kitesurf, wingfoil and windsurf spots in United States

In the United States, riding changes continent from one coast to the other. A river between two mountain ranges, a strait beneath the Golden Gate, tropical islands, warm lagoons where you can stand miles from shore: every region is a trip in its own right.

Illustrative image

spots: 1,598
regions: 53
kitesurf spots: 1,455
years of data (2024 and 2025): 2

1,598 spots listed, across 53 regions. Rideable days are computed from two full years of readings (2024 and 2025), spot by spot.

United States: an overview

A land of wide open spaces, on the water too

The United States is not one board sports country but several. Modern windsurfing was largely invented between California and Hawaii, and Maui is where wave sailing found its testing ground. Kiting, then wing foiling, followed the same path, carried by an industry and an action-sports culture that set the tone everywhere else.

Riding here is very spread out. Riders often live far from the best spots, and many plan their seasons like expeditions: summer in the Columbia Gorge or the California Delta, winter in Florida or Texas, a trip to Hawaii when they can. It is a very mobile community, used to long drives and converted vans.

Conditions you find nowhere else

What sets the country apart is a handful of unique geographic phenomena. In the Columbia River Gorge, the river flows one way while the wind blows the other, funnelled between two mountain ranges: you ride a river like a sea. In the San Francisco Delta, heat in the Central Valley pulls ocean air inland all afternoon. In Texas and North Carolina, vast shallow lagoons stretch behind the sand barriers.

Rules decided spot by spot

Many spots sit inside national parks, state parks or areas close to airports. Each has its own rules: launch zones, hours, entrance fees, wildlife restrictions. Nothing off-putting, but one constant: check locally before you rig.

The best regions

The Columbia River Gorge (Oregon and Washington)

The legendary summer destination. A wide river, cliffs, Mount Hood in the background and a small town devoted entirely to wind sports. Powerful, busy, unique.

San Francisco Bay and the Delta

Sessions beneath the Golden Gate in cold, powerful current, and further inland the winding Delta, where the thermal wind is remarkably reliable. Two worlds an hour's drive apart.

The California coast

Waves, cold water, cliffs and Highway 1. A coast for experienced riders only, spectacular and wild, from Santa Cruz to the south of the state.

Hawaii

Trade winds, reefs, warm water and a special place in board sports history. Maui remains a must, as much for the riding as for the pilgrimage.

The Outer Banks (North Carolina)

A chain of sand islands more than a hundred kilometres long, with the Atlantic on one side and vast flat lagoons on the other. The East Coast benchmark.

The Texas Gulf Coast

The Laguna Madre, a warm, shallow lagoon sheltered by barrier islands. You ride flat water for miles, for much of the year.

Florida

Turquoise water, winter trade winds and a holiday feel. Spots stretch from Miami to the Keys and along the Atlantic coast.

The Pacific Northwest

Around Seattle, Puget Sound offers summer sessions against a backdrop of forests and snow-capped mountains. A very active local scene, still little known outside the region.

By region

Number of spots per region; each region leads to its page.

Other regions

Sports, by number of spots

Kitesurf1,455
Wingfoil1,242
Windsurf426
Surf295
Snowkite88
Windfoil21
Landkite6
Paddle4
E-Foil1
Pumping1

The spots not to miss

When to ride

2024-2025 average

Florida29rideable days in May, the peak of the region

Texas29rideable days in March, the peak of the region

Rideable days per month and region
Region	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Florida 132	19	22	26	28	29	26	26	24	21	23	20	19
Texas 98	26	26	29	29	29	28	29	27	25	26	26	25
Michigan 95	26	23	27	27	26	25	23	24	20	26	24	27
Washington 92	8	9	14	14	16	14	14	13	10	12	10	11
Massachusetts 76	20	21	25	26	28	26	27	26	23	24	21	20
Oregon 71	12	12	19	22	24	23	25	19	18	15	12	14
California 68	11	15	22	22	24	22	22	22	20	16	12	7
Hawaii 64	8	11	17	13	16	18	19	19	17	17	17	10

Rideable days per month, averaged over the 2024-2025 readings, spot by spot. Regions are ordered by number of spots; the grey figure is that count. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

A rideable day means at least two consecutive hours at 7 knots or more, from a direction that works on the spot. Average of 2024 and 2025.

The windiest spots

2024-2025 average

Average rideable days per year, computed from 2024-2025 readings. A day counts as rideable when it has at least two consecutive hours of wind at 7 knots or more, blowing from a direction that works for the spot.

Good to know

Parks and access fees: many spots lie inside national or state parks, with entrance fees, opening hours and designated launch zones. Rules vary from spot to spot.
Airports and wildlife: some spots, such as Kanaha on Maui, have restrictions linked to air traffic; others require keeping your distance from turtles, seals or birds.
Shallow southern waters: in the Texas and Florida lagoons, shuffle your feet as you walk to move away rays resting on the bottom.
Distances: a road trip between two regions is counted in days. Most riders plan their seasons by region rather than chasing wind everywhere.
Insurance: medical care is very expensive; travel insurance that covers board sports is strongly recommended.
Water temperature: freezing on the Pacific coast and in the Columbia Gorge, warm in Texas, Florida and Hawaii.