The relevance of the research is determined by the observed differences between the high recreational potential of the city and its lack of implementation in the form of creating urban recreational areas. The scientific problem of the study is to identify the environmental parameters of the development of existing recreational areas of Belgorod, the specifics of their territorial differentiation and demand. The aim of the study is to assess the features of the formation, use and development of recreation areas at the present stage of development of the city, to identify the current specifics of the ecological state of recreational areas of the city of Belgorod, as well as to identify and characterize the recreational preferences of residents. The main sources of information about the condition of recreational zones of Belgorod include the data of Belgorodstat, electronic resources of the city administration, materials of the Department of Architecture of the city of Belgorod, statistical data on the state of natural and socio-economic resources of the city and various studies in these areas. The empirical base of the study also includes the data of sociological research devoted to the study of the preferences of residents and visitors in the field of recreation, conducted by the authors in 2018 and. The article discusses the main features of the modern formation, development and use of recreation areas of Belgorod. According to the preferences of residents and guests of the city, the ranking of recreation areas in terms of their recreational attractiveness was carried out. The study identifies the main problems that currently inhibit the development of recreational areas of the city. In accordance with the data obtained, brief recommendations for the development of urban recreation areas were developed, aimed at preserving the ecological balance and developing the economy in this field of activity.