San Francisco is undoubtedly an iconic city. With rolling hills and eye-catching landscapes, it’s one of the best cities to wake up to every morning. It also has a huge skateboarding community and rich history. There are some iconic street skate spots that appeared in the media very early on. If you say San Francisco, a west coast skater would light up with joy.

Here are some of the best and most iconic street skate spots in the City.

Embarcadero Center (EMB)

Of course this had to be number 1 on our list. I skate by this spot every day and it seems it’s always busy with skaters. Located right in front of the Ferry Building, a popular tourist attraction and local commuter hub, it’s great for eye catching photos. This spot sports a large, open area to practice tricks, stairs, ledges, gaps and everything else you can think of. On some days, local skaters will bring ramps and rails to make it even better. It’s a makeshift skatepark that’s perfect for everyone. 

One thing to be aware of, you’re right in the middle of the Embarcadero, a popular street with cars, bicyclists and pedestrians. Be sure to be careful to avoid hurting yourself or others. No one wants a skateboard flying towards a pedestrian and hitting their shin.

Pier 7

Practically right across the street from the Embarcadero Center is Pier 7. This is one of the first, real street spots in the city. A local skate company, FTC, even made a whole skate part around all the iconic moments that went down here. It’s iconic due to it’s location and setting. You have full views of the Bay Bridge & Treasure Island, and was normally the prime spot for skaters to meet up. This spot has many ledges and a 3 stair, making it fun for a beginners and veterans alike.

Forts & Batteries

In 1899, the United States Army began to build forts and batteries to protect the then new Golden Gate Bridge from any attacks. Luckily, those attacks never happened, and most of those forts are still around. And they’re perfect for street skating.

On both sides of the Golden Gate Bridge, you’ll find a bunch of various forts that all have their own draw. On the San Francisco side, some of the most famous are Fort Miley & Battery Crosby. But there’s a bunch of others around that area.

Across the bridge on the Marin Side, there’s Battery Spencer & Fort Baker. Each spot is unique and has its own set of appeals. If you get kicked out of one, which is pretty rare here, you can always just move on to another one.

Plus, you have the added benefit of having an amazing backdrop. If you don’t find other skaters here, you’ll most likely run into a couple of photographers and filmmakers.

3rd & Army Plaza

This spot has been featured in countless videos and skate parts. This spot is famous from pros like Rob Welsch & Mike Carrol, to San Francisco locals alike. It was definitely not supposed to be a skate spot, but a beautification project the city put on so bus drivers would have a nice place to eat their lunch. Kind of a random history, but we’ll go with it! It has ledges, rails, small stair sets & ramps galore. 

This spot isn’t actually located at 3rd & Army, but 3rd & Cesar Chavez at the end of Indiana St. in the Dogpatch District. 

Streets & Hills

On a daily basis, you’ll see skaters perusing the streets and bombing hills in the city. Some crazy hills are California Street in the Financial District, The top of Kearny at Columbus St. in North Beach and the famous Lombard Street in Russian Hill. You can find so many other spots to skate but, as a native tip, the hills in the the Sunset & Richmond Districts alike are generally the smoothest and best maintained. 

Always have a friend down at the bottom of your like to stop cars at stop signs to make sure you don’t get hit. That’s probably the most important part when bombing hills. It can be dangerous, but can also provide one of the biggest adrenaline rushes you’ll have when skating.

There are also several great streets to skate around. Market Street, Mission Street & Filmore Street are probably some of the best and most fun to just cruise around and find new skate spots.

China Banks

Overlooking Kearny street, you’ll find a brick-laid pedestrian bridge connecting a small park to the Chinese Agricultural center. It has banks, benches and ledges that are just so much fun to skate. Surprisingly, there’s not a lot security in this area. There are a lot of people though during the day hours, so the best time is probably in the afternoon or evening right before sunset.

San Francisco Federal Building

This place is iconic. The 18 story building designed by architecture Thom Mayne has become a legendary skate spot since it opened in 2007. With stairs, rails and massive banks surrounding the building, it really is a street skatepark.

You will get kicked out here, but the question is how fast. When you do, just be respectable and leave. It’s not worth it to be arguing with the security guard, because chances are, the cops are already on their way. Keep your eyes peeled while you’re at this truly unique street skate spot.

Wallenberg

Wallenberg needs no introduction. This massive 4 block set is huge. Measuring at 22 feet and 6 inches long, this set is a beast. It’s located at Wallenberg High School just off of Masonic Ave. in the Lower Pacific Heights area.

Skaters like Chris Cole, Andrew Reynolds, Mark Gonzelez and Jeremy Reeves have all skated here and made it into the iconic spot that we know and love today.

Keep in mind, it still is a school, so it will probably be difficult to skate anytime during the school year. But in the winter and summer, get ready to shred one of San Francisco’s most iconic street skate spots.

Fort Miley

As we talked about above, there are plenty of fortresses and batteries on both sides of the Golden Gate Bridge. Fort Miley, however, deserves its own shoutout.

This street skate spot is located at Battery Chester in the Presidio of San Francisco. It includes banks, rails, stairs and gaps. You can just cruise around and find something to skate here.

There are many spots in San Francisco. All just goes to show San Francisco has too many to include in one list. Did we miss your favorite spot? Comment down below your favorite spots in San Francisco!

Do you have a local spot you’d like to share? Sign up today and share it with the Braille Army! We have over 20,000 skaters on there sharing their favorite skate spots and their progress. It’s a great way to meet other skaters and see the spots in your area! Watch this video to find out more.

If you’d like to learn how to street skate, pick up Skateboarding Made Simple. It’s the easiest and most productive way to learn everything from riding your board to advanced freestyle tricks. You CAN learn to skateboard, and Skateboarding Made Simple is the best way to do it!