Discover what skateboarders can do in Orlando, Fla.

Orlando, Fla. is a top vacation destination for people of all ages. If you are planning a family vacation and have older kids, or if you are a skater and in need of a boarding adventure, then Orlando is still a top vacation destination. Here you will find skate parks, skateboarding events and a great selection of board shops.

Orlando, Florida Skateparks

The first thing that you will want to do when planning a vacation to Orlando is to locate skateparks that are nearest to your hotel. Your first skatepark option is the Orlando Skatepark, which is located at 400 Festival Way. This is one of the city's best parks. Your other options include: Skate World Skatepark; the Skate Pit Skatepark, 11100 East Colonial Drive; and Vans Skate Park, 5220 International Drive.

Skateboarding Events

If you are interested in skateboarding events then Orlando, Fla. is the city to be in. There are several skateboarding events held throughout the year. The first event that you can attend or participate in is the Free Flow Skateboard Tour, which is held in May. The Vans Triple Crown Skateboard Series, held in November, is another option. The Skateboard Club at UCF is a great resource for boarding events and activities. Make sure you talk to them while planning your Orlando vacation.

Skate Shops

Orlando has a great selection of skateboard shops that you can browse through. Your first option, The Skate Shack, is close to the city's center and is located at 1227 W. Jefferson Street. Your other options include: Boardwalk Surf and Sport, located at 9101 International Drive; Covert Skate Shop, located at 2428 E. Robinson Street; and Galactic G, located at 334 E. Harvard Street; RC Sk8boards, L IC, located at 421 Montgomery Road, Altamonte Springs; University Surf & Skate, located at 5439 International Drive; XLR8, located at 8001 South Orange Blossom Trail; and Inland Ocean Surfshop, located at 3201 E. Colonial Drive. If you aren't familiar with Orlando, then simply look at the area around your skatepark and you will undoubtedly find a great skate shop.

Learn about the features, pros and cons of the YMCA Tri-City Skatepark in Edina, Minnesota.

The Midwest has a lot of great skateparks to visit. However, if you live near Bloomington,Richfield or Edina, Minnesota, or if you are visiting the Mall of America, then you will want to make plans to stop by the YMCA Tri-City Skatepark located at 7355 York Avenue S., Edina, Minnesota. This park was set up to serve the skaters of the three cities mentioned above so it will have plenty of traffic, however, it is a large enough park to accommodate a good population of skaters so you don't have to worry about being crowded out by locals or tourists.

The Basics

First of all, the cost for using this park is $8 for non-members and $4 for members and residents of the tri-city communities of Bloomington, Richfield and Edina. Next, you are required to wear full pads and a helmet. You will also be required to submit a waiver if you are under 18 years of age. Finally, this park is operated and managed by the Southdale YMCA so their rules rule the park. This means that you will need to keep your bad language to a minimum, wear the proper safety equipment and be somewhat courteous to the other skaters using the park.

The hours of operation for this park are going to depend a lot on the weather. The skatepark closes its doors during bad weather for the safety of the skaters. So if it is raining, thundering,
too windy or snowing, don't bother showing up. Summer hours of operation for this park run
from June 6 through August 31 and are 9 a.m. until sundown on Monday and Wednesday, noon to sundown on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and noon to eight p.m. on the
weekends.

The Features

This is a good sized skatepark with about 17,000 square-feet of skateable terrain. It is an all concrete park that was put together by Grindline. The depth of this park ranges from four feet to 12 feet, it has a couple of over-vert pockets and several other common skatepark features such as ridges and ramps. The design of this park is in-ground, which is uncommon to find in the Midwest, which is just another reason to visit this park.

Learn about the great skateparks, events and resources offered by Vancouver, B.C.

Vancouver, B.C. is one of the best places in the world to take a vacation if you are a skateboarder. This city offers numerous high quality skateparks, it is the home to the X Games Trials for this region of Canada and it has great local board shops that you can peruse. So no matter if you are looking for a break from the typical tourist attractions or are in desperate need for catching some air, you will find what you are looking for in Vancouver, B.C.

Skateparks in Vancouver, B.C.

Vancouver, B.C. is the home to at least nine skateparks. One of the best in the city is the Vancouver Downtown Skateboard Plaza. This unique skatepark looks like a Downtown office plaza, but inside there is about 26,000 square feet of terrain and features to skate. Some of the features that this skatepark offers are rails, curbs, ramps, open space, embankments, walls and steps. It also offers a variety of terrain textures to explore including exposed brick, steel and concrete. To find this park, look under the Sky Train near Georgia Street and Main Street.

If you enjoy bowel boarding then you will want to visit the Hastings Skatepark located on the corner of Triumph Street and Renfew Street. This park is known as having the best skateboarding bowels in the world, so it is at least worth a look. In total this park has three bowels with depths of 1, 2 and 3 meters. It also features a halfpipe, hips, snake run and spines.

In addition to the above skateparks there are another seven parks to choose from. If you are in Midtown Vancouver then look for Bronson. In East Vancouver there is Canada's oldest skatepark China Creek as well as Strathcona. In North Vancouver you will find Park Gate and Griffin. Outlining skateparks include Richmond and Town Center.

Other Skateboarding Resources

When planning a trip to Vancouver, B.C., you may want to talk with the Vancouver Skateboard Coalition. They will be able to tell you what skateboard events are planned, what the city's skateboarding rules are and where to find the best skateboard park for your boarding style. Finally, they can help you find great local shops to find boarding equipment and clothing.