly
48. Chino Skatepark, Chino, CA · low ledges; a low manual pad; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); staff on site; described as beginner-friendly
49. Hollister Skatepark, Hollister, CA · a small kicker ramp; low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); staff on site
50. Imperial Courts Skatepark, Los Angeles, CA · a small kicker ramp; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
51. Kennedy Skatepark, CA · low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
52. Oxnard Skatepark, Oxnard, CA · low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; described as beginner-friendly; a place to learn
53. Poway Skatepark, Poway, CA · low ledges; a low manual pad; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; staff on site
54. Salinas Skatepark, Salinas, CA · low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly
55. Sapwi Bike Park, Thousand Oaks, CA · a pump track (rolling bumps, no tricks needed); staff on site; described as beginner-friendly; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
56. Silverado Skatepark, Long Beach, CA · a small kicker ramp; restrooms on site; staff on site; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
57. Verdugo Skatepark, Canada Blvd (Verdugo Park) Glendale, CA · a small kicker ramp; low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night
58. Yreka Skatepark, Yreka, CA · quarter pipes (short curved ramps); staff on site; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls

Worth a look with a grown-up

These parks have some beginner features but also bigger ones:

1. Bobby Bonds Skatepark, Riverside, CA · a small kicker ramp; low ledges; a low manual pad; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night · watch out: has a large half-pipe
2. Hermosa Beach Skatepark, Hermosa Beach, CA · low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly · watch out: has kinked rails
3. Moreno Valley Skatepark, March Field, CA · low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly · watch out: has kinked rails
4. Beardsley Skatepark, Bakersfield, CA · low ledges; a low manual pad; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night · watch out: has a set of stairs
5. Elk Grove Skatepark, CA · a small kicker ramp; low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; described as beginner-friendly · watch out: has a bowl (a deep, curved pool-like area); has a set of stairs
6. Frazier Park Skatepark, Frazier Park, CA · a small kicker ramp; staff on site; described as beginner-friendly; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
7. La Mesa Skatepark, La Mesa, CA · low ledges; staff on site; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
8. McGregor Skatepark, Capitola, CA · a small kicker ramp; lit at night; described as beginner-friendly; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
9. Montebello Skatepark, Montebello, CA · low ledges; lit at night; no big stairs, handrails or deep bowls
10. Paragon Skatepark, Perris, CA · a small kicker ramp; low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); staff on site · watch out: has a set of stairs
11. Peak Park Skatepark, Buena Park, CA · a small kicker ramp; low ledges; a low manual pad; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); staff on site · watch out: has a spine (two ramps back to back); has a set of stairs
12. Roosevelt Skatepark, San Jose, CA · low ledges; quarter pipes (short curved ramps); lit at night; staff on site · watch out: has a bowl (a deep, curved pool-like area)

Tips for a first visit

• Go on a weekday morning or early afternoon: the park is quiet and there is room to practice.
• Wear a helmet, and knee and wrist pads for the first few visits. Most falls land on hands and knees.
• Watch for a minute before you roll in, so you can see how skaters take turns, and let faster skaters pass.
• Start on the flat ground and the smallest ramp. Rolling, stopping and turning come before any trick.

More around California

• All California skateparks
• Parks with lights in California
• Skateparks near me
• Beginner parks in other places

Nearby states

• Beginner skateparks in Arizona (4 parks)
• Beginner skateparks in Nevada (1 park)
• Beginner skateparks in Oregon (1 park)