As the capital of the nation, the D.C. area has always been home to a vibrant and diverse skate scene.
Washington D.C. has a wide variety of places to skate, ranging from legendary spots to newly built skateparks.
More and more parks seem to be being remodeled and opened, and it’s obvious that skateboarding is alive and well in the nation’s Capital.
With this guide, you’ll see there is no shortage of skateparks in the Washington DC area.
Freedom Plaza
Although Freedom Plaza isn’t technically a skatepark, it might as well be, and you can’t mention DC Skateboarding without paying respect to this iconic skate spot.
Having been seen in many skate videos, this legendary east coast spot is skated by pros and locals alike. Known as a mecca of skateboarding, you’ll never be the only skater here. Locals usually meet up here before hitting the streets, and it’s a great place to find other skaters who can show you around the city.
Freedom Plaza is one of the last of its kind on the east coast. While the years of heavy use have rounded off once sharp ledges, the locals still grind them as if they’re brand new and the flatground is as good as it ever was.
Due to the massive size of the plaza, you’ll have plenty of space to get your tricks in and there’s no shortage of things to skate. The whole city block of marble offers plenty of flat ground, ledges, planters, and even sets of stairs to get lines in on.
Speaking from experience, nothing beats hitting your favorite tricks at the smooth plaza surrounded by locals with the historic U.S. Capitol in the distance. Freedom Plaza is without a doubt the heart of Washington D.C. skateboarding.
- Location – Freedom Plaza
Shaw Skatepark
Hands down the most popular skatepark in D.C. is the newly renovated concrete park in the Shaw district.
Opened just this past summer, local skaters had a lot of input into the remodel of Shaw skatepark and it definitely shows. What resulted was a park that has great flow, various quarter pipes, a hip, A-frame, rails, ledges, and one of the nicest bowls in the city.
Shaw Skatepark is such a well-built park, that it’s even attracted a visit from Tony Hawk himself.
The one downside is that as the premier skatepark in the city, it can naturally get pretty crowded, especially in the afternoons and weekends. The good news is the park is free to skate, and even has lights that stay on until 10 pm.
In between here, Crushed Skate Shop, and Freedom Plaza you will find all the locals. (Be sure to check out @Shaw_boyz to see the locals hitting their park).
- Location – Shaw Skatepark
Maloof Skatepark
Also known as RFK skatepark because of its location next to RFK stadium, Maloof Skatepark was the first real skatepark to be brought to DC and was designed by professional skater Geoff Rowley and his team.
Filled with a variety of obstacles, this plaza-like park has been the host of several street skateboarding competitions in the past.
Some obstacles to take note of are the variety of different sized ledges, along with a nice mixture of stair sets and handrails. On the far side of the park is a nicely placed set of quarter pipes with an extension in the middle to keep the flow of the park going smoothly.
One cool aspect about Maloof skatepark is that when designing the park, the builders paid their respect to the local scene by replicating obstacles from nearby street spots. For example, the rail that goes down the nine set is a replica of the rail located at the Metro Center station, and the ledges are inspired by the ledges at Freedom Plaza.
Maloof park is easily one of the best skateparks near Washington DC, and it’s definitely worth checking out. The park doesn’t ever get too crowded, but it closes at dark so make sure to get there before then.
- Location – Maloof Skate Park
Green Skate Lab
If you’re a transition skater, then the Green Skate Lab located in Northeast DC is your go-to park.
When it comes to skating transition, nothing beats a good bowl, and Green Skate Lab doesn’t disappoint. This park offers a graffiti-filled bowl complete with pool coping, three different pockets, a hump, and a shallow end that allows for plenty of trick combinations.
The park has nearby parking and tends to be pretty low-key, so it’s a great place to go and practice your transition skills without waiting forever to get a line in. Although beginners can get the feel of it in the shallow end, this park is definitely better suited for intermediate and advanced skaters.
Any transition skater looking for skateparks near Washington DC should definitely check out Green Lab.
- Location – Green Skate Lab
Powhatan Springs Skatepark (Arlington, VA)
Located right outside DC, Powhatan Springs Skatepark is a smooth concrete skatepark that has everything you could ask for.
As one of the area’s most newly renovated skateparks, this 17,000 square foot skatepark is very versatile and has obstacles ranging in size.
It has a full street course complete with an A-Frame, two bowls, and even a snake run as well. Since it has such a wide array of obstacles, this is a great park for all levels of skaters.
While helmets are technically required, many people skate without them. The park is open every day from 7 am – 10 pm and has water fountains, bike racks, and restrooms.
- Location – Powhatan Springs Skatepark
Woodside Park Skatepark (Silver Spring, MD)
Another one of the best skateparks near Washington D.C. is woodside park in Silver Spring Maryland.
Located just north of DC, this small skatepark is a quiet alternative to some of the other skateparks on this list.
The skatepark doesn’t have too much to offer, but it does contain a few basic ledges, a hip, a hump to rail and hubba, and an area of mellow transition.
Despite being a relatively small skatepark, Woodside manages to pack in most of the basic obstacles a skater could want, and it flows together really well.
Also, since it’s a smaller park it doesn’t get the same level of traffic as some of the bigger skateparks in the Washington DC area. Woodside skatepark is rarely crowded and is located in a nice peaceful shaded area that allows you to get in a session without being bothered by hoards of other skaters.
- Location – Woodside Park Skatepark
Lake Fairfax Skatepark (Reston, VA)
Lake Fairfax skatepark is a bit of a trek from the DC metro area, but it’s undeniably one of the best skateparks near Washington DC.
This plaza-styled park has a good mix of both transition and street obstacles. The park has many different flat bars, stairs, hubbas, rails, quarterpipes, and an A-frame to get combos in on.
Lake Fairfax skatepark is pretty wide open, but it does have gazebos and picnic tables for skaters to catch a break at, as well as lights to keep the sesh going when it gets dark.
The park is open from 8 am to 8 pm each day, with parking right next to it.
- Location – Lake Fairfax Skatepark
Wakefield Skate Park (Annandale, VA)
Wakefield Skatepark is another park located in Fairfax County.
This skatepark is made up almost entirely of prefab transition ramps of varying sizes. While the majority of the park does cater to tranny skaters, an additional street section was opened in 2012. This add-on brought skaters rails, banks, and a smaller hubba paired with some stairs to gap.
While this skatepark isn’t top of the line in its area and some ramps are a little outdated, the county plans to completely renovate the park this year (2022), so hopefully the remodel will transform this park into something great.
Helmets are required and the park is located in Wakefield Park, next to soccer fields and biking trails.
- Location – Wakefield Skate Park
Rockville Skatepark (Rockville, MD)
About 40 minutes outside of D.C. you’ll find Rockville skatepark, which is an absolute gem of a skatepark.
This 15,000 square foot concrete park is more street-focused with its rails, ledges, and hubbas, but has a good bit of transition as well as a bowl. The flow is pretty good and has something for each skill level of skater, so it’s great for all ages and skill levels.
Aside from just the skatepark, there are also some shaded areas, bathrooms, and parking. The hours tend to depend on the season so the best way to be sure is to head to their website, but usually the park is open from 3 to 9 on weekdays and 10 to 9 on weekends. Helmets are required.