Places to skate
Edward78
I bought my first rollerblades in Sydney in 2001
Dec 8, 2007
based on 1 vote
good places to skate around the world
-
Explore locations featured in this Traveler List:
New York City, Singapore, Santa Monica, Sydney, San Francisco, Paris, Berlin, London, Maspalomas, Melbourne, Perth
- Category: Best of
-
Traveler type:
-
Appeals to:
- Seasons:
- Tags:
|
|
|
|
|
| Central Park stretches from 58th to 110th street in Manhattan. The track, which is closed to traffic at weekends, goes in a loop. Most people go anti-clockwise. A perfect mix of gradients, beautiful scenery, and excellent for people watching. Skating is insanely popular in NYC. I did the whole loop of Central Park, and found out why most people were avoiding the top end of the loop. There's a bit of a dip there, and getting back up the other side isn't an enormous amount of fun. New Yorkers are very direct - one woman gave me what I thought was rather severe criticism of my skating - but I suppose she was just being helpful :-) |
|
|
|
|
|
| This is one of the best places in the world I have found to skate. The surface is very smooth, and wide, and quiet. There are even some gentle slopes. Singapore is very humid and hot all year round but trees provide a good deal of cover in the park and there are many places to get drinks. |
|
|
|
|
|
| I skated from Santa Monica pier to just beyond Venice Beach and back. The track goes right along the beach, with fine views of the Pacific Ocean. Not too taxing, as it's pretty much flat. Lots of fit girls in bikinis. |
|
|
|
|
|
| This is the first place I ever skated, starting at Milson's Point on the North side of the bridge. There's a very mild slope up and then down the other side. The views are incredible. Steps are involved. |
|
|
|
|
|
| This park is bigger than Central Park, and more hilly too. Not really very good for beginners. I nearly took out a police barrier - they were most amused. You can rent skates on Haight Street, if you manage to wade through the piles of hippies. Park is closed to traffic on Sundays. |
|
|
|
|
|
| There's an excellent track stretching South from here, in a loop around a strip of water. I skated here on a Sunday, and there was an enormous group of marvellous looking skaters, off on a mass skate through the city. Paris has a few of these events each week (there's also one on Friday night) - not recommended for beginners as there are a few obstacles (cobblestones, potholes), and if you fall, you will be mercilessly ground into the tarmac by those behind you. |
|
|
|
|
|
| There's a long straight cycle path that can also be used for rollerblading. It runs the entire length of this park in central Berlin, from Tiergarten station past the Siegessäule to the Brandenburg Gate. When I was there I saw a demonstration of hundreds of rollerbladers wanting dedicated paths for skaters. Go you crazy Germans. |
|
|
|
|
|
| There's a very smooth, long and wide path running alongside the Serpentine which is excellent for skating. It can get very crowded though with skaters, pedestrians, and terrifying skaters zigzagging towards you backwards at alarming speed. The rest of the park is good as well, when it's not raining :-( |
|
|
9. Holiday World Maspalomas
|
|
| There's a section of green track opposite Holiday World, very nice for skating. |
|
|
|
|
|
| The promenade at St Kilda is pretty good |
|
|
|
|
|
| I skated along the south side of Yarra river from Flinders Street station. The path is a bit narrow and also popular with walkers and cyclists, but good fun all the same. |
|
|
|
|
|
| What can I say? This is one of the world's greatest beaches, and has a very nice track for skating. Watch out for people waving surfboards around. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Helmets are mandatory but this rule is not enforced. A little rough in places maybe, but who cares, Sydney rocks. You can easily pop into Fox Studios from here. There are some gentle slopes. |
|
|
|
|
|
| The promenade at Cottesloe Beach is OK - there's also some wooden exercise equipment there if you're feeling especially energetic. I recommend the pullup bar. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Ice skating is available here in the winter. Quite a romantic location - but, it's fairly crowded. Also it was wet the day we went - my poor girlfriend fell down a few times |
|
|
|
16. Stromovka Park, Prague
|
|
| Stromovka Park, to the North of the Vltava, is pretty good |
|
Compliment Edward78
