Ten important skateboard spots in Buffalo, New York
1. LaSalle Skate Plaza
- Location: 1170 Colvin Blvd, Buffalo, NY
- Highlights: Bowls, banks, and street plaza
- Description: The LaSalle Skate Plaza is a premier location in Buffalo’s skate scene. Designed with input from local skaters, it combines an open plaza feel with modern amenities. The park features a spacious bowl, several banks, ledges, and rails suited to both beginners and experienced skaters. Its smooth concrete and street-style plaza layout make it ideal for practicing tricks and flow.
2. The Outer Harbor Skatepark
- Location: 325 Fuhrmann Blvd, Buffalo, NY
- Highlights: Lake views, versatile obstacles
- Description: Located along Buffalo’s waterfront, the Outer Harbor Skatepark offers an exceptional view of Lake Erie, combining skateboarding with beautiful scenery. It has a variety of elements, including quarter pipes, ledges, rails, and banks. The location's spacious design accommodates both street and transition skaters, providing an all-around experience that’s welcoming to both novice and advanced skaters.
3. Xtreme Wheels Indoor Skate Park
- Location: 356 Hertel Ave, Buffalo, NY
- Highlights: Indoor ramps, rails, and halfpipe
- Description: For skaters who want to practice year-round, Xtreme Wheels is a well-equipped indoor park. Featuring ramps, rails, and a sizable halfpipe, it’s a place where skaters can refine their skills in a controlled environment. The park has obstacles for every level and is especially popular during Buffalo's winter months when outdoor skating isn’t always feasible.
4. North Buffalo Rail Trail
- Location: Extends from Shoshone Park to the LaSalle Metro Rail Station
- Highlights: Flat terrain, grind-friendly rails, ledges
- Description: This converted rail trail is ideal for cruising and practicing technical tricks on ledges and rails. With a mostly flat surface, the trail provides ample space for line practice and street-style tricks. Though not a skatepark, the North Buffalo Rail Trail has become a popular spot for those seeking a smooth, uninterrupted path.
5. Mack Park DIY Skate Spot
- Location: East Amherst St, Buffalo, NY
- Highlights: Handcrafted obstacles, community-built features
- Description: Mack Park is a hidden gem in Buffalo’s skate community. Known for its DIY setup, the spot features community-built ledges, ramps, and rails, providing a unique experience that changes as local skaters add new features. This grassroots approach creates a space with a raw feel and an ever-evolving set of obstacles that’s perfect for skaters who enjoy a less commercial, more creative environment.
6. Delaware Park – Hoyt Lake Pathways
- Location: Delaware Park, Buffalo, NY
- Highlights: Scenic views, smooth pathways
- Description: While not a traditional skatepark, Delaware Park’s pathways around Hoyt Lake provide a serene setting for cruising. The park offers wide, paved paths, minimal foot traffic during off-peak hours, and various ledges and benches that skaters can use for tricks. It’s a great spot for those who want a relaxed ride with scenic views.
7. Niagara Street DIY Spot
- Location: Near Niagara St and Breckenridge St, Buffalo, NY
- Highlights: Ledges, concrete obstacles, a DIY atmosphere
- Description: The Niagara Street DIY Spot is another community-built skate location known for its unique character and rugged layout. Local skaters frequently contribute to this space, building ledges and other obstacles to practice on. It’s a lesser-known but loved spot for advanced skaters looking to try something different, and it embodies Buffalo’s skate culture with its DIY aesthetic and supportive community vibe.
8. Buffalo RiverWorks
- Location: 359 Ganson St, Buffalo, NY
- Highlights: Converted industrial space, unique obstacles
- Description: Buffalo RiverWorks is a popular industrial complex that hosts concerts, events, and, uniquely, skateboarding sessions. This spot is perfect for skateboarders seeking a nontraditional environment, as it combines ramps, ledges, and converted features from the industrial space. It’s an interesting place for skateboarding due to its ambiance and the chance to skate in a space different from conventional parks.
9. MLK Park
- Location: 595 Best St, Buffalo, NY
- Highlights: Scenic setting, open concrete areas
- Description: MLK Park offers expansive concrete areas that skaters can use for flat-ground tricks. While the park doesn’t have a dedicated skate section, its smooth surfaces make it ideal for practicing ollies, kickflips, and other flat tricks. With nearby benches and ledges, skaters can also incorporate some street elements into their sessions. The park's historical charm and open space make it a relaxing spot to skate and hang out.
10. Cazenovia Park
- Location: 155 Cazenovia St, Buffalo, NY
- Highlights: Smooth pathways, open spaces, ledges
- Description: Cazenovia Park provides another scenic spot for skating with pathways and concrete areas that skaters use creatively for street-style tricks. The park offers a quieter environment, making it a great place for more low-key practice sessions. Its wide, open areas and ledges also allow for a variety of tricks and setups, giving skaters room to explore without the crowd of a traditional skatepark.
Skateboarding is tribal and most locals are welcoming, but if you're new to a spot, or just passing through, have respect for the locals. Listen. Be smart. Have fun.
A human being
Art can change the world – and everybody is an artist. Those who scribble stickmen. Those who paint chapel ceilings. Those who tattoo biceps. Those who are careful with pigment on canvas. Those who create fantasy characters. Those who paint pet portraits. Those who yarn bomb. Those who write poems on crappy old cardboard.
My art lives on the bottom of skateboard decks. It's designed for you to destroy. For you, the rider, my art may come second to the deck’s ability to perform – and that’s awesome. To me, art comes first. Always.
It’s how I think. It’s who I am. It’s what I am.
A machine
This article has been created with the help of artificial intelligence platforms ChatGPT and Bard. If there are inaccuracies or there are opportunities for improvement, please let me know.
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