Atlanta is the capital of Georgia state located on the east coast of the USA. The climate is subtropical with hot summers and mild winters. There is no access to the ocean in the city but kiteboarding in Atlanta is possible on shallow and calm waters of Lake Lanier. It may sound easy, however, due to many hazards the spot is not the best place for complete beginners. You may expect boats, stakes, rocks and in the summer also swimmers. Anyway, during cooler months the spot is not crowded at all, so the water is yours! Launch the kite on a small beach and go!
There is one fantastic school here: Locus Wind Atlanta. They offer professional lessons for kitesurfers on all levels and claim that kitesufing in Atlanta in winter is possible! Just make sure you have a full wetsuit.
Kiteboarding in Atlanta
Seattle Kiteboarding
Similarly to many areas on the USA western coast, Seattle surroundings have much to offer water sports enthusiasts. Kiteboarders may practice their skills themselves or with experienced coach from one of local kitesurfing schools. The city is surrounded by waters; the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia River as well as many canals and lakes. The climate here is characterized by cool winters and dry, warm summers. Most of nearby kitesurfing spots are suitable for beginners and, what is important, many locations are really beautiful.
If you are thinking of visiting some kitesurfing school, the most popular ones are Seattle Kiteboarding Center, Motion Boardshop and Urban Surf Kiteboarding. Apart from taking some lessons you may also rent equipment at a reasonable price.
Kiteboarding on Bahamas
Bahamas is an area often regarded as a paradise for tourists and perfect destination for people practising water sports. Just beware of sharks!
The Bahamas is an archipelago consisting of 29 islands with tropical climate and many picturesque locations. There are some spots especially recommended for kiteboarders. These are, among others, Emerald Bay, Runaway Bay and Paradise located on Great Exuma as well as Paradise Beach on Paradise Island and Tropic of Cancer Beach on Little Exuma. Bahamas kiteboarding possibilities are countless and each kiteboarder will find a spot adequate for his abilities, skills and preferences.
As each tourist resort Bahamas may boast about a number of kitesurfing schools such as Cross Shore Kiteboarding and Exuma Kitesurfing. If you are planning kiteboarding on Bahamas, drop in one of them.
Cape Cod, Chapin Beach
Kiteboarders visiting Cape Cod often choose Chapin Beach. And this a great choice! The spot is a proper place for kiteboarders on all levels. Beginners will appreciate shallow and calm water as well as large beach. More advanced riders may come here where the wind is stronger and jump od small waves. Chapin Beach kiteboarding is an unforgettable experience. Best winds are NE and NW. Although the spot is rather safe, there is one hazard; strong currents.
As far as amenities are concerned, there are no restrooms, but you will find some toilets and a car park. Parking costs about 10$ a day and there is limited space so it is better to come in the moring.
Chapin Beach, Cape Cod
To get to Chapin Beach, Cape Cod, you have to take Route 6A through Dennis; turn down New Boston Road and immediately bear right onto Beach Street. Go along the road for about 1 mile. You will see the Cape Cod Beach Chair Company Store where the road forks. Bear left and continue to the end to Chapin Beach.
Kiteboarding in Oregon
Oregon has a diversed and picturesque landscape;mountains and desert on the east and a scenic and windswept coastline on the west. The natural northern border of the state is the Columbia river which has played a great role in development of the region. The weather in Oregon is rather warm but water is usually cold so if you think of kiteboarding in Oregon, take your wetsuit with you!
Kitesurfers who like wave riding go to spots located on the coast such as Seaside, Lincoln City, Gearhart, Sunset Beach, Newport, Fort Stevens and Cannon Beach. The biggest waves may be found in Manzanita while the spot in Newport is recommended for expert riders only due to a very difficult launch conditions.
People kiteboarding in Oregon also choose the Columbia River with many interesting spots, among which there are Hood River, Kalama, Sauvie Island, Rooster Rock and Prescott Beach. There are some more kitesurfing spots on the river, but the above ones are the most popular. Especially Hood River with flat water appropriate also for beginners.
St. Augustine Kiteboarding
Saint Augustine, a city located in St. Johns County in Florida, is an old, beautiful city with many tourist attractions, historic sites, old fort, alligator farm and much more. The city is a part of a region known as The First Coast, that is the area with Amelia Island, Jacksonville and Palm Coast. This part of Florida is a place famous among watersports fans, such as surfers, windsurfers and kiteboarders.
St. Augustine kiteboarding sites are located on beautiful beaches of the Atlantic Ocean where the ocean is warm from April to October. There two kiteboarding schools in the area, Extreme Kites and First Coast Kiteboarding. Beginners may take first steps in Salt Slick Area, where the water is flat and warm. Just avoid the crowds in the summer and put on some foot protection because of sharp oysters and rocks in the water. Other St. Augustine kiteboarding sites are Matanzas Inlet, Porpoise Point, Ocean Trace and Oyster Slick. Bear in mind that the last one is for experts only!
Learn Kiteboarding in Hawaii
This is good news for those who want to spend holiday in one of the most beautiful places in the world and practice or learn kitesurfing at the same time. You can do it in the only American state that is completely surrounded by water – Hawaii!
The archipelago of Hawaii consists of eight big volcanic islands and many smaller ones. The landscape of the area is diverse and beautiful: high mountains and volcanoes, valleys, picturesque beaches, meadows, rocks and reefs.
If you want to learn kiteboarding in Hawaii, the best place is Maui island. There are several kiteboarding schools here: Kitesurfing School of Maui, Maui Kiteboarding Lessons by Aqua Sports, Action Sports Maui. The last one is the largest school of the whole archipelago, so those who want to learn kiteboarding in Hawaii, will find here lessons for riders on all levels. The school is located on the famous Kite Beach, very near the airport. It has long tradition and may boast about experienced and professional instructors. The courses last from one day (short introduction for beginners) to ten days. There are also courses for kids as well as trainings for those who want to become kiteboarding instructors in the future.
To learn kiteboarding in Hawaii you do not have to stay on Maui Island, there are also some schools on Oahu and other islands.
California, a rich and large state on the West Coast may boast about a great number of beaches many of which are great spots for kiteboarders. One of the most famous is the area around San Diego. The weather is usually mild here, it does not rain much and there are about 201 days with temperature above 70 °F. Kiteboarding beaches in San Diego are quite diverse; Enchanted Cove and Silver Strand State Beach are very attractive for beginners thanks to large, sandy beaches, shallow water and lack of hazards. Those who like riding on waves, especially big ones, will be delighted with Imperial Beach and Tourmaline Beach. The former is located in the city with the same name. You will find a kitesurfers’ community here. Try to avoid coming here in summer as the beach may be really crowded, not to mention swimmers in the ocean. The latter is not very famous, but undoubtedly attractive. The beach is spacious, large and sandy. The best conditions are when it blows from the west or west-north. Other kiteboarding beaches in San Diego area are Bayside Park and Sail Bay Beach.
Kiteboarding spots in New York
Water sports in the middle of the city? Why not! In NYC everything is possible. The city is located directly at the mouth of the Hudson River, on New York Bay. Water is almost everywhere so New York inhabitants as well as tourists visiting the city may practice kiteboarding not only on the neighbouring Long Island but also around the city itself. Which are the best kiteboarding spots in New York? If you are a beginner or if it is going to be your first time, two spots recommended for greenhorns are: Great Kills Park on Staten Island and Lido Beach. In the latter it is possible to kitesurf both on the ocean and on the bay side but if you like bigger waves it will be obviously better to ride on the ocean side. There are also a couple of kiteboarding schools in the area, including KiteClub NYC. For those who strive for some unusual experience there is a possibility to kite on the Hudson River. Just beware of boats and ships and be prepared for swimming in muddy brown water! There are two more kiteboarding spots in New York: Howard Beach and Long Beach. To kitesurf here you need to be an advanced or at least intermediate rider due to some obstacles in the water such as rocks or wave breakers.
Kiteboarding Rentals MA
Similarly to its neighbour, Rhode Island, coastal part of Massauchusetts is a paradise for kiteboarders. Here you will find nice waves, strong wind and long beaches. Kitesurfers in Massachusetts have a wide range of spots to choose from. There are a couple of beaches around Boston, on Cape Cod peninsula as well as on Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard islands. You also have a chance to rent good quality equipment or book a lesson with a professional instructor. Kiteboarding rentals MA include, among others: Boston Kite School and Skyhigh Kiteboarding on Martha’s Vineyard island. If you decide to purchase your own gear you may save some money buying second-hand equipment. There are plenty of shops offering used gear around MA, for example: Inland Sea Windsurf Co (Kitesite.net). For those who want to check kiteboarding rentals around MA, prices range from 120$ to 150$ daily for a kite. There is also a possibility to rent boards (30-50$), harness and other additional equipment.
