It’s no secret that Philadelphia is one of the east coast’s biggest hubs for skateboarding. While street skating is popular in Philadelphia, it’s the city’s biggest skatepark that attracts the most skaters. Not only is FDR Skatepark the best skatepark in Pennsylvania, but it’s one of the best on the east coast.
FDR Skatepark spans 16,000 feet of concrete surfaces, and it mostly consists of transition skating elements. The park features an amoeba, bunker, massive pool, mini ramp, and vert ramp among other obstacles. FDR Skatepark is iconic for its appearance in video games like Tony Hawk’s Proving Grounds and many classic skateboarding videos.
Known as the favorite park of skating legends like Kerry Getz and Bam Margera, FDR Skatepark has a long history. The park continues to expand, and the city has announced plans to expand and repair FDR. Follow along as we take a deep dive into FDR Skatepark and highlight what makes it so special.
Quick Skatepark Details
| Address | Broad and, Pattison Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148 |
| Location | Philadelphia, PA |
| Park Hours | 6:00 AM- 9:00 PM |
| Park Lights | No |
| Admission Fees | Free |
| Park Supervised | Yes |
| Phone | (215) 685-0000 |
| Park Opened | 1996 |
| Helmets & Safety Gear | Not Required |
| Riding Devices Allowed | Skateboards, Rollerblades, Scooters, BMX |
| Riding Devices Not Allowed | Motorized Devices & Vehicles |
| Skatepark Material | Concrete |
| Size | 16,000 Square Feet |
| Skatepark Website Information | https://www.fdrparkphilly.org/skatepark |
Where Is FDR Skatepark?
You can find FDR Skatepark underneath the I-95 overpass. It is located to the south of FDR Park.
FDR Skatepark Address: Broad and, Pattison Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148
Do You Have to Pay to Get Into the Park?
You don’t have to pay to get into FDR Skatepark. The park has been free since it opened in 1996.
What Are the Hours at FDR Skatepark?
FDR Skatepark is open from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM each day. However, the park may close due to inclement weather, especially on rainy and snowy days.
How Do You Get Into the Park?
You can get into FDR Skatepark by parking at FDR Park. The skatepark is located in the south of the park. Depending on the time of day, you may have trouble finding parking as there are limited spots. Luckily, the park is right by the Broad Street subway line, so it’s easy to get there via public transit.
FDR Park recommends that visitors rent bikes to visit to cut down on their carbon footprint. That’s not a bad idea as there is a bike rental station right by it and you can ride it straight to FDR Skatepark without finding a parking spot. Park officials clear the cars out of the lot at 9:00 PM each day and close the gates.
FDR Skatepark Rundown
FDR Skatepark primarily consists of vert and transition skating obstacles. The large flowing pool is among the most popular obstacles at FDR Skatepark. Vert skaters spend the most time at the vert ramp and mini ramp.
Several intense overhangs can test your transition skills. Skaters of almost any skill level can try to shred the amoeba run. These small humps are somewhat easy to shred on a skateboard, rollerblades, and BMX bike.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any major street skating obstacles at FDR Skatepark. Street skaters will have to resort to performing flip tricks on flat ground. However, FDR Skatepark is the perfect park for street skaters to try their hands at transition skating.
What Material Is the Park Made of?
Every surface at FDR Skatepark is made of concrete. The only other material that you will find at the park is the metal coping on the pool.
How Busy Does It Get?
FDR Skatepark gets quite busy because of its notoriety and location. Philadelphia is home to over 1.5 million residents, and the city has a massive skateboarding community. Skaters from nearby suburbs like Exton, Phoenixville, and Ardmore also flock to FDR Skatepark
Is FDR Skatepark Beginner-Friendly?
While FDR Skatepark can be challenging, it is a beginner-friendly park in many ways. Beginners should avoid the mini ramp and vert ramp, but the amoeba and flat ground sections require a little experience. It’s also a great skatepark for practicing your skills because the transition obstacles steadily increase in difficulty.
You can work up from the amoeba and pool to shred the mini ramp. However, beginners should wear protective gear as there are some steep drops.
Are Helmets Required?
Helmets and safety pads aren’t required at FDR Skatepark. You should consider wearing protective gear at the park because FDR is made of hard concrete.
Does FDR Skatepark Have Lights?
There aren’t currently any lights at FDR Skatepark. However, that could eventually change as FDR Skatepark has a huge support system of volunteers that update and maintain it. The park can get quite dark because of its location under an overpass.
You must rely on moonlight on nights when the sky is clear if you stay until the skatepark closes. You will commonly see skaters that bring lights for nighttime skate sessions.
Do They Have Rental Equipment?
FDR Skatepark doesn’t offer rental equipment. Visit one of the many local skate shops in Philadelphia if you need skate or BMX gear for your day at FDR. Zembo Temple of Skate and Design, One Skateboard Shop, and Nocturnal Skateshop are among the best shops in the area.
Can You Ride BMX at FDR Skatepark?
You can ride BMX at FDR Skatepark, and it’s quite common. Skaters and BMX riders often share the skatepark and take turns shredding the vert ramp and pool.
Can You Ride a Scooter at FDR Skatepark?
You can ride a scooter at FDR Skatepark, but you should be careful. The vert and transition obstacles are all quite steep, so you should only ride a scooter at the park if you are experienced.
Can You Ride Rollerblades at FDR Skatepark?
Rollerblades are allowed at FDR Skatepark, and it’s the perfect park for them. Many of the obstacles, such as the bowl and amoeba, work well with rollerblades. Transition rollerblading is more popular than ever, and FDR Skatepark is the perfect park for it.
Can You Ride a Longboard at FDR Skatepark?
You can ride a longboard at FDR Skatepark, but the park’s layout isn’t great for longboards. The bowl, amoeba, dome, bunker, and transition sections don’t work well with longboards. However, you can have fun cruising on the flat ground at FDR Skatepark, but your options will be limited.
Does the Park Have Wi-Fi?
There is no Wi-Fi at FDR Skatepark. Luckily, the area has good cellular service, however. You will have to use cellular data if you need to access the Internet while at the skatepark.
Is FDR Skatepark Safe?
FDR Skatepark is safe, but many challenging obstacles can be dangerous. That’s why wearing a helmet and pads is important to protect yourself from hard concrete surfaces. The location of the park itself also poses some risks.
Philadelphia is only safer than 8% of the neighborhoods in the United States. The city has a high crime rate, so it’s worthwhile to exercise caution when you visit FDR Skatepark at night. It closes at 9:00 PM, however, so you can avoid danger if you don’t stay too late and only visit the park when it’s populated.
The History of FDR Skatepark
FDR Skatepark’s history dates to 1994 when street skating was rampant in Philadelphia. City officials wanted to discourage people from skating at the nearby Love Park, so they built a skatepark. Building the park took hundreds of volunteers, countless donations, and city funds.
The park opened in 1996 and has continued to evolve since then. To this day, hundreds of volunteers help monitor FDR Skatepark and keep it in good shape. Philadelphia city officials announced plans to put millions of dollars into FDR Skatepark to repair flood damage and improve the park over the next few years.
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.