upper waypoint

My Spot: San Francisco's SoMa West Skate Park

Save ArticleSave Article
Failed to save article

Please try again

Andrew Shusterman (L) and professional skateboarder Greyson Fletcher skate SoMa West. (Justin Richmond/KQED)

For Oakland resident Andrew Shusterman, a social media manager at NHS Skateboard distribution, any chance to get back to his roots and jump on a skateboard is a welcome return to youth and passion.

That’s why he has developed a special connection to his "spot" — the newly built SoMa West skate park in San Francisco.

“This is the first really gnarly, amazing skate park San Francisco has ever had,” says Shusterman. “Usually I come to skate parks once every two or three weeks, but this park’s so great I find myself here once a week and sometimes, if not, more.”

SoMa’s location at the end of San Francisco’s Mission District, under a busy freeway overpass that connects Interstate 80 to Highway 101, provides a uniquely San Franciscan ambiance that Shusterman revels in.

Sponsored

“I have a car but I always choose to take BART here,” says Shusterman, favoring the more urban aesthetic. “I like the journey to get here.”

The journey, and the fun of the park, provide a perfect weekend getaway for Shusterman and his friends, who frequent the park Friday evenings after work.

“It’s just a transition from work to fun," he says.

lower waypoint
next waypoint
Cecil Williams, Legendary Pastor of Glide Church, Dies at 94Allegations of Prosecutorial Bias Spark Review of Death Penalty Convictions in Alameda CountyState Prisons Offset New Inmate Wage Hikes by Cutting Hours for Some WorkersWhy Renaming Oakland's Airport Is a Big DealNurses Warn Patient Safety at Risk as AI Use Spreads in Health CareSF Democratic Party’s Support of Unlimited Housing Could Pressure Mayoral Candidates‘Sweeps Kill’: Bay Area Homeless Advocates Weigh in on Pivotal US Supreme Court CaseSupreme Court Hears Oral Arguments in Major Homelessness CaseBay Area Indians Brace for India’s Pivotal 2024 Election: Here’s What to KnowCalifornia’s Future Educators Divided on How to Teach Reading