Nearby Picnic Island Park 11 km · Lassing Park 24 km · Dunedin Causeway 27 km · Skyway Beach 33 km · Fred Howard Park 33 km · Pass-a-Grille Beach 34 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
The day runs on the front, not on the clock. Ahead of a front the southerly is best from late morning to mid-afternoon. Once the front has gone through, NE blows in the early morning and holds until roughly 10-11am, then the rideable NW builds and peaks mid-afternoon. Tampa Bay timing, not measured at the park.
The wind
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
mixed
fills in: The day runs on the front, not on the clock. Ahead of a front the southerly is best from late morning to mid-afternoon. Once the front has gone through, NE blows in the early morning and holds until roughly 10-11am, then the rideable NW builds and peaks mid-afternoon. Tampa Bay timing, not measured at the park.
Typical strength
Around 15 kt on a normal winter frontal day. The southerly ahead of a front tends to be under-forecast and runs 15-20 kt. Both are Tampa Bay area figures; nothing is measured at Cypress Point itself.
Thermal or synoptic
thermal and frontal
The quiver, in words
Winter days sit in the 9-12 m band. A 75-85 kg rider is on a 12 m for the usual 15 kt frontal wind and drops to 9-10 m when a pre-front southerly gets into the high teens. Regional Tampa Bay figures rather than a park measurement.
Direction to shore
S, SW, W and NW are the best and safest directions. SW is the most consistent and the smoothest; NW is the most complex.
Dominant direction
S, SW, W, NW
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan, riders' month52
- Feb, riders' month51
- Mar, riders' month66
- Apr, riders' month69
- May49
- Jun39
- Jul13
- Aug19
- Sep17
- Oct39
- Nov, riders' month39
- Dec, riders' month32
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec.
- 12Jan17°
- 11Feb19°
- 12Mar23°
- 13Apr25°
- 11May28°
- 11Jun30°
- 9Jul32°
- 10Aug32°
- 10Sep31°
- 11Oct26°
- 11Nov23°
- 11Dec19°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52% | 11.8 kt | S | 16°C | 17.1°C |
| Feb | 51% | 11.4 kt | NNE | 18.1°C | 19.1°C |
| Mar | 66% | 12.4 kt | SSW | 21.1°C | 23.2°C |
| Apr | 69% | 12.8 kt | E | 23.2°C | 25°C |
| May | 49% | 11.2 kt | NE | 26°C | 28.2°C |
| Jun | 39% | 10.5 kt | WSW | 27.1°C | 30.2°C |
| Jul | 13% | 8.5 kt | ESE | 28.3°C | 32.1°C |
| Aug | 19% | 9.9 kt | ENE | 28.2°C | 31.7°C |
| Sep | 17% | 10 kt | ENE | 26.5°C | 30.6°C |
| Oct | 39% | 11.1 kt | NE | 23.3°C | 26.4°C |
| Nov | 39% | 10.8 kt | NE | 21.1°C | 23.3°C |
| Dec | 32% | 10.5 kt | NE | 17.2°C | 19.2°C |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from weather reanalysis on a 10–25 km grid (2022-2024), not a ground station: reliable for trade and synoptic winds, understates thermal sea breezes and valley winds. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
ERA5 reanalysis grid point (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical weather API — ECMWF ERA5/ERA5-Land reanalysis, not a ground station · 2022-2024
The water
Type
bay
Standing depth
Shallow Tampa Bay flat water even at high tide; low tide can be extremely shallow.
Tides
Depth swings hard with the tide and low water decides the session. Water-level, current and temperature guidance is modelled for Tampa Bay as a whole, not measured at the park.
Temperature
30°C summer · 19°C winter
Wetsuit
Usually rashguard or no wetsuit in summer; a spring suit or 3/2 may be useful on colder winter frontal days.
Currents
Current is modelled bay-wide for Tampa Bay; no current strength specific to Cypress Point has been published.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
1 school names this spot
On your own
Room to launch: Moderate setup room in the park; the north beach has more space to rig and practise.
Somewhere else
Picnic Island Park, 11 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Public City of Tampa park beach with grassy maintenance/rigging areas, parking, restrooms, picnic tables, shelters and north/south riding options.
Space
Moderate setup room in the park; the north beach has more space to rig and practise.
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Wear booties. Oysters and shells cover the bottom.
- Check the tide height before you rig; low tide here gets extremely shallow.
- Rig on the north beach if you are still learning, it has the space to walk a kite out.
- Leave the dog and the beer in the car: 2026 rules allow neither in the park.
- After a front the NE blows early and fades around 10-11am. The NW that you can actually ride fills in for mid-afternoon.
- Nobody is watching the water. The ski support belongs to a school operating at Skyway Beach and does not cover this park.
- Get off the water well before a front arrives: the thunderstorms come with it.
Getting there
Airport
Tampa International Airport
Route
Drive or take local transit to 5620 W Cypress St, Tampa. The airport sits about 2 miles away, and a line 30 bus runs there.
Transfer
11 min
Staying
Stay in Tampa; no lodging specific to the park has been published.
No-wind days
City park amenities include beach, trail, sand volleyball, playground, disc golf, shelters and sunset views.
Photos
FAQ
When is the best time to kite at Cypress Point Park?
Best months are November through April, driven by winter cold fronts, with S, SW, W, and NW as the cited directions and SW the smoothest.
Is Cypress Point Park suitable for beginners?
Yes, it is described as one of the most beginner-friendly Tampa-side spots because of shallow water, though oysters, shells, and very shallow low tide still need managing.
What is the water like at Cypress Point Park?
Tampa Bay water here is flat and shallow even at high tide, and can become too shallow for kitefoil or wingfoil at low tide.
Are there rules at Cypress Point Park?
As of 2026, City of Tampa park hours run sunrise to sunset, and local kite guidance says alcohol and dogs are not allowed.
Are there kite schools near Cypress Point Park?
Yes, Elite Watersports serves the area.
Last updated: August 2026