If you’re a skateboarder looking for a community in the Pacific Northwest, look no further than Bellevue, Washington—the unofficial skateboarding capital of the U.S.
What makes Bellevue so attractive for skateboarders, you may ask? Well, a lot of it has to do with the quality of life for skaters. From infrastructure to a positive mentality, there are so many factors that go into what makes an area a great place to live and skateboard—and Bellevue has it all.
Skate Parks
Bellevue has an abundance of incredible skate parks within the city and its surrounding areas, making it the perfect spot to skate for those of all skill levels. The secret is in the way this infrastructure is built. A lot of it has to do with the smooth cement they use and the way the local community maintains the skate parks.
If you’re looking for indoor skating, Bellevue’s hot spot is the Bellevue Indoor SkatePark. Here, you’ll find ramps, quarter-pipes, ledges & rails, plus a pretty incredible pro shop for picking up new gear. When it comes to outdoor skating, there are three great parks to choose from—Highland Outdoor Skate Plaza, Crossroads Skatepark, and Lakemont Park Skate Bowl. For more information about rules and regulations regarding these parks, visit the City of Bellevue website.
Marginal Way Skatepark in Seattle
Community
Bellevue also boasts a rich skating community, perfect for anyone who just wants to longboard around town or those training for the X Games—all are welcome with open arms. If you’re looking for a city that embraces skateboarding as not just a sport but a way of life, Bellevue is the destination for you. The PNW is particularly friendly toward skaters, and the skate community is one of the kindest groups of folks you’ll ever meet. It’s not uncommon to see locals helping out at the skatepark, whether it be cleaning up trash or emptying water from the skate bowls after a particularly strong rain storm.
Bellevue’s skate scene has a very DIY mentality, meaning the entire community works together to create what they need, instead of relying on what resources are provided by the local government—although the city itself does a great job of keeping up with the needs of the skate community. Local skaters work hard to ensure their ideas are put into practice and that everyone has a hand in improving the parks and attractions, and making sure they’re well-designed for both enjoyability and safety.
Resources
While Bellevue has plenty to offer when it comes to skating, its proximity to Seattle also gives it an extra edge, meaning more great parks are accessible to you, and more resources are available as well. Bellevue houses for sale and apartments for rent tend to be higher-end than in Seattle, and there are less sketchy neighbourhoods, meaning you can be out after dark and feel safe skating in your community. However, being this close to the city means you can be part of a larger skate community if you choose to be. If you’re just getting into skateboarding, there are so many resources available in the Bellevue area, as well as Washington as a whole. Take a class, join a group, or find a community of like-minded individuals to get you motivated and help you begin your journey. A great place to start when looking for a great place to skate is wheretoskate.org, a comprehensive resource for the greater Seattle area.
