One of the coolest skate parks in the world is the Black Pearl Skate and Surf Park found in the Grand Cayman Islands. This skate park is considered to be the largest concrete skate park in the world. It also offers one of the largest, standing artificial waves in the world. So, if you are into surfing, skateboarding or both, this is a great park to visit.

The Black Pearl Skate Park
The Black Pearl Skate Park offers skaters about 52,000 square feet of skating terrain to work over. There are three different courses that you can ride on: a beginners' course, an intermediate level course and an advanced skaters' course. Each of these courses offers a selection of bowls, transition zones, flow terrain and street terrain. This park also offers quarter pipes and half pipes. If you want to skate in this park, you are required to wear a helmet and the appropriate padding. If you are on vacation or if you don't have the appropriate equipment or padding, you can rent it at the onsite skate shop.

This park is open Monday through Saturday from nine in the morning until dusk and on Sunday from ten in the morning until dusk. The entry fee is CI $16 for the day, CI $50 for the week or CI $100 for the month. In U.S. dollars, this is about $24 for the day, $75 for the week or $150 for the month.

The Black Pearl Surf Park
The Black Pearl Surf Park is a record breaker in its own right. It has a machine that is capable of producing a standing wave of up to eleven feet tall. It also has the ability to move 150,000 gallons of water in a minute, and it produces a surfing zone that covers about 1,280 square feet. This park provides both surfing instructions and equipment, so you don't have to pack a surfboard with you on the plane or in your car. This is a great place to go to learn the basics of surfing or to just have a bit of fun on a hot day. Parents will love this park too, because there is a restaurant onsite where they can enjoy a nice meal and relax while their kids play at the surf park or skate park.

There are dozens of cool skate parks in the United States. One of the coolest is the Rotary Club Skate Park in Lunda Community Park, found at 1400 Tyler St., Black River Falls, Wisconsin, 54615. This hybrid skate park was completed in July 2006 and offers about 9,500 square feet of skating terrain.

Rotary Club Skate Park - Basic Features
The Rotary Club Skate Park is a very unique skate park. It utilizes a hybrid technique which pairs ramp equipment, normally used above ground, with concrete block retaining walls. This combination has several advantages including no seams, no gaps and no guard rails. This is great if you are just learning how to ride a ramp or trick off a ramp, because you don't have to worry about tripping over gaps and other design imperfections.

In addition to a hybrid ramp design, the Rotary Club Skate Park offers several great skateboarding features. Some of the features that you can find here include a half bowl, ramps and a multi-tiered plaza. The advantage of skating here is that you can find skating features to fit your skill level if you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced skater. The only real drawback of this skate park is that it doesn't offer skate-box formations. This is a real drag that many skateboarders hope will eventually be fixed.

Rotary Club Skate Park - Having Fun at the Skate Park
In order to have a great time at the Rotary Club Skate Park, you need to come prepared to have a good time. To start with, you need the proper skater clothing to (1) look cook and (2) protect your skin from road rash. Next, you need to bring the proper safety gear. This means bringing a properly fitted helmet, elbow and knee pads and a pair of shoes that have enough grip on the soles to keep you from skidding off your board. The final accessory you need to bring to the skate park is a good attitude. If you come to the park in a funky mood, you are not only going to prevent yourself from having a great time, but you are going to increase your chances of bringing other skaters down with you.

Skate parks come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Public skate parks tend to be free and offer a few features that you can practice on. However, if you are a hardcore skateboarder looking for something a bit edgier than your local concrete skater pond, then visit Skatopia. This private skate park was referred to as "88 Acres of Anarchy" by Rolling Stone Magazine, and after visiting this mega-skate park it is easy to see where the nickname came from.

Skatetopia - The Basics
Skatopia is located at 34961 Hutton Road in Rutland, Ohio. It first opened its doors back in 1995 and was the brainchild of Brewce Martin, who still owns and operates this wild skate park. The park itself sits on about 88 acres of land. It includes both indoor and outdoor skateboarding features like an outdoor bowl made from concrete, a couple of indoor bowls and an interesting pipe-ramp complex comprised from a vert ramp and a full pipe.

Skatopia - The Extras
In addition to being a cool place to skateboard, Skatopia is also the home to the Museum of Skateboard History. This museum has a huge display of vintage skateboards that contains about 12,000 specimens. If you are interested in the evolution of skateboard design, take time to stop by this museum.

Skatopia - Events
The final attraction of Skatopia isn't a physical feature. It is the events that are hosted at Skatopia. This skate park is a great place to host your own events like birthday parties, graduation celebrations and even your band's gigs. This destination also offers you a great selection of planned events like the Backwoods Blowout.

Dressing for a Trip to Skatopia
Skatopia offers both indoor and outdoor skating, because of this you need to make sure you dress in layers so you don't freeze when you are outside or roast while skating indoors. Also remember to bring the proper safety equipment with you, such as padding and a helmet. Finally, bring your board with you. Working with a board you are familiar with will help you to navigate the various features of this park safely.

If you are ready for an awesome and unique skateboarding adventure, grab your skateboarding shoes and head to Rutland.

The Louisville Extreme Park is located just east of the downtown area of Louisville, Kentucky near the intersection of Franklin Street and Clay Street. It offers about 40,000 square feet of skating terrain including a bowl park, a street park and a few vert features. If you live in, or will be visiting the Louisville area, make plans to bring your skateboarding shoes, gear and boards to the LEP.

Louisville Extreme Park - The Basics
The Louisville Extreme Park opened back in April of 2002. It is a free public park that is open to skaters, BMXers and in-line skaters 24 hours a day. This park is owned by the City of Louisville, and it is maintained by the Metro Parks Department.

When exploring what this park has to offer keep your eyes open for the skill level postings. These signs will help you select features that you will be able to safely negotiate. Each section of the park is rated as a beginners' area, an intermediate area or an advanced area.

As mentioned earlier, the Louisville Extreme Park is broken up into three different skating areas. The bowl park is excellent. It has two 11-foot bowls, two eight-foot bowls, two four-foot bowls and a six-foot bowl. Near the bowl park is a stellar 24-foot full pipe. The street course is fully stocked with great skating features such as ledges, rails, lines and fun boxes. Finally, there is a 12-foot wooden vert ramp with an excellent 13-foot-long extension.

Louisville Extreme Park - Rules
This is a very open park as far as rules go. You can use the park any time you want. The only time the park is closed is during extreme or hazardous weather conditions. There are no age restrictions and generally no supervision. The only rules that you will need to follow include: no smoking, drinking or eating inside the fenced area; no tagging; and you need to wear helmets and padding. If you have an accident inside the park and need help, there is an emergency call box on-site that you can use.

If you want to get away from the super crowded skate parks of Phoenix, Arizona, or if you find yourself in or near Gilbert, Arizona, then make plans to check out Freestone Skate Park. This is a free skate park that is open to everyone, including inline skaters, skateboarders and bikers. This diversity can be both an asset and a liability. Overall, this is a great park with something for every type of skater. Locals love this park and say it is one of the best skate areas in this part of Arizona.

Freestone Skate Park - The Basics
Freestone Skate Park can be found at the intersection of Juniper and Lindsay in Gilbert, Arizona, 85234. It is an outdoor concrete skate park that was designed by SITE Design Group and opened on March 17, 2001. This skate park offers over 22,000 square feet of skating terrain including a vert part, a trannie park and street course. One of the best design features of this skate park is that it is lighted so you can skate there safely until the park closes at 9 p.m. in the winter and 10 p.m. in the summer.

Freestone Skate Park - Skate Park Features
The Freestone Skate Park has a little bit of something for everyone. There are a couple of awesome bowls to trick out on, a trannie course and a street course. The street course is modest, but it offers rails, a pyramid, ledges, metal coping and a few other obstacles. It is recommended that you wear full padding and a helmet, but since this is an unsupervised park this recommendation is not enforced.

Enjoying the Freestone Skate Park
In order to fully enjoy the Freestone Skate Park, you need to go there with the intent of having a good time. This is a popular park with skaters and bikers of all ages, so be prepared to dodge traffic on the courses. You will find young skaters and older skaters here, as well as advanced skaters and beginners. Have patience and keep your board and your body under control for your safety and the safety of others at the park. Finally, don't forget to wear the right clothing for the weather and for your sport.

Lincoln, Nebraska is known mainly for farming, however, the city has more to offer. While you may think that it would not be a hot spot for skateboarding, Lincoln, Nebraska actually has several skate parks and skateboard shops. If you are making your way across America's bread basket for work or fun, plan on stopping by Lincoln to grind some rails, hit some ramps or find new skateboarding duds.

Lincoln, Nebraska Skate Parks
Lincoln, Nebraska is the home to at least three skate parks, one indoor and two outdoor. The indoor park is located at 6400 Cornhusker Highway, Suite 64. This park is modest, but it offers you a variety of wooden ramps to practice on. There is a fee to use this park, but fortunately it is only about $2. It is important that you follow the posted rules, such as not flipping your board over while on the ramps, which will get you quickly kicked out of the park.

In addition to the indoor park, Lincoln, Nebraska also offers two outdoor parks. The first park is called Peter Pan and located on 33rd Street. This is a free park and has a lot of great features to try out. Some of the most notable features include a four-foot half pipe, a launch box, coping, a good sized pyramid and a wedge. The second option that you have for an outdoor skate park is Tierra Park. This park can be found by traveling about three blocks south of the 27th and Highway 2 intersection. This is another free skate park. It offers wedges, a spine ramp, a quarter pipe and sliders.

Shopping for Skateboarding Gear in Lincoln, Nebraska
Shopping in Lincoln, Nebraska is somewhat limited, however, you will be able to find a couple of shops that specialize in skateboards and gear. Your first option is Precision Skateboards. It can be found at the intersection of 48th and Van Dorn. Your second option is located 5.43 miles from Lincoln, in Bellevue. At 7704 South 36th, you will find Next Generation Skateboard Shop, a charming board shop with attitude and great skateboard clothing and boards.

If you live in, or plan on visiting, Austin, Texas, then you will want to bring your board to The Shred Shed. This indoor skate park can be found at 2009 Ranch Road, Suite 530, 620 North, Austin, Texas, which is inside of the Vineyard Business Center. This is one of the best skate parks in the city, and one where you will find both great skating terrain and other recreation opportunities.

The Shred Shed - The Basics

The Shred Shed only offers about 9,000 square feet of skating terrain. However, within this modest square footage, you will find vet ramps, pyramids, hand rails, spines, death boxes, hips, a mini-ramp complex and rollovers. What is great about the ramps in this skate park is that they are all made from Skatelite, so they are sturdy and smooth. Most of the time this skate park is only opened to roller bladders and skateboarders. However, there are special sessions for bikers. If you are interested in biking here, you will need to check the schedule.

The Shred Shed - The Rules

To skate at the Shred Shed you will need to sign a liability waiver. This waiver is standard issue, and it basically says that you won't hold the skate park liable if you are injured. This waiver is just like the waivers required by other skate-at-your-own risk skate parks found across the country. If you are under 18 years of age, your parents will most likely need to complete this form for you. After you have signed your waiver, you will be able to go skateboarding or in-line skating in the park. However, you are required to wear a helmet at all times.

The Shred Shed - Miscellaneous

There is a lot to do at the Shred Shed. Not only can you skateboard here, but you can also take lessons and play in the second floor arcade. There is also a pro shop on site where you can find boards, safety equipment and skating clothes. You can also find equipment rentals here, so if you are having a party at the skate park, or if you need a helmet or board, you can rent one at the pro shop.

Maryland is known for its amazing seascapes and quaint charm;however, it is also the home ofa great little skatepark called the Olney Manor Skate Park.This skate-at-your-own-risk skatepark is located at 16605 Georgia Avenue in Olney, Maryland, and offers skaters of all skill levels something fun to do. If you live in Maryland, or if you are planning a vacation here, don't forget to bring your board and skateboarding clothes down to this park.

Olney Manor Skate Park - The Basics

The Olney Manor Skate Park offers 14,400 square feet of skateboarding fun. It is laid out as a 90 foot by 160 foot skateboarding arena. Within the park you will find obstacles and features that appeal to all skill levels. Some of the features you will find here include: a large bowl, a Hubba ledge, handrails, a flat rail, steps, a fun box and a pyramid ledge. Since this is a skate-at-your-own-risk park, you need to make sure you only use the features and obstacles that you have the skills to negotiate safely.

Olney Manor Skate Park - Rules and Fees

The Olney Manor Skate Park has a rather unique schedule that changes based on holidays and the weather. You will need to check with the park for exact hours of operation. However, generally the park will be open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m., Fridays from noon to 8:30 p.m., Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. and Sundaysfrom 11:00 a.m. until 8:30 p.m.

The rules of the park are similar to those found at other parks. You have to wear a helmet. If you are under 10, you have to wear both a helmet and pads and need to have an adult with you. You aren't allowed to bring in food, drinks, candy or glass containers. You also aren't allowed to bring in outside obstacles and ramps. Finally, you are responsible for your actions and for
keeping the park clean and free of tagging. The park manager will kick you out if you break the rules, and you may be banned from the park, so follow the rules and have a great time.

If you are looking for a big skate park with a lot of great skateboarding features then you will want to visit the Gaithersburg Skate Park. This park is set up for family use and is a part of a larger activity center located in Bohrer Park. If you happen to be in or around Gaithersburg, Maryland, make sure you bring your board with you to try out what this skate park has to offer.

Gaithersburg Skate Park - The Basics

Gaithersburg Skate Park can be found at 506 South Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg, Maryland. This park offers 12,300 square feet of skating terrain and is open to BMXers, skateboarders and in-line skaters. This is a seasonal skate park that is generally open between March 21 and December 14, however, it will be closed when the weather is bad. Check with the weather channel before heading out for a day of boarding. This park isn't free to use, but it is very affordable, only about $3 if you are a Maryland resident or $5 if you are a non-resident.

Gaithersburg Skate Park - Features

Now to the fun stuff: what this park has to offer. Gaithersburg Skate Park is a combination composition park. This means that the flat surfaces are made from smooth asphalt and the ramps, pipes and obstacles are made from specially treated wood. This park is loaded with skating features including a dozen ramp/box structures, numerous quarterpipes, a bank, a spine, many smaller obstacles and a nice flat street course. This park also has a misting system which will keep you from frying in the summer, and a 200 watt stereo system to provide you with a background music while you skate or bike.

The Rules

If you skate here you skate at your own risk. Nothing new there. Most parks now are skate at your risk. You will also be required to wear a shirt and wear a helmet. Pads are optional but recommended. Finally, if you are under eight, you will need to come to the park with an adult, or at least someone that looks like they are over 17.

Wichita Falls in Texas is a city that has been in desperate need of a great skatepark for years. Fortunately, the city finally took the initiative to build one. Today, the Wichita Falls Skatepark is open for business. If you happen to be in Wichita Falls, Texas with your board and are dressed in comfy skater fashion, stop by this great, free, outdoor skatepark.

Wichita Falls Skatepark - the Basics
The Wichita Falls Skatepark can be found at 1712 Maurine Street in Wichita Falls, Texas. This park is only open from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m., but that still gives you plenty of time to try out all of the features found in this 13,000 square-foot, concrete skatepark.

At this park you will find one of the best skating pools in the state, as well as three grind rails. If you are a novice skateboarder then you can practice your skills on the park's quarter pipe. On the other hand, if you are an advanced skater, you will most likely have more fun trying out the full half pipe.

Rules of Wichita Falls Skatepark
The Wichita Falls Skatepark is a skate-at-your-own-risk park. It requires you to wear a helmet, but padding is optional. To use this park, you will need to be at least six years old, however, if you are under ten you will need to come with someone that is over 17 years old. The only athletes that are allowed in the park are skateboarders, BMXers (no pegs) and in-line skaters. Pets and outside ramps and jumps are not allowed. This park is not generally supervised so it is up to you to follow the rules and stay safe. Occasionally, the park will close down to make repairs and to clean the skatepark.

What the Locals Are Saying
There have been a lot of blogs and postings on the Wichita Falls Skatepark. Most of the reviews of this park are great. It seems that this is a good skatepark to go to regardless of whether you are a novice or an advanced skater. Locals suggest that you avoid the full half pipe unless you have the skills to handle a real skating challenge, so be careful when you first try out this feature. Otherwise, enjoy this great park and learn to skate big, after all, everything in Texas is big!