Long Beach (Belmont Shore) has no other spot on this map within 40 km of it. straight-line distance
When it fills in
Afternoon. The thermal fills in after midday and gives a couple of usable hours. Mornings are not the pattern on this beach. In season, roughly five days a week deliver at least 10 knots inside that window.
The wind
locals call it Southern California thermal sea breeze
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
thermal
fills in: Afternoon. The thermal fills in after midday and gives a couple of usable hours. Mornings are not the pattern on this beach. In season, roughly five days a week deliver at least 10 knots inside that window.
Typical strength
10-20 knots, and rarely more than 20. A lot of sessions sit around 10-15. The forecast under-reads this beach and on-site readings come in above the models.
The quiver, in words
For a 75-85 kg rider the 12 m is the everyday kite here and the one people name for this beach, fitting the 10-15 knot middle of the thermal. A 9 m covers the top of it, since the wind almost never goes past about 20 knots.A big light-wind kite and a big board is what turns a marginal Belmont afternoon into a session. Indicative above the 12 m call, derived from the local wind range.
Direction to shore
SW is the direction, and on this south-facing shoreline it lands between side-on and onshore. That angle is the reason a beginner can be taught here at all.
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan21
- Feb25
- Mar40
- Apr, riders' month35
- May, riders' month23
- Jun, riders' month22
- Jul, riders' month21
- Aug, riders' month18
- Sep, riders' month10
- Oct8
- Nov3
- Dec2
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
- 21%Jan15°
- 25%Feb15°
- 40%Mar15°
- 35%Apr16°
- 23%May17°
- 22%Jun19°
- 21%Jul20°
- 18%Aug22°
- 10%Sep21°
- 8%Oct19°
- 3%Nov17°
- 2%Dec16°
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Windy days | Force 4+ | 12 kn or more | Knots | From | Peaks at | Air | Water | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21% | 45% | 27% | 11.7 kt | WSW | 15:00 | 12.4°C | 15.1°C | 62 |
| Feb | 25% | 68% | 56% | 13.4 kt | WSW | 16:00 | 12.9°C | 14.7°C | 57 |
| Mar | 40% | 81% | 71% | 13.8 kt | WSW | 16:00 | 13.7°C | 15°C | 62 |
| Apr | 35% | 83% | 62% | 13.2 kt | WSW | 16:00 | 15.6°C | 15.5°C | 60 |
| May | 23% | 73% | 63% | 12.3 kt | WSW | 17:00 | 16.6°C | 17.3°C | 62 |
| Jun | 22% | 75% | 60% | 12.3 kt | WSW | 16:00 | 19.2°C | 18.9°C | 60 |
| Jul | 21% | 69% | 52% | 12.1 kt | WSW | 15:00 | 21.1°C | 20.3°C | 62 |
| Aug | 18% | 76% | 58% | 12.3 kt | WSW | 16:00 | 22°C | 21.5°C | 62 |
| Sep | 10% | 63% | 40% | 11.4 kt | WSW | 16:00 | 21.8°C | 20.9°C | 60 |
| Oct | 8% | 45% | 34% | 10.8 kt | WSW | 15:00 | 19.3°C | 19.2°C | 62 |
| Nov | 3% | 43% | 20% | 10.7 kt | WSW | 15:00 | 15.5°C | 17.1°C | 60 |
| Dec | 2% | 19% | 10% | 9.3 kt | WSW | 15:00 | 13.7°C | 15.9°C | 62 |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from the operational forecast archive at 1.5–7 km (2023-2024), daylight hours only, not a ground station: it resolves thermal, lake and valley winds far better than coarse reanalysis but still tends to understate a strong local thermal. A windy day has at least three consecutive daylight hours at 12 knots or more. 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.
High-resolution weather model (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical forecast archive — best-match operational model (ICON-D2 / AROME / ICON-EU / GFS by region), not a ground station · 2023-2024
The water
Type
mixed
Standing depth
The bottom shelves gently. You walk out about one kite-line length before there is enough water to ride, and past that it goes over 2 m. The tide barely changes it.
Tides
Tide independent. The breakwater and the gentle slope mean the state of the tide does not decide the session here.
Temperature
20°C summer · 14°C winter
Wetsuit
Shorts or a shorty in late summer and early fall; a full suit is commonly needed in late winter and early spring.
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
3 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: Wide sand with room to lay lines out. A summer weekend crowd pushes you upwind or downwind of the best of it, so walk the beach before you rig.
Somewhere else
No neighbour on record
No other spot in the atlas sits within reach of this one.
Rescue
Launch
Launch off the wide sand at Belmont Shore Kite Beach near Claremont Place and Ocean Boulevard, a short walk from parking. Set up clear of the bike path behind the beach and clear of the marked school lesson areas.
Space
Wide sand with room to lay lines out. A summer weekend crowd pushes you upwind or downwind of the best of it, so walk the beach before you rig.
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Book lessons ahead. The schools here work by appointment only.
- Wrap your lines to cross the bike path, and keep a flying kite at least one line length off it.
- Do not jump or jibe close in; the city line is 200 ft from shore.
- Shuffle your feet through the summer shallows because stingrays are reported here.
- Come for the afternoon. Morning wind is not the pattern on this beach.
- On a summer weekend, walk upwind or downwind of the busy sand before you rig.
- Wrap your lines to cross the bike path and keep a flying kite at least one line length off it.
- Do not jump or turn close in. The city line is 200 ft from shore and the strip inside it is swimming only.
- Shuffle your feet through the summer shallows. Stingrays are here.
- Bring the big kite. A 12 m and a big board is what makes a light Belmont afternoon work.
- Wear a kite leash and leave the grab leash at home. That one is a rule here, not a preference.
Getting there
Airport
Long Beach Airport (LGB); Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is the larger regional option.
Route
Belmont Shore is in Long Beach, about fifteen minutes from Long Beach Airport by car and a short walk from beach parking. From LAX one route runs Sepulveda to the I-105 and I-710, then Ocean Boulevard, and traffic decides how long that takes. Taxi, shuttle, bike and public transit all reach the beach.
Transfer
15 min
Cost level
high
Staying
Hotels and short stays in Long Beach and Belmont Shore, with the restaurant and shop strip on 2nd Street a few blocks back from the sand.
No-wind days
Belmont Shore restaurants and shops, Alamitos Bay sailing, kayaking, Long Beach waterfront attractions and broader Los Angeles/Orange County day trips.
Photos
FAQ
Is Belmont Shore suitable for beginners?
Yes, it is a permitted lesson beach with schools, rescue support and gradual entry, though riders must follow strict local rules.
When is the best time to kite?
The reliable season runs from early April through early November, with about five afternoon days a week averaging 10 knots or more.
What is the wind like?
A SW thermal sea breeze typically arrives in the afternoon at 10-20 knots, often calling for a 12 m kite in the lighter periods.
Are there rules to follow?
As of 2026, city rules require jumping and jibing at least 200 ft from shore, keeping kites one line length from the bike path, and treating kiters as vessels.
What are the hazards?
Hazards include swimmers and beach bystanders, boat traffic, the bike path behind the launch, and stingrays reported in summer.
Last updated: August 2026