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Kiteboarding off Anne's Beach, Islamorada, Florida Keys Scenic HighwayU.S. National Archives and Records Administration (public domain)

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USA

No single coast owns American kiting: with 135 spots, the scene splits by region and season.

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Cape Hatteras's soundside launches like Canadian Hole anchor East Coast kiting each spring and fall, Hood River's Event Site drives a full Columbia Gorge summer of thermal west wind, and Maui's Kanaha - the beach where Laird Hamilton rigged in the mid-1990s - carries the Hawaii trade-wind season from May to October.

South Padre's Laguna Madre flats and Miami's Crandon Park fill in warm winter riding, while San Francisco Bay's Crissy Field and Sherman Island cover the West Coast's cold, current-heavy thermal days.

Seasonevery monthsomewhere in the country
How we count
Places
28 towns and 50 single spots
Beginners
where a spot record says a beginner can ride; the Beginners page also asks for a school there, so it lists fewer
Best forBeginners16Flat water19Foiling22Waves and flat9Waves37

When to go

month by month, from the towns' own wind series

  1. Jan63
  2. Feb79
  3. Mar71
  4. Apr85
  5. May89
  6. Jun100
  7. Jul100
  8. Aug92
  9. Sep87
  10. Oct68
  11. Nov77
  12. Dec61

The windiest town in season each month: its share of windy days

Windiest single town in any month: San Francisco Bay, 100% of days in June, from the Crissy Field series.

How this is modelled

A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.

Which place is yours

Grouped by region, the most spots first

How this list is ordered

The places are in the order of how many spots each place holds. None of them carries a wind score: the atlas scores wind reliability one spot at a time, against a named weather station and the distance to it, and a place that groups several spots has no single station to stand behind one number.For wind by month, see When to go above.

Florida

Miami Established3 spots · 8 schools · September to May 32 min from the airportflat water beginner-friendly buzzing scene car needed gear rental expensive Marathon, Florida Keys3 spots · October to Mayflat water beginner-friendly quiet car needed mid-range St. Petersburg Local favourite3 spots · 1 school · October to Mayflat water beginner-friendly quiet gear rental mid-range Islamorada, Florida Keys2 spots · 3 schools · October to Mayflat water beginner-friendly quiet car needed gear rental mid to high Little Duck Key, Florida Keys2 spots · September to Mayflat water beginner-friendly quiet car needed budget to mid 520 Slick & Jetty Park2 spots · 1 school · October to Mayadvanced quiet gear rental mid-range Dunedin Causeway & Fred Howard Park2 spots · 4 schools · October to Mayadvanced sociable car needed gear rental mid-range Tampa2 spots · November to Aprilbeginner-friendly quiet mid-range Key West, Florida Keys1 spot · 5 schools · November to Mayflat water advanced buzzing scene car helps gear rental expensive

Hawaii

Kite Beach (Kanaha), Maui World-class6 spots · 6 schools · April to November 7 min from the airportchoppy waves beginner-friendly buzzing scene car needed gear rental expensive Kailua, Oahu Established6 spots · 4 schools · April to Octoberlagoon beginner-friendly buzzing scene gear rental expensive Oahu North Shore2 spots · March to Novemberadvanced expensive

Oregon

Hood River / Columbia Gorge Established8 spots · 6 schools · May to October 60 min from the airportchoppy beginner-friendly sociable car needed gear rental expensive Arlington & Threemile Canyon2 spots · March to Novemberwaves advanced

Michigan

Lake Michigan Local favourite2 spots · 1 school · March to Maybeginner-friendly buzzing scene mid-range

Texas

South Padre Island Established3 spots · 7 schools · October to June 35 min from the airportlagoon flat water waves beginner-friendly buzzing scene car needed gear rental mid-range North Padre Island Established3 spots · 3 schools · March to Julylagoon flat water advanced quiet gear rental budget

California

San Francisco Bay Established6 spots · 8 schools · March to Octoberbeginner-friendly buzzing scene no car needed gear rental expensive

Massachusetts

Cape Cod, Massachusetts6 spots · 3 schools · March to Novemberlagoon flat water beginner-friendly buzzing scene car needed gear rental mid to high Pleasure Bay & Dog Beach2 spots · 3 schools · March to Mayadvanced quiet expensive

North Carolina

Cape Hatteras / Outer Banks, North Carolina Established5 spots · 7 schools · March to November 3 hours from the airportflat water beginner-friendly buzzing scene 4x4 needed gear rental mid-range

New Jersey

Lakes Bay & North Brigantine2 spots · 4 schools · May to Octoberbeginner-friendly sociable gear rental mid-range

Washington

Double Bluff & Jetty Island2 spots · 1 school · October to Marchbeginner-friendly quiet gear rental budget Golden Gardens & Richmond Beach2 spots · 1 school · May to Marchchoppy advanced sociable car helps gear rental mid-range

South Carolina

Folly Beach – Isle of Palms, South Carolina3 spots · 4 schools · March to Maybeginner-friendly sociable gear rental mid-range

Louisiana

Jefferson Parish2 spots · 2 schoolsseason not recordedlagoon beginner-friendly buzzing scene car needed gear rental budget

Georgia

Jekyll Island Kite Beach & Saint Simons Island East Beach2 spots · 2 schools · March to Septemberlagoon beginner-friendly quiet car needed gear rental mid-range

Illinois

Chicago, Lake Michigan Local favourite1 spot · 2 schools · May to Octoberadvanced sociable gear rental expensive

Standalone spots

Single spots with no town of their own

Florida

Fort Desoto Park1 spot · October to Aprilbeginner-friendly Huguenot Memorial Park1 spot · November to Maylagoon beginner-friendly Lido Beach / Big Pass1 spot · November to Aprilbeginner-friendly expensive Matanzas Inlet1 spot · October to Mayadvanced Nokomis Beach1 spotseason not recordedflat water beginner-friendly mid-range Tigertail Beach1 spot · October to Maylagoon beginner-friendly expensive

Hawaii

Tunnels Beach1 spotseason not recordedadvanced

Oregon

Floras Lake1 spot · April to Octoberbeginner-friendly Fort Stevens1 spot · May to Septemberwaves advanced Manzanita1 spot · April to Septemberwaves advanced mid-range Netarts Bay1 spot · October to Maybeginner-friendly Pistol River1 spot · April to Septemberadvanced Rooster Rock1 spot · September to Marchadvanced Whiskey Run Beach1 spot · May to Septemberadvanced

Michigan

Cat Head Bay1 spot · July to Septemberbeginner-friendly Gun Lake1 spotseason not recordedbeginner-friendly Lake St. Clair Metropark1 spot · March to Mayadvanced Little Sable Point1 spot · April to Novemberadvanced mid-range Oval Beach1 spotseason not recordedadvanced expensive Petobego1 spot · March to Maybeginner-friendly Petoskey State Park1 spot · May to Septemberbeginner-friendly Point Betsie1 spot · March to Maybeginner-friendly South Haven1 spot · April to Novemberadvanced Tawas Point1 spot · May to Novemberbeginner-friendly Tiscornia Beach1 spot · September to Mayadvanced

Texas

East Beach1 spot · March to Mayadvanced Port Aransas South Jetty1 spot · March to Julyadvanced Surfside Beach1 spot · September to Mayadvanced Wildcat Park1 spot · March to Octoberadvanced

California

Fiesta Island1 spot · Augustbeginner-friendly expensive Long Beach (Belmont Shore)1 spot · April to Septemberbeginner-friendly expensive Waddell Creek1 spot · April to Septemberadvanced

North Carolina

Emerald Isle (Bogue Banks)1 spot · March to Novemberbeginner-friendly Jockey's Ridge Soundside Access1 spot · April to Julybeginner-friendly

New Jersey

25th Street LBI1 spot · April to Novemberbeginner-friendly Higbee Beach1 spotseason not recordedadvanced Sandy Hook Bayside1 spot · September to Decemberadvanced Seaside Park (Bayside)1 spot · May to Septemberflat water choppy advanced

South Carolina

Edisto Beach Bay Point1 spotseason not recordedbeginner-friendly Kiawah Beachwalker Park1 spotseason not recordedbeginner-friendly expensive

Louisiana

Cypremort Point Beach1 spot · September to Mayadvanced Lake Pontchartrain South Shore1 spot · September to Mayadvanced

Georgia

Tybee Island 19th Street1 spot · May to Augustbeginner-friendly

New York

Gilgo Beach1 spot · April to Maywaves advanced Napeague (Lazy Point)1 spot · March to Juneflat water beginner-friendly expensive Plumb Beach1 spot · March to Maybeginner-friendly

Rhode Island

Ninigret Pond1 spotseason not recordedlagoon beginner-friendly Second Beach1 spot · June to Augustadvanced expensive Watch Hill1 spot · September to Decemberadvanced expensive

Illinois

Waukegan Municipal Beach1 spot · April to Octoberbeginner-friendly

By region

The country's regions, the most spots first

Florida26 spots · 9 placesHawaii15 spots · 3 placesOregon15 spots · 2 placesMichigan13 spots · 1 placeTexas10 spots · 2 placesCalifornia9 spots · 1 placeMassachusetts8 spots · 2 placesNorth Carolina7 spots · 1 placeNew Jersey6 spots · 1 placeWashington6 spots · 3 placesSouth Carolina5 spots · 1 placeLouisiana4 spots · 1 placeGeorgia3 spots · 1 placeNew York3 spotsRhode Island3 spotsIllinois2 spots · 1 place

Best for

Pages that pick the places in USA for one kind of riding

Beginners in USA16 placesFlat water in USA19 placesFoiling in USA22 placesWaves and flat in USA9 placesWaves in USA37 places

Destinations

All 78 places, by name

Every place in the lists above, by name only, in the order the country guide keeps them.

Cape Cod, MassachusettsCape Hatteras / Outer Banks, North CarolinaIslamorada, Florida KeysKey West, Florida KeysLittle Duck Key, Florida KeysMarathon, Florida KeysChicago, Lake MichiganHood River / Columbia GorgeKite Beach (Kanaha), MauiMiamiKailua, OahuSan Francisco BaySouth Padre IslandGolden Gardens & Richmond BeachDouble Bluff & Jetty IslandOahu North ShoreNorth Padre IslandSt. PetersburgTampaDunedin Causeway & Fred Howard Park520 Slick & Jetty ParkJefferson ParishJekyll Island Kite Beach & Saint Simons Island East BeachFolly Beach – Isle of Palms, South CarolinaLakes Bay & North BrigantinePleasure Bay & Dog BeachArlington & Threemile CanyonLake MichiganEmerald Isle (Bogue Banks)Fort Desoto ParkNokomis BeachLong Beach (Belmont Shore)Seaside Park (Bayside)Gilgo BeachNapeague (Lazy Point)Watch Hill25th Street LBITunnels BeachTigertail BeachLido Beach / Big PassPort Aransas South JettyWildcat ParkSurfside BeachEast BeachMatanzas InletCypremort Point BeachLake Pontchartrain South ShoreHuguenot Memorial ParkTybee Island 19th StreetEdisto Beach Bay PointKiawah Beachwalker ParkFiesta IslandJockey's Ridge Soundside AccessWaddell CreekHigbee BeachSandy Hook BaysidePlumb BeachNinigret PondSecond BeachPistol RiverFloras LakeWhiskey Run BeachNetarts BayManzanitaRooster RockFort StevensTiscornia BeachWaukegan Municipal BeachSouth HavenOval BeachLake St. Clair MetroparkGun LakeLittle Sable PointTawas PointPoint BetsiePetobegoCat Head BayPetoskey State Park

Visa & entry

EU passportESTA (Visa Waiver Program) required before travel. Fee $40.27 total ($10.27 application processing + $30 if approved) after the Sept 2025 fee increase under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Valid 2 years or until passport expiry, multiple entries, max stay 90 days per visit combined with surrounding countries. (2026)
US passportN/A - home country
UK passportSame ESTA/Visa Waiver Program as EU passports: British citizens need ESTA or a visa, and are ineligible after a prior ESTA overstay, with a criminal record, or after travel to Iran/Iraq/Libya/N.Korea/Somalia/Sudan/Syria/Yemen (post-Mar 2011) or Cuba (post-Jan 2021).
Digital nomad visaNone. The USA has no dedicated federal digital nomad visa as of 2026; long stays beyond 90 days require a B1/B2 visa, work visa, or other status.
Tax residency daysIRS Substantial Presence Test: resident for tax purposes if present >=31 days in the current year and the weighted 3-year total (all current-year days, plus 1/3 of prior-year days, plus 1/6 of the year before that) is >=183.
NotesESTA fee roughly doubled in Sept 2025 (was long cited at $21/$14); if researching from older sources double-check the current figure.

Money

CurrencyUS Dollar (USD)
Card acceptanceVery high; Visa/Mastercard/Amex widely accepted including small vendors; contactless/Apple Pay common in cities, less so at small beach shacks.
Paying by phoneZelle and Venmo/Cash App are the dominant P2P apps, but both effectively require a US bank account/US phone number to sign up - not usable by short-term foreign tourists in practice.
Scams
  • Rental car damage/insurance upsell disputes
  • Tourist-area pickpocketing in dense cities (not beach-specific)
TippingStrong tipping culture: ~15-20% at sit-down restaurants and bars is customary; often not included in the bill.
Cash tipsCommon for informal services (kite instructors, board carriers, valet); cash preferred where possible.

SIM & internet

Operators, best coast coverage first
  • Verizon (generally best rural/coastal reach)
  • AT&T
  • T-Mobile
eSIM options
  • Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile all offer eSIM plans
  • Airalo/Holafly tourist eSIMs work nationally on partner networks
ID needed for a SIMNo government ID/registration mandate for prepaid SIMs in the US (unlike many countries).
StarlinkLegal and available (Starlink is a US company/origin market).
NotesCoverage varies a lot by specific remote destination (e.g. Outer Banks NC, rural Maui) - verify per-spot, not just per-carrier.

Insurance

Is kiting covered?yes
RecommendedSpecialist watersports/kitesurf travel insurance (e.g. action-sports add-ons) recommended.
Healthcare and evacuationUS healthcare is very expensive with no special provision for foreign visitors; some hospitals require upfront deposits from non-residents. Adequate insurance essential.

Health

VaccinesNone required for entry; routine vaccines recommended, no yellow fever requirement.
Mosquito-borne diseasesVaries hugely by region; some Zika/dengue risk historically in southern Florida in summer/rainy months - not a major nationwide concern.
Tap waterSafe to drink nationwide.
Emergency numbers911
Hospital standardHigh quality but very expensive without insurance; deposits sometimes required from non-residents.
Pharmacy notesWidely available (CVS/Walgreens chains); many meds require prescription.

Driving

International driving permitNot legally required in many states if license is in English, but recommended and required in some states - varies by state, not standardized nationally.
Road safetyDrive on the right; generally good roads; rural highway speeds high.
Rental trapsYoung-driver surcharges, mandatory insurance upsells, fuel policy fine print.
4x4 contextsCape Hatteras/Outer Banks: 4x4 + beach driving permit required for many beach-access points (destination-specific but a recurring national pattern for barrier-island kite spots).
Police stopsRare for tourists; routine traffic stops possible.

Regulation

National kite rulesNo single federal kitesurfing law; kites are generally treated under US Coast Guard navigation rules in federal/navigable waters (yield to swimmers/vessels). Actual kiteboarding zoning/hours are set locally (state/city beach ordinances) and vary by destination.
Drone rulesFAA registration required for drones over 0.55 lb; recreational flyers must pass the TRUST test; no-fly zones near airports.
Protected areasNational Seashores (e.g. Cape Hatteras) impose their own permit/zone rules for kiteboarding - destination-level detail.

Calendar & costs

Holidays that move prices
  • Memorial Day weekend (late May)
  • July 4th
  • Labor Day (early Sept)
  • Thanksgiving
  • Christmas/New Year
School holidaysSummer break roughly June-August; spring break in March varies by state/school district.
CurrencyUSDSee Money

Kite bag rules for your airline

Flying into USA

Type the carrier you are flying: what it charges for a kite bag, and the year of the policy that says so.

Checked so far for USA:Southwest AirlinesDelta / American / United

Every carrier, with limits and what riders report at the counter →

Where records disagree

  • ESTA fee: widely-cited older figure was ~$21 (2022-2024); confirmed current 2025/2026 figure is $40.27 after the Sept 2025 fee increase - flagging in case older sources are consulted.

Still being checked

We have not verified these yet — tell us if you know.

Show the 3 open questions
  • What does a kite bag cost in 2026 on Southwest, Delta, American, United, Alaska or Hawaiian?
  • US cost index not meaningfully summarizable at country level (Hawaii/SF Bay far above national average, Florida/Great Lakes near average).
  • What do US ATMs charge a foreign card, and what are the limits?

Last updated September 2026