Best Skateparks in West Sussex
West Sussex has more than 30 outdoor skateparks, but the quality varies considerably: some are purpose-built concrete parks with bowls and rails that will keep an intermediate rider busy for hours, while others are a small tarmac pad with a couple of metal ramps that a confident beginner will outgrow in a morning. Almost all outdoor parks are free, which makes them a useful anchor for a day out, but it is worth knowing what you are heading to before you load the car. This guide covers ten outdoor parks across the county, plus two indoor options for rainy days. See our free things to do in West Sussex guide if you are planning a cost-free family day out.
How to choose a skatepark
The parks in this guide vary significantly in size, surface, and the kind of rider they suit. A few questions to help you narrow it down before you drive:
- Surface type. All concrete is the gold standard: smooth, predictable, and better for learning and for tricks. Timber is common in rebuilt park features and rides well for skate and BMX but feels different underfoot from concrete. Metal ramps on a tarmac base are the entry-level option, usually found at older or smaller parks; they can be noisy and feel less forgiving.
- Beginner or not. A park with only a deep pool or oververt bowl is not suitable for a child who has been skating for a term. The sections below say clearly which parks have beginner-accessible features and which require real confidence before the visit is worth it.
- Scooter and BMX suitability. Very few parks in West Sussex post official rules about which wheels are allowed or excluded. Where the council or park has confirmed suitability, we say so. Where nothing has been stated, we note that. In practice, all-concrete open parks are generally used by skateboards, scooters, BMX bikes and inline skaters without restriction, but check any signage on the day.
- Beach add-on. Several parks on the coast can be combined with a beach visit in the same trip, which changes the calculus if you have a mixed-age group. We flag those options under each park. See our best beaches in West Sussex guide for more detail on the beaches themselves.
- Age of rider. Parks with a deep pool (Shoreham) or oververt section (Horsham, Crawley) are not well suited to young children or complete beginners. The difference between a 5ft transition and an 8.5ft pool is significant.
The skateparks
Horsham Skatepark
Address: Horsham Park, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 2DN
Horsham's new concrete skatepark, built by Betongpark and opened in December 2022, is the most significant addition to the county's skatepark stock in recent years. It replaced an older timber park and is now the largest concrete transition park in Betongpark's UK portfolio.
The park has two distinct zones. The bowl section includes a jump ramp line, a feature quarter pipe, and a corner pocket, with ramp heights up to 7ft 6 in the deepest section. This is intermediate to advanced territory: the transitions are generous, the lines are long, and an experienced rider will find it a lot of park to explore. It is not a suitable first park for a beginner or young child. The plaza section is a different proposition: a concrete street area with a rail, flat ledge, manual pad, quarter pipe, and flat bank. The street section is accessible to riders still building confidence and is genuinely beginner-friendly.
Horsham District Council confirmed the park was designed for BMX, skateboard, scooter, and inline skate users. The local BMX community was involved in the design, which shows in the bowl section's layout.
Practical: Toilets are available at The Pavilions in the Park leisure centre, adjacent to the nearest car park. Parking is paid at the Pavilions in the Park car park (payable on exit, 15-minute grace period); additional spaces are available at North Parade, North Street, and Jubilee car parks in the park. The park has no floodlights; evening sessions are not practical once the light drops.
Day-out add-on: Horsham Park has play areas on site. Kaya: The Cafe in the Park is within the park itself. The Italian Coffee Guy operates from North Parade Car Park on Tuesday to Sunday from 8am to 1pm.
Honest verdict: The bowl section is not beginner territory. If you are coming with a child who has been skating for less than a year, the plaza is the right section for them. The bowl is for those who already know what they are doing.
Lancing Beach Green Skatepark
Address: Beach Green, Off Brighton Road, Lancing, West Sussex BN15 8RA
Lancing Beach Green is the strongest all-round family skatepark in this guide, not because the park itself is the most impressive (it is a compact concrete park built by Wheelscape in 2017), but because everything around it makes for a better family trip than any other park in the county. The skatepark sits on the green alongside a children's playground (swings, slides, climbing frame, and climbing wall), an outdoor gym, and direct access to Lancing Beach. The Perch, an award-winning family-friendly cafe with high chairs, is a short walk.
The park has a half bowl with pool coping, banks, rails, and quarter pipes. It suits beginner to low-intermediate riders, and the layout is approachable enough for younger children on scooters to get something out of it without being intimidated. There is no separate deep bowl or oververt section.
Practical: Paid car park adjacent (charge applies 8am to 10pm daily). Public toilets confirmed adjacent to the car park and by the sailing club further along the promenade. The park has no lighting, so evening sessions are not practical in winter months.
Day-out add-on: Lancing Beach directly adjacent (shingle, with sand and rockpools at low tide). Playground immediately next to the skatepark. The Perch cafe within easy walking distance. Beach Green also hosts fun fairs, car boot sales, and firework displays across the year.
Littlehampton Skatepark
Address: Sea Road, Littlehampton, West Sussex BN16 2NA
Littlehampton's concrete skatepark was built by Maverick Industries and opened in September 2019. Arun District Council's announcement confirmed it was built for scooters, skateboards, inline skates, and BMX users, making it one of the few parks in the county with official all-disciplines confirmation.
The park has a long back-and-forth run with quarter pipes and extended quarter pipes at each end, tabletops, rails, ledges, a jump box, roll-ins, and an open street section with funboxes and manual pads. It suits beginners to intermediate riders: the layout rewards those who are building confidence and learning tricks, but it is not a technical park for advanced riders looking for big transitions. Note: some third-party sources describe a large bowl at this park, but the council announcement and Maverick's own page describe quarter pipes and ramps rather than a distinct bowl.
Practical: Toilets are on the seafront near the Harvester restaurant and Windmill Theatre, and behind the Coastguard Tower, all within short walking distance of Sea Road. Seafront car parks at either end of the East Beach promenade provide parking. The park has no floodlights.
Day-out add-on: East Beach Littlehampton is directly adjacent, a traditional resort beach with a promenade. Lion's Den at East Beach (beside the East Beach Cafe) is a large outdoor play structure suitable for under-14s, with a nest swing, zip wire, giant sandpit, and enclosed toddler area. East Beach Cafe is a few minutes' walk.
Chichester Westgate Skatepark
Address: Westgate Leisure Centre, Via Ravenna, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1RJ
Chichester's concrete skatepark was built by Freestyle Skateparks and opened in August 2011. It is one of the more beginner-friendly parks in the county, with no deep bowl or oververt section, and a layout that suits those who are still learning the basics.
The park has two sections. The transition section includes a long mini ramp with varying heights, a flat bank, and a quarter pipe. The street section has a jump box, driveway, manny pad, rail, and a quarter pipe finish. The park is available for skating, BMX, inline skating, and scooter use. Artificial lighting means it is usable after dark, which is useful in winter.
Practical: No on-site toilets; free facilities are accessible at the adjacent Westgate Leisure Centre. Pay-and-display parking at the leisure centre car park. The leisure centre itself (operated by Everyone Active) has a cafe and licensed bar.
Day-out add-on: Westgate Leisure Centre has two swimming pools, two slides, and a splash pad, making a combined skatepark and swim visit a practical option for a family. Chichester city centre is within walking distance.
Worthing Homefield Park Skatepark
Address: Homefield Park, Chesswood Road, Worthing, West Sussex (use BN11 1LB for navigation)
Worthing's Homefield Park skatepark is a concrete park built by Wheelscape, extensively refurbished in 2016. It is described explicitly as a good place for beginners: the surfaces are smooth, the features are manageable, and nothing here will intimidate a young child or a first-time skater.
The park has a mini ramp with roll-in platforms, a funbox with an adjoining driveway and hubba, a jump box, a spine, a flat bank with quarter pipe inset and hipped side, grind ledges, a grind block, a 5ft quarter pipe, a 5ft volcano, and a long round grind rail. Boards, blades, and BMX are confirmed by the council page. Scooters are not explicitly mentioned, but there is no exclusion either.
Practical: There are no public toilets at Homefield Park. This is confirmed by multiple sources. Nearby Lyndhurst Road and Beach House Park car parks are close; there is no free dedicated car park at the park itself. No cafe on site.
Day-out add-on: The park has a play area, basketball pad, and junior football pitch on site. Worthing seafront is approximately 0.7 miles south, walkable.
Honest verdict: No toilets is a significant practical gap for a family trip with younger children. Plan accordingly, or choose a park with facilities on site.
Shoreham Skatepark (Ham Road)
Address: Ham Road, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex BN43 6PW
Shoreham is the most technically demanding park in this guide and deserves clear labelling as such. The pool section is the best in the county: three connected concrete sections (rectangular, speed bowl, and wider round bowl) with concrete pool coping, tiling, and pool lights on a push-button timer that run until 9pm. The deep end is 8.5ft and the shallow end 6ft. There is also a separate beginners flat extension, added with Southern Water sponsorship, which provides a sensible entry point for younger or less experienced visitors.
The street section offers more variety: a quarter pipe opening into a bowled area, flat bank with rail and hubba, euro gap with flat bank, and a back-and-forth run with a jersey barrier and shallow quarter pipes. Beginner to intermediate riders will get more out of the street section and the beginners flat than the pool.
Scooter and BMX policies are not officially stated. Bowl lights run until 9pm on the push-button timer.
Practical: On-street parking on Ham Road; paid options are available nearby. Toilets are not confirmed at this park based on available sources. Shoreham town centre cafes are within a short walk.
Day-out add-on: Shoreham Beach is approximately 0.5 miles south (shingle beach with a car park at Beach Green).
Honest verdict: The pool at Shoreham is for riders who are already confident in bowl skating. An 8.5ft deep end is serious. The beginners flat extension is a sensible entry point, but if the pool is the draw, come with skills. No confirmed toilets on site, so plan accordingly.
Crawley Freestyle Skatepark
Address: Southgate Avenue, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 6LW
Crawley's concrete skatepark is the best street-plus-bowl combination park in the county, and the only park in this guide with confirmed floodlighting for evening sessions (lights off at 22:00). It is also one of the few parks confirmed to have toilets and a playground on site.
The park has two large concrete bowls and a street section. The shallow bowl includes a pump bump, hipped bank, extensions, and a spine. The deeper bowl is divided into three sections, with an internal spine, extension, and an oververt section. Lines are described as "long, flowing and endless with a lot of transfer potential." The street section has a hipped bank, rail, hubba, manny pad, and ledge. The shallow bowl is accessible to intermediate riders; the oververt in the deeper bowl is advanced. The street section suits beginners to intermediate.
Scooter and BMX policies are not officially stated. Toilets are confirmed at Southgate Park. Free two-hour parking is available off Southgate Avenue, with two Blue Badge bays. Note: some directories mention an on-site cafe or skate shop; this is not confirmed by the council source. Southgate Park and nearby venues provide food options.
Day-out add-on: Southgate Park has a children's play area and 21 hectares including 12 hectares of semi-natural woodland. Hawth Theatre and Hawth Woods are adjacent.
Selsey Skatepark
Address: 100 Beach Road, Selsey, West Sussex PO20 0SZ
Selsey's concrete skatepark sits directly at East Beach, managed by Selsey Town Council and rebuilt in November 2015 at a cost of £130,000. It is a street-style park with specific features: a kicker gap, stair set, one ledge, three hubbas, a flat bank, a down rail, a small pyramid, a manny box, and mini ramp elements. The stair set and kicker gap make it more interesting for intermediate and above riders; the flat bank and manny box give beginners something to work with.
Practical: Public toilets are next to the skatepark at East Beach. East Beach Car Park is immediately adjacent (free). A cafe kiosk next to the skatepark at East Beach is confirmed. Disabled access confirmed.
Day-out add-on: East Beach Selsey is immediately adjacent. The beach and cafe arrangement makes this a practical combined day out for families, with the skatepark as a component rather than the sole attraction.
Southwater Skate and BMX Park
Address: Ben's Field, Stakers Lane (Downs Link), Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 9UN
Southwater's skate and BMX park was rebuilt in July 2023 by Cambian Action Sports after the original 2007 park was destroyed by fire in August 2020. It is the primary inland option for families in the mid-Sussex and Horsham area who are not heading to the coast. The rebuilt park is 20 metres long and 13.8 metres wide, with various ramps, pipes, wall-rides, jump boxes, sub boxes, and decks. Two spines with a tabletop sit between quarter pipes of varying heights; a separate manny pad sits on the surrounding tarmac.
The surface is timber throughout (with galvanised steel construction). This feels different underfoot compared with the all-concrete parks in this guide, and is worth knowing for parents or children unfamiliar with the distinction. The features (wall-rides, spines, jump boxes) skew intermediate to advanced, but the quarter pipes and manny pad provide beginner entry points. The park is explicitly built for BMX use and is named accordingly. Scooter policy is not officially stated.
Practical: Southwater Country Park has toilets at the Visitor Centre and Cafe, a short walk from the skatepark. Parking is via Southwater Country Park car parks: £3.00 all day (April to October), free weekdays and from £0.50 weekends (November to March). The Visitor Centre Cafe is open every day (April to September 10am to 5pm; October to March 10am to 4.30pm, closed Christmas Day).
Day-out add-on: Southwater Country Park has playground facilities, a lake, and nature trails, making the park setting considerably more than a skatepark trip.
Bognor Regis Skatepark
Address: Bognor Regis Promenade, Bognor Regis, West Sussex PO21 1RD
This is the most straightforward park to describe honestly: a mini ramp and funbox on a tarmac base with metal ramps. It is small and the features are limited to total beginners and very young children. A confident beginner will outgrow it quickly, and an intermediate or advanced rider will find nothing here to challenge them.
The park sits on the promenade with Bognor Regis beach immediately adjacent, which is its main justification. If you are already in Bognor for a beach day with young children who want a go on some ramps, it works as an add-on. It does not work as a destination skatepark trip in its own right for anyone beyond the earliest stages. Public toilets are available on the promenade nearby; seafront car parks are within short walking distance.
Honest verdict: We have included this park because it is in Bognor, it is on the promenade, and it exists. We have not included it because it is a destination skatepark. If a skatepark is the primary reason for the trip, choose a different park from this guide.
Indoor and rainy-day options
The Skate Farm
Address: Unit 1, 30 Bridge Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 1TX Phone: 01444 715580 Booking: bookwhen.com/theskatefarmcic8
The Skate Farm opened in 2024 as a Community Interest Company (not-for-profit) and is the strongest indoor skatepark option in West Sussex. The facility includes a mini ramp, half pipe, and a "Skate Field" of three connected zones designed to take riders from beginner to expert level. The building has a cafe, skate shop, toilets, lighting, and a dedicated parent viewing area.
The philosophy is explicitly beginner-first: the venue is clear that most first-time visitors have never stepped on a board. Session types include open sessions (all wheels welcome: skateboards, scooters, inline skates, and roller quads), skateboarding-only sessions, scooter-dedicated sessions at weekends, girls-only sessions, family sessions on Saturday mornings, over-35s on Friday evenings, home education weekday sessions, and lessons. Birthday parties for ages 5 to 17 are also available.
Prices are not listed publicly on the venue's website; book through the Bookwhen system or call 01444 715580 for current session costs. Free parking on site. The venue is approximately 5 to 10 minutes' walk from Haywards Heath station.
The Haywards Heath location puts The Skate Farm within reasonable reach of Crawley, Brighton, and mid-Sussex. For a rainy day, or for a child who is not confident enough for an outdoor park yet, it is the right first call. See also our rainy day activities guide for more wet-weather options across the county.
Board AF
Address: Unit G, Five Stones, Toddington Lane, Littlehampton, West Sussex BN17 7PP Website: boardaf.co.uk
Board AF is a small indoor facility with a timber mini ramp, a skate shop, a cafe (coffee, cakes, pizza, and shakes), toilets, and a viewing area. The "Sip n Rip" sessions run for one or two hours and include a hot or cold drink: £7.50 for one hour or £10 for two hours. Confirmed disciplines for Sip n Rip sessions include skateboards, inline skates, and roller quads; scooter policy is not confirmed and should be checked with the venue directly before booking.
Opening hours: Monday 12pm to 9pm; Tuesday 12pm to 10pm; Wednesday 1pm to 4pm; Thursday 12pm to 10pm; Friday 1pm to 6pm; Saturday 8:30am to 5:30pm; Sunday closed.
Board AF is a practical option for skateboard practice near Littlehampton, but it is a small indoor mini ramp in an industrial estate rather than a full skatepark. Include it in your plans if you are already in the Littlehampton area and want a dry session.
Note: The Base Skatepark in Bognor Regis closed permanently in May 2022 and has not reopened.
Comparison table
| Town | Park name | Surface | Best for | Parking | Toilets | Nearby add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horsham | Horsham Skatepark | Concrete | BMX, intermediate/advanced bowl; beginners (plaza); scooters | Paid (Pavilions) | Yes (Pavilions) | Cafe in park; play area in park |
| Shoreham-by-Sea | Shoreham Skatepark (Ham Road) | Concrete | Advanced pool/bowl; beginners (street and flat extension) | On-street / paid | Not confirmed | Shoreham Beach 0.5 miles |
| Crawley | Crawley Freestyle Skatepark | Concrete | Intermediate/advanced bowls; beginners (street); floodlit | Free 2-hour | Yes (Southgate Park) | Play area; woodland park |
| Lancing | Lancing Beach Green Skatepark | Concrete | Families; beginners; younger children | Paid (seafront) | Yes | Beach adjacent; play area; The Perch cafe |
| Littlehampton | Littlehampton Skatepark | Concrete | Beginners to intermediate; scooters; BMX | Paid (seafront) | Yes (seafront) | East Beach; Lion's Den play area; East Beach Cafe |
| Chichester | Chichester Westgate Skatepark | Concrete | Beginners to intermediate; scooters; BMX | Paid (leisure centre) | Yes (leisure centre) | Westgate pools and slides; city centre |
| Worthing | Worthing Homefield Park Skatepark | Concrete | Beginners; young children; BMX | Street (limited) | None | Play area in park; seafront 0.7 miles |
| Selsey | Selsey Skatepark | Concrete | Street skaters; beginners to intermediate | Free (East Beach car park) | Yes | East Beach; cafe kiosk on site |
| Southwater | Southwater Skate and BMX Park | Timber/steel | BMX; intermediate; inland families | Paid (country park) | Yes (visitor centre) | Country park; cafe; lake; nature trails |
| Bognor Regis | Bognor Regis Skatepark | Metal on tarmac | Total beginners; very young children (beach add-on only) | Paid (seafront) | Yes (seafront nearby) | Beach adjacent |
Safety and kit
Adur and Worthing Councils state officially, for Ham Road Skatepark in Shoreham: "Helmets and safety pads should be worn at all times when using these facilities." This is the only official safety guidance posted by any park authority in West Sussex based on our research; no other outdoor park has published age minimums, supervision requirements, or equipment mandates. All outdoor parks are unsupervised, free, and open-access.
In practical terms: a helmet is worth wearing at any park. For beginners and younger children, wrist guards and knee pads reduce the impact of the falls that come with learning.
Park facts, addresses and facilities were verified against council websites, dedicated park pages, and operator announcements in May 2026. Operating status, parking charges, and cafe hours can change: always check the venue's own site or phone before travelling. The Skate Farm prices are not publicly listed; book via bookwhen.com/theskatefarmcic8 or call 01444 715580.