In this paper the physical characteristics of community sites that are common gathering places for adolescents are described and recommendations are given for improving their use. It is suggested that there are some common factors in the society and in the organization of many towns and cities in the United States that contribute to the appearance of a nationwide pattern in young people's choices and uses of public spaces in their leisure time. This pattern of choices includes places such as the street corner and corner store, the shopping center and shopping mall, the school yard and playgrounds, the libraries, museums and galleries, the streets and plazas, parks, old city streets and neighborhoods, new housing developments, automobiles and parking lots, and private places or public places out of public view. Comments on the advantages and disadvantages of each of these settings for the social use of teenagers are presented. (Author/SS)