The spots map: finding parks, water and Wi-Fi

Half of skating is finding somewhere to skate. The SPOTS tab in Global SKATE is a map built for exactly that, and it's free like the rest of the game.

What's on the map

The map shows around 30,000 skateparks. It's built from OpenStreetMap data plus spots skaters add themselves. So it's not just the big city parks. It's whatever people who actually skate around you have put on there.

The layers

You can switch on extra layers on top of the parks:

• Water fountains. Because you will forget your water bottle.
• Free Wi-Fi. Handy for getting your clips uploaded at the spot.
• Skate shops. Snapped a board, need bearings, want to support your local.

Turn on what you need and leave the rest off so the map stays readable.

Adding a spot

Know a spot that's not on there? You can add it. Before a new spot goes public, it gets checked. That keeps the map from filling up with junk or duplicates.

When you add one, think like the next skater who shows up: is the ground actually skateable, is it a park or a street spot, is it the kind of place that's fine to share.

Reporting a spot

Some spots shouldn't be on a public map. Private property, someone's backyard, a spot that gets busted the second it gets popular. For those, use "Report spot." It's there for private property or places that shouldn't be published.

A little etiquette

The map gets you there. Being a good human at the spot is on you:

• Parks: wait your turn, call your line if it's busy, and keep an eye out for little kids who don't know the flow yet.
• Street spots: leave it cleaner than you found it, don't skate it when people are trying to use it for its actual purpose, and if security asks you to go, just go. Fighting over it only gets the spot capped.
• Know when not to post. Some street spots survive because they stay quiet. If it's fragile, keep it off the map and report it if it's already there.

How it connects to the game

Global SKATE is about playing with friends who aren't next to you. The map helps you find somewhere to film your take wherever you are, even when you're traveling. A spot with free Wi-Fi nearby makes uploads easier too, although uploads queue and resume anyway. More on that in Filming your official take.

Worked example: a session in a city you don't know

You're visiting a friend's city for a weekend and want somewhere to skate Saturday morning.

1. Open the SPOTS tab and look at the parks around where you're staying.
2. Turn on the water fountains layer, because you only packed one bottle, and the skate shops layer, because your bearings have been crunchy.
3. Pick a park with a fountain close by and a shop on the way.
4. On the walk over you pass a plaza with smooth ground and low ledges that isn't on the map. It's public and people skate it, so you add it. It gets checked before it shows up for everyone.
5. You also notice a pin on someone's backyard pool. That's private, so you use Report spot.

Steps: adding a spot well

1. Make sure the location is right before you submit it.
2. Say honestly what's there: park or street, and what you can actually skate.
3. Skip anything on private property or anything that only survives because it's quiet.
4. Submit it and let the check happen before it's published.

Common mistakes

• Adding a fragile street spot. If a spot only lasts because few people know it, keep it off the map.
• Turning on every layer at once. The map gets crowded. Switch on what you need.
• Trusting one pin blindly. Spots change. Look at the ground before you plan a whole session around it.

FAQ

Where does the map's data come from?

OpenStreetMap data, plus spots skaters add themselves.

Does a spot I add go public right away?

No. New spots are checked before they're published.

What if a spot shouldn't be public?

Use "Report spot". It's there for private property and places that shouldn't be published.

Quick recap

• Around 30,000 skateparks from OpenStreetMap plus spots skaters add
• Layers for water fountains, free Wi-Fi and skate shops
• New spots are checked before they're published
• Use "Report spot" for private property or spots that shouldn't be public
• Respect the spot, and know when to keep one quiet

What's the most underrated park near you? Probably not the one everyone talks about.

Next: What is Solana? A skater's 2-minute version

Join the testers at skatelabs.app/testers and play a Game of SKATE with your friends. Global SKATE is free and in testing on iPhone and Android.