Kona Skate Park is the oldest continuously running skateboard park. It has been skated for decades by practically every famous skateboarder in the history of the sport. It is the location of the annual longboarding contest and one of the largest cement parks in the world.

Within the last couple years, a street park was completed with half pipes, ramps and fun boxes. This has done an excellent job of clearing off the cement park and making it very accessible to longboarders and old schoolers. On a good night there may only be 10 people in the cement park with three times that many over on the street course.

Pads are required, everything but kneepads. The cost of admission is between 5 and 10 dollars, depending on the amount of pads you have to rent.

What to do when you\'re not at Kona?
If you\'ve been to Florida you know that it is FLAT. There are virtually no hills. There is a beach, but there really isn\'t much in the way of waves. That\'s not to say that there are no surfers there. The waves do get up to around waist and occasionally chest high, the water temperature is great most of the year around and it\'s pretty fun to surf on a longboard. If you\'re curious about how the surf is now in Jacksonville, check it out here -- www.fluidgroove.net.

Jacksonville Beach is actually a really good place to skate. It\'s good if you have a super long board for just cruising along 3rd Ave (A1A) and checking things out. Pretty much anytime you\'re out your bound to run into at least one other longboarder.

Around town there is pretty much the usual. There are some good parking garages, some very mild hills and plenty of space to practice your ollie (if you\'re into that sort of thing). But basically the longboarding scene in Jacksonville can be summed up by saying \"Kona.\"

St. Augustine
St. Augustine is our nations oldest city. It\'s about half an hour south on Jacksonville on I-95 or a half hour south from Jacksonville Beach on A1A. The historic district is full of beautiful old buildings and trees and there is a nice long cement trail along the river. It\'s a great place for cruising around on a longboard. Like Jacksonville, there isn\'t much in the way of hills, but you hardly miss them being surrounded by so much history (and so many people).

The roads are, for the most part pretty good for skating. You definitely need some loose trucks to be able to weave in and out of the people, and I\'d say some nice big soft wheels would be nice because there is the occasional brick road or spot of gravel.

One good thing about St. Augustine is that there are a few skate shops around and plenty of places to stop in for food if you feel the need.