Uncovering the Best Underrated Skate Spots for Your Next Road TripSkateboarding road trips are often synonymous with visiting famous spots like Love Park (RIP), Burnside, or the various concrete paradises of California. However, the true essence of skating—the thrill of discovery and the satisfaction of sessioning a spot no one else has touched—often lies in the overlooked, under-the-radar locations. These hidden gems offer a break from the crowds and provide unique opportunities for creative, impromptu skateboarding. Packing a skateboard is essential, but knowing where to go makes the trip unforgettable.
When planning a road trip, looking beyond the major metropolitan areas can lead to some of the most memorable sessions of your life. Often found in smaller towns, suburban parks, or in the forgotten corners of industrial zones, these locations offer the perfect blend of DIY obstacles and smooth, untouched concrete. Here are twelve underrated skateboarding spots that are worth taking a detour for, promising a mix of smooth banks, quirky curbs, and quiet concrete.
Hidden Concrete and Quiet Curbs1. The Concrete Banks of Idaho: Skip the crowded parks and find the irrigation canal banks in southern Idaho. Many of these concrete structures are smooth, steep, and, most importantly, empty. They offer endless possibilities for carve-heavy sessions, reminiscent of the early days of bowl riding, but in a rural setting.2. The Curbs of Savannah, Georgia: While Savannah is known for its beauty, it is also a sleeper hit for plaza skating. The city is full of low, smooth, and waxable marble curbs that are often overlooked by tourists. The historic, quiet streets offer a unique atmosphere for a, relaxed, cruiser-based, longboarding, session.3. Abandoned Tennis Courts in the Midwest: Across the rural Midwest, abandoned tennis courts are a common sight. Often cracked but perfectly skateable, these quiet spots are ideal for setting up a DIY park or simply enjoying a private, uninterrupted session far from the skatepark crowds.
Industrial and Suburban Gems4. The “Bank-to-Wall” Spot in rural Oregon: Similar to the banks in Idaho, rural Oregon is peppered with irrigation ditches that have been converted into smooth, steep, skateable banks. These are often tucked away in agricultural areas, far from the well-known DIY spots in Portland.5. Suburban Loading Docks in Ohio: The suburbs of Ohio are filled with sprawling industrial parks that often go unused on weekends. These locations feature pristine, smooth loading docks and loading bays, making them perfect for skating ledge tricks and building manual pads without being bothered by security.6. The Forgotten Banks of Arizona: Away from the bustling scene in Phoenix, the rural roads of Arizona offer numerous roadside concrete banks and irrigation channels. These spots are often in the middle of nowhere, offering a peaceful and quiet session under the sun.
Under-the-Radar Urban Spots7. The “Concrete Waves” of Washington State: Tucked away near small, quiet towns in Washington, these bank-like structures look like frozen concrete waves. They are often part of forgotten infrastructure projects, providing a unique challenge and a fun session for skaters looking for something different.8. The Marble Plazas of Florida: Outside of the popular,, and sometimes crowded,, Tampa skateparks, there are many smaller Florida cities with surprisingly smooth marble plazas. These spots are often located near local community centers or government buildings, offering a great alternative to the busy spots in the city centers.9. The Smooth Ditch of Pennsylvania: Far from the busy skateparks of Philadelphia, there are quiet,, paved,, ditches in Pennsylvania, especially in rural, or, suburban, areas. These, often, hidden, gems, offer a, smooth, and, fast, ride, for, all, types, of, skaters.
Scenic and Quirky Concrete10. The Small Town DIY in Montana: Montana has a surprising number of small, community-built, concrete spots. These DIY efforts are often located in, or, near, public, parks, and offer a, unique, blend, of, fun, and, challenging, features, that, you, can’t, find, anywhere, else.11. The Concrete Banked, Turn, in, Vermont: Tucked away on, a, quiet, backroad, in, Vermont, this, unique, spot, is, a, perfect, example, of, an, “unexpected,” find. A, small, bank, that, has, been, smoothed, over, for, a, perfect, carve.12. The Desert-View, Bank in California: Located just off a quiet highway in the California desert, this bank offers a stunning view of the surrounding landscape. It’s a, perfect, spot, to, stop, for, a, quick, session, and, enjoy, the, unique, scenery.
A skate road trip is about more than just checking off famous spots; it’s about the journey and the unexpected,, and sometimes hidden, treasures you find along the way. These twelve spots, ranging from rural banks to suburban curbs, provide a unique and rewarding,, alternative, to, the, mainstream, skate, scene. Embracing the journey, seeking out these, lesser-known, locations, and, taking, the, time, to, skate, them, is, sure, to, make, your, next, road, trip, a, memorable, one. So, pack, your, board, bring, your, wax, and, prepare, to, discover, some, of, the, best, underrated, skate, spots, on, the, road.
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