8 Iconic Skate Spots From "Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater" 1 & 2 That Exist in Real Life

The first two Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games will forever be my favorites and featured a handful of iconic, real-life skate spots, which added a ton of authenticity to the franchise early on. While some were legitimately recreated, others were loosely based on their real-world counterparts.

Regardless, I can't even describe how stoked I was to see spots like The Leap of Faith and LOVE Park in the game after obsessing over them in skate videos at such an early age. Skate spots are so random if you think about it—stairs and ledges and handrails—but if you skate, you simply look at the world differently. Every little thing offers opportunity and the series did a great job at mirroring that stoke. 

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (1999)

1. LOVE Park (Philadelphia, PA) – Featured in the “Philadelphia” level, this spot was a legendary hub for street skating before the city cracked down on it a few years back. So much history at this spot! It was no surprise seeing it in the game, but that didn't make it any less epic. 
2. Burnside Skatepark (Portland, OR) – One of the (if not the) most famous DIY skateparks, Burnside was recreated in the game and was personally one of my favorite levels. You ever been to this place? It's not for the faint of heart! That's probably why it was so much fun in the game. 
3. San Francisco’s EMB (Embarcadero Plaza, CA) – Though not officially labeled, the San Francisco level in the original THPS featured elements reminiscent of the famous EMB skate spot. You saw it, I saw it. That's EMB!

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 (2000)

1. The Brooklyn Banks (New York, NY) – Arguably one of the most iconic NYC skate spots, the Brooklyn Banks is known for its brick banks and a handful of other spots in the area. If you're looking for a legendary spot to include, this is pretty much a no-brainer. Good call!
2. Marseille Skatepark (France) – This was pretty real, from what I remember. Real bowl, real transition—the Marseille Skatepark is a heavy skatepark located in Marseille, France, that has hosted huge contests and legendary clips from all your favorite pros for decades. 
3. Venice Beach Spots (Venice Beach, CA) – Although it's not exactly the modern skatepark that rests on the sand today, the level was based on the legendary street spots around the boardwalk (which I'm sure many would agree was way cooler). Can't have a skateboarding video game without Venice Beach! 
4. The Bullring (Tijuana, Mexico) – Tony Hawk's team rented a stadium for 14 days to build a ramp and film a segment for the iconic Birdhouse film The End. And even though it’s not exactly the same, it was certainly an homage to Tony’s iconic segment in the video. Nonetheless, it was super fun attempting the loop! 
5. The ‘Leap of Faith’ (Point Loma High School) - Although the "School" level wasn't actually based on Point Loma High School in San Diego, it did feature the legendary Leap of Faith, made famous by Jamie Thomas in the timeless Zero video, Thrill of it All. Is his attempt still the most famous non-make ever? I'd say yes. 

Again, even though some levels were more heavily influenced by actual spots than others, it was still always fun to see some recognizable terrain while you played. When Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 Remastered drops, it'll be interesting to see if they expand on these legendary locations. 

At any rate, it was the attention to detail on stuff like this that made the game so groundbreaking from day one. And don't get it twisted—this is just a small list from the first two games because, again, they were my favorite. There is no shortage of legendary spots in all the other games as well. Which is your favorite?