The east coast has no shortage of key skateboarding cities ranging from Boston and Philadelphia to New York City. Since 2015, Cambridge, MA has been as notable as Boston when it comes to skateboarding. The Lynch Family Skatepark has been considered one of the best skateparks on the east coast since it opened nearly 8 years ago.
Spanning 41,000 square feet, Lynch Family Skatepark is a massive concrete skatepark in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with an 11-foot-deep competition-grade bowl. Skateboards, bikes, rollerblades, and scooters are allowed at the park, and safety gear is required. The park features a pyramid, ledges, rails, banks, hips, and three large bowls.
This skatepark gets quite busy near Boston because of the thriving skateboarding community. Follow along as we deeply dive into Lynch Family Skatepark and explore why it’s so unique.
Quick Skatepark Details
| Address | Education St, Cambridge, MA 02141 |
| Location | Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| Park Hours | Dawn- 9:00 PM |
| Park Lights | Yes |
| Admission Fee | Free |
| Park Supervised | No |
| Phone | (617) 608-1410 |
| Park Opened | November 2015 |
| Helmets & Safety Gear | Required |
| Riding Devices Allowed | Skateboards, BMX, Rollerblades, Scooters |
| Riding Devices Not Allowed | Motorized Devices & Vehicles |
| Skatepark Material | Concrete, Metal Rails |
| Skatepark Builder | Stantec |
| Size | 41,000 Square Feet |
| Skatepark Website Information | https://thecharles.org/our-work/lynch-family-skatepark/ |
Where Is Lynch Family Skatepark?
You can find the Lynch Family Skatepark under the ramp leading to the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Lynch Family Skatepark Address: Education St, Cambridge, MA 02141
Do You Have to Pay to Get Into Lynch Family Skatepark?
You don’t have to pay to get into Lynch Family Skatepark. Admission has always been free since the park opened in November 2015.
What Are the Hours at Lynch Family Skatepark?
Lynch Family Skatepark is open every day from dawn until 9:00 PM. While the hours are somewhat vague with “dawn”, they are clearer than they used to be. Previously, the hours were listed as “dawn to dusk” which confused many skaters.
After two skaters were arrested for being at the park late at night, official hours were posted with a 9:00 PM closing time.
How Do You Get Into the Park?
You can simply follow the path into Lynch Family Skatepark once you park. However, the only downside of Lynch Family Skatepark is that it’s often difficult to find a good parking spot. There is no official parking lot for the park, so you will have to find a spot on the street.
Street parking is somewhat limited, so you may struggle to find a good spot if you visit Lynch Family Skatepark when it’s busy.
Lynch Family Skatepark Rundown
Whether you’re a skater, rollerblader, or BMX rider, Lynch Family Skatepark has something for you. Lynch Family Skatepark is well-known for having three impressive bowls. One of the bowls at the park is competition-grade and measures 11 feet deep making it ideal for seasoned skaters and bikers.
Notably, Lynch Family Skatepark features obstacles that mimic the type of street skating spots you find throughout Cambridge and Boston. For example, the volcano is made of brick and gives skaters an authentic street skating experience within the confines of a skatepark.
Lynch Family Skatepark mostly caters to transition riders, but the street course is impressive as well and features rails and ledges. The park has 41,000 square feet of surface to skate, so there is also plenty of open space for practicing manuals and flip tricks.
What Material Is the Park Made of?
All the surfaces at Lynch Family Skatepark besides the rails are made of concrete. The rails are made of metal that skaters and BMX riders shred at the park daily.
How Busy Does It Get?
Lynch Family Skatepark gets quite busy on the weekends, especially during spring and summer. Cambridge has a population of over 117,000 residents, and the proximity to Boston makes Lynch Family Skatepark a skating hotspot.
Is Lynch Family Skatepark Beginner-Friendly?
While the competition grade bowl may be challenging, Lynch Family Skatepark is beginner-friendly. The other two bowls aren’t as deep or difficult, and the banks are also great for beginners. Otherwise, beginners can practice tricks on flat ground and work their way up to the rails, ledges, and bowls.
Are Helmets Required?
Helmets and pads are both required at Lynch Family Skatepark. You may encounter skaters and BMX riders without safety gear because the park isn’t closely monitored. However, it’s worth it to follow the rules as the park has many difficult obstacles and every surface is made of concrete.
Does Lynch Family Skatepark Have Light?
Lynch Family Skatepark has lights that stay on until the park closes at 9:00 PM. The park didn’t get lights until 2018, and they were a great addition to the park. Before that, the bowls and transition elements were quite dark at night because the bridge blocks out lots of light.
Do They Have Rental Equipment?
You cannot rent equipment at Lynch Family Skatepark. The park doesn’t have a shop, but there are many great skate shops nearby. Check out Orchard Skateshop, One Gig, and Beacon Hill Skate Shop if you need to stock up on gear before you visit the skatepark.
Can You Ride BMX at Lynch Family Skatepark?
BMX bikes are allowed at Lynch Family Skatepark. Their “all wheels” policy includes bikes; the park is perfect for BMX. You will likely find BMX riders in all three of the bowls at Lynch Family Skatepark.
Can You Ride a Scooter at Lynch Family Skatepark?
You can ride a scooter at Lynch Family Skatepark. However, you should exercise caution if you try to ride a scooter in the bowls at the park as they’re steep and curve quickly.
Can You Ride Rollerblades at Lynch Family Skatepark?
You can ride rollerblades at Lynch Family Skatepark. The flat-ground sections, hips, and banks are great for rollerblades and in-line skates of any kind.
Can You Ride a Longboard at Lynch Family Skatepark?
You can ride a longboard at Lynch Family Skatepark, but most of the obstacles aren’t ideal for them. For example, you will struggle to shred the park’s bowls and quarter pipes on a longboard. Luckily, there is plenty of open, flat ground between obstacles and in the street course section that’s perfect for longboarding.
Is There Wi-Fi at the Park?
There is no Wi-Fi at Lynch Family Skatepark, so you must rely on cellular data when you visit the park. Cellular service is strong in the area, so you have nothing to worry about if you have a major carrier like AT&T or Verizon.
Is Lynch Family Skatepark Safe?
Lynch Family Skatepark is mostly safe, but there are several dangerous obstacles. The bowls are steep, and wiping out in one of them means that you will slam on concrete. Some obstacles, like the hips, banks, ledges, and rails, are relatively safe by comparison.
Safety gear is required at Lynch Family Skatepark, and this helps nurture a safe environment. Luckily, Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a safe community with a crime rate below the national average. Crime is lower in Cambridge than in Boston, and Lynch Family Skatepark is in a safe part of the city.
The History of Lynch Family Skatepark
The Charles River Conservancy put the wheels in motion for what would become Lynch Family Skatepark back in 2000. This nonprofit organization slowly raised funds to build a skatepark over a decade. Vans got involved in the project in 2014, donating over $1 million to help fund the design and construction.
Eventually, they brought in Stantec to design the skatepark. Construction began in 2014, and the skatepark opened in November 2015. The park’s name comes from the Lynch family, who donated largely to the park’s construction.
Since opening, Lynch Family Skatepark has been a staple in the Cambridge and Boston skateboarding scene. It’s also one of the biggest skateparks on the east coast.
Nick Durante is a professional writer that primarily focused on action sports. Skateboarding and Longboarding are his particular areas of expertise. When he isn’t writing about action sports, he is catching up on the world of skateboarding and spending time outside.