National guide
Skate Parks in New Zealand: One Near Each of Our 20 Cities
From Pohe Island in Whangārei to Elles Road in Invercargill, here’s the main skatepark in every Explore city, picked from each city’s own skate park guide. All are free, most suit beginners as well as experienced riders, and several have pump tracks.
At a glance
| City | Skate park | Features | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whangārei | Pohe Island Skatepark | Street, flow and pump track | All levels |
| Auckland | Victoria Park Skate Plaza | Bowl, ledges, steps, banks | Intermediate and up |
| Pukekohe | Pukekohe Skatepark | Street, mini bowl, pump track | All levels |
| Hamilton | Melville Skate Park | Historic bowl, pump track | All levels |
| Tauranga | Mount Maunganui Skatepark | Destination park, vert ramp | All levels |
| Rotorua | Puketawhero Skate Park | Mini bowl, street elements | Progressing skaters |
| Taupō | Taupō Skate Park | Open bowls and street | All levels |
| Gisborne | Alfred Cox Skate Park | Learner area, street, bowls | All levels |
| Napier | Anderson Park Skate Park | Bowl, ramps, rails, ledges | Beginner to advanced |
| Hastings | William Nelson Skate Park | Skate plaza | Beginner to experienced |
| New Plymouth | East End Skatepark | Transition and street | All levels |
| Whanganui | Castlecliff Skatepark | Concrete park | All levels |
| Palmerston North | Palmy Skate Park | Street features, pump track | All ages |
| Wellington | Waitangi Park | Waterfront skatepark | All levels |
| Nelson | Neale Park Skatepark | Bowls, transitions, street | All levels |
| Blenheim | Blenheim Skate Park | Concrete streetscape | All levels |
| Christchurch | Washington Reserve Skatepark | Large bowl and street plaza | All levels |
| Timaru | Caroline Bay Skate Park | Skate park and bike skills | All levels |
| Dunedin | Thomas Burns Street Skatepark | Street obstacles | All levels |
| Invercargill | Invercargill Skate Park | Bowl and ramps | All levels |
North Island
Pohe Island, beside the Hātea River
Pohe Island Skatepark
- Free
- Pump track
- Beginner zone
Whangārei's main skatepark, rebuilt in 2021 into a bigger precinct with street features, flowing transitions and a beginner pump track. It sits by the river next to the bike park and destination playground, so the whole family can make a day of it.
Full guide on Explore WhangāreiMore skate parks in Whangārei
Freemans Bay, Auckland CBD
Victoria Park Skate Plaza
- Free
- 2,100 m²
- Plaza style
One of New Zealand's first plaza-style skateparks, with an upper flow section and a lower street section of ledges, steps and banks, designed with local skaters. It's right on the edge of the CBD, with pou whenua carved into the design.
Stadium Drive, central Pukekohe
Pukekohe Skatepark
- Free
- Bowl and street
- Pump track
A free concrete park beside the stadium, pushed for by local young people and opened in 2017. It has a street section of ledges, rails and stairs, a mini pool bowl, and a pump track with berms and a fly-out quarter pipe.
Bader Street, Melville
Melville Skate Park
- Free
- Historic bowl
- Toilets
Hamilton's best-known skatepark, famous for its historic bowl. Upgrades around 2019 and 2020 added a pump track and refreshed the playground and basketball court, so it suits families as well as bowl skaters.
Hull Road, Mount Maunganui
Mount Maunganui Destination Skatepark
- Free
- Opened 2024
- Vert ramp nearby
A destination skatepark that opened in 2024 at the corner of Hull Road and Maunganui Road. Nearby, Blake Park has the country's largest vert ramp and Arataki Park a multi-level pump track, all a short ride from the beach.
Te Ngae Road, Ōwhata
Puketawhero Skate Park
- Free
- Mini bowl
- Daylight hours
A compact concrete park in the eastern suburbs, renewed in 2017, with a mini bowl, a drop-in bank, a pyramid, an A-frame rail and bank-to-ledge features. It suits skaters who are past the basics and building up.
Spa Road, near Spa Thermal Park
Taupō Skate Park
- Free
- Lit at night
- 1,286 m²
A free concrete park of nearly 1,300 m² with linked bowls and transitions, plus street features added in 2023. It's lit for evening sessions and close to Spa Thermal Park and the Waikato River.
Grey Street, near Waikanae Beach
Alfred Cox Skate Park
- Free
- Learner zone
- Pump track
Rebuilt and reopened in 2022, with separate zones for learners, street skating and linked bowls, and a pump track next door. It draws hundreds of riders a week, has hosted national competitions, and is a short walk from the beach.
Greenmeadows, Napier
Anderson Park Skate Park
- Free
- Bowl
- Destination playground
A concrete park inside the 36-hectare Anderson Park, with a bowl at the eastern end plus ramps, rails and ledges. The destination playground, ponds and miniature railway are next door, which makes it easy with younger kids along.
Cobham Street, central Hastings
William Nelson Skate Park
- Free
- Guardians on site
- Playground
A free skate plaza in central Hastings, opened in 2013, with a mix of obstacles for beginners and more experienced riders. Park guardians are on site from midday until closing, and there's a playground and basketball half court alongside.
East End Reserve, Strandon
East End Skatepark
- Free
- By the beach
- Lit
A concrete park right beside East End Beach on the Coastal Walkway, with a mix of transition and street obstacles and lighting added in 2020. Plenty of people combine a session with a swim or a walk along the coast.
Full guide on Explore New PlymouthMore skate parks in New Plymouth
Castlecliff Domain, by the beach
Castlecliff Skatepark
- Free
- Playground
- BBQs
A free skatepark in Castlecliff Domain, a short walk from the black-sand beach, built by the community and opened in 2006. The domain has a playground with a flying fox, a half court, barbecues and toilets.
Full guide on Explore WhanganuiMore skate parks in Whanganui
Railway Land Reserve, Church Street
Palmy Skate Park
- Free
- Pump track
- Central
The city's main skatepark, on the old railway land in central Palmerston North, with ledges, banks, rails and ramps plus a pump track. There's a smaller park at Ashhurst Domain, 15 km east.
Full guide on Explore Palmerston NorthMore skate parks in Palmerston North
Wellington waterfront, beside Te Papa
Waitangi Park skatepark
- Free
- Waterfront
- Water play nearby
A skatepark in the six-hectare waterfront park next to Te Papa, alongside a playground with water play, big lawns and a restored wetland. It's central, flat and busy, with cafés close by.
Full guide on Explore WellingtonMore skate parks in Wellington
South Island
Sovereign Street, Nelson
Neale Park Skatepark
- Free
- Bowls
- Built with skaters
Nelson's main skatepark, designed in workshops with local skaters and opened in 2009. Smooth concrete bowls, transitions, rails and street features make it a gathering spot for skaters and BMX riders.
Horton Street, near the railway station
Blenheim Skate Park
- Free
- 1,200 m²
- Lit and shaded
A 1,200 m² concrete streetscape with quarter pipes, flat banks, a manual pad, steps and rails. A recent upgrade added lighting, shade and a mural, so it's usable on hot days and into the evening.
Moorhouse Avenue, Sydenham
Washington Reserve Skatepark
- Free
- Big bowl
- Since 1998
Christchurch's best-known skatepark, opened in 1998, with a large bowl with a pipe section and an extensive street area of ledges, rails, stairs and boxes. It's on the edge of the central city, with buses along Moorhouse Avenue.
Full guide on Explore ChristchurchMore skate parks in Christchurch
Caroline Bay, Timaru
Caroline Bay Skate Park
- Free
- Open 24/7
- Next to CPlay
Part of the Caroline Bay recreation area, beside the CPlay playground, a bike skills park, a paddling pool and mini golf. It suits a family outing where the older kids skate and the younger ones play.
Behind Dunedin Railway Station
Thomas Burns Street Skatepark
- Free
- Central
- Bookable
A free outdoor skatepark in central Dunedin, behind the historic railway station, managed by the city council and open year-round. It's easy to reach by bus or on foot from the city centre.
Elles Road, Invercargill
Invercargill Skate Park
- Free
- Bowl
- Open any time
The city's main concrete skatepark, with a bowl and a range of ramps for skateboards, BMX and scooters. It's open at all times and about 2 km from Queens Park.
Full guide on Explore InvercargillMore skate parks in Invercargill
Before you go
- All 20 are free. They’re public council parks with no booking or entry fee, though a few close at night or have rules on hours.
- Wear a helmet. It isn’t the law at a skatepark, but it’s strongly recommended, along with pads for beginners and anyone in a bowl.
- Share the space. Skateboards, scooters, BMX and inline skaters all use these parks. Take turns, watch for little ones, and stay out of the way of someone dropping in.
- Go early for quiet. After-school hours and weekend afternoons are busiest. Mornings are easiest for beginners.
Questions people ask
What is the biggest skatepark in New Zealand?
Among these 20, the newest big builds are the Mount Maunganui Destination Skatepark (2024), Alfred Cox in Gisborne and Pohe Island in Whangārei. Victoria Park in Auckland is 2,100 m², and Blake Park at the Mount has the country’s largest vert ramp.
Which skateparks are best for beginners?
Look for a learner area or pump track: Pohe Island, Alfred Cox, Pukekohe, Palmy Skate Park and Melville all have one. Early mornings are quietest.
Can I ride a scooter or BMX?
Yes, at all of these unless a sign says otherwise. Some parks set aside times or areas, so check signs on arrival.
Are they lit at night?
Taupō, Blenheim and East End in New Plymouth have lights for evening sessions. Most others are best in daylight.
Looking for more in one city? See all 20 Explore city guides. Also see Playgrounds in New Zealand and Cycle trails in New Zealand.