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so you wanna skate or swim in ribeirão? (a local's messy guide)

@Liam Foster2/9/2026blog

look, i’ve been ollie-ing over these same cracked sidewalks since i was a kid with teeth too big for my face. ribeirão isn’t some instagram-filtered paradise. it’s hot, the pavement buckles in summer, and the rich kids from villa lobos drive like maniacs. but if you’re looking for something to do after the bell rings? we got options. more than you think.

first, the weather. it’s not 'sun-drenched.' it’s like someone left a wet newspaper on your face and called it a blanket. this time of year? brutal. you’ll sweat through your shirt walking from the bus stop. that’s the real metric for any after-school thing: does it have a shower? a fan? a single, sad tree?

*the concrete jungle (and the not-concrete one)

my world is the skatepark. the city official one at praça da paz? it’s fine. concrete, a few ledges, the usual. but the real spot is the old, unofficial one by the old railway line near the centro. it’s sketchy, yeah. broken glass sometimes. but the ledges are buttery. the locals guard it. a word of warning from a dude i overlapped with at bar do zé last week: 'don’t bring your brand new board there after 5pm. the security guards from the shopping mall across the street? they’ll confiscate it. say it’s 'public endangerment.' total garbage.'

> "overheard at the botânico: 'my nephew quit jiu-jitsu at the sport center. said the instructor made him do 200 push-ups for losing. like, who does that to a 10-year-old?'"

if your knees are smarter than your ankles, maybe try the swimming thing. clube de regatas ribeirão prêto. yeah, the fancy one. but listen-they have public lessons. it’s not a secret. my little sister goes. costs about 120 reais a month. the water’s clean, the coaches are okay. but the locker rooms? from 1998. bring your own flip-flops and a towel you don’t love.

where the soccer kids roam

everyone and their dog plays futebol here. it’s in our blood. the campos sintéticos are everywhere. the one at jardim california? decent turf, but they flood the damn thing for 'maintenance' every tuesday. game’s off. go to the one near the usp campus. better lights, organized games on weekends. but be warned: the level is serious. these aren't kickabouts. these are kids who’ve had a ball at their feet since they could walk. if you show up with your 'i just wanna kick around' energy, you’ll get roasted by a 12-year-old with hair plugs.

> "my friend’s mom, whispered in line at the padaria: 'the chess club at the library is actually a front for the retiree poker game. they don’t teach the kids chess. they just use the room after hours. don’t bother.'"

the data, because my dad is an accountant and it rubbed off: a one-bedroom in centro is about 900 reais. in vila lobos, 2200. you do the math where you wanna hang. the job market? it’s healthcare, agribusiness, and tech trying to be a thing. but for after-school stuff? it’s all about the bus routes. if you can’t get there on the 03 or the 07, it might as well be on the moon.

the weird, wonderful, and 'why does this exist?'

check out the 'escola de arte mauricio de sousa' on the side near the old cinema. they do comic drawing, animation basics. it’s cheap, like 80 reais a month, and the teachers actually worked on some of his shows back in the day. it’s a time capsule.

and there’s this thing called 'parkour ribeirão' that meets at the praça da bíblia on saturday mornings. no, seriously. a bunch of guys and girls in track pants just… flow. no loud music, no egos. just people jumping off walls. i tried it. i spent more time on my ass than my feet. but the view of the city waking up from the top of the parking garage? unbeatable.

gringo advice (from a gringo who’s been here 10 years)

look, i saw a travel blogger call this place 'são paulo’s best-kept secret.' barf. it’s not a secret. it’s a working city with a pulse. the best activity isn’t a place. it’s finding your people. whether it’s the breakdancers at pracinha do coreto on sundays, the bookswap crew at the cultural center, or the skaters who still roll at the forbidden railway spot.

just bring water. wear sunscreen. and for the love of all that’s holy, don’t call it 'vibrant.' it’s just ribeirão. it’s ours.

[map for context, because you’ll get lost]


some visual aids. this is basically my second home. and the other spot that makes my girlfriend sigh.

more real talk? check the ribeirão subreddit-/r/ribeiraopreto-it’s mostly memes and lost dog posts, but the 'what's happening this weekend' thread is gold. also, yelp still works for finding the lanchonetes* that stay open past 10pm. tripadvisor… for the tourist stuff you’ll inevitably get dragged to by your visiting aunt.

now get off your phone and go touch grass. the real, ribeirão kind.

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About the author: Liam Foster

Here to provoke thought, not just to fill space.

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