United States
22 wing and kite foil spots, with conditions, best season and the schools and rental stations at each.
Cape Cod – West Dennis Beach
Massachusetts
- Water
- Chop
- Best season
- Jun–Sep
A mile-long sandy beach on Nantucket Sound, one of the East Coast's best-known kite spots. In summer a thermal south-westerly of about 20 knots comes in most…
1 center · Lessons
Cape Hatteras – Outer Banks
North Carolina
- Water
- Flat and waves
- Best season
- Mar–Jun · Sep–Nov
A 50-mile barrier island with the Atlantic on one side and the shallow Pamlico Sound on the other, so there is a launch for every wind direction and…
2 centers · Lessons, Rental
Charleston – Sullivan's Island
South Carolina
- Water
- Flat water
- Best season
- Mar–May
A barrier island at the mouth of Charleston Harbor with miles of sandy beach and consistent spring winds over flat to choppy water, suitable for all levels…
1 center · Lessons, Rental
Cocoa Beach – Banana River
Florida
- Water
- Flat water
- Best season
- Oct–Apr
A shallow lagoon behind the barrier island at Cocoa Beach on Florida's Space Coast, with calm, flat water that is ideal for beginners and freestyle riders; the…
1 center · Lessons
Corpus Christi
Texas
- Water
- Chop
- Best season
- Mar–Aug
The windiest place in the continental United States and famous for its consistency: from March to August a thermal southerly to south-easterly arrives in the…
2 centers · Lessons, Rental
Crissy Field
San Francisco, California
- Water
- Chop
- Best season
- Apr–Sep
Riding under the Golden Gate Bridge in a strong, gusty summer sea breeze, cold water, big chop and powerful tidal currents that can push you out to sea. It is…
3 centers · Lessons
Floras Lake
Oregon
- Water
- Flat water
- Best season
- Apr–Oct
A spring-fed freshwater lake separated from the Pacific by a narrow sand spit on the southern Oregon coast, called the best place to learn in the state. The…
1 center · Lessons, Rental
Hood River – Columbia River Gorge
Oregon
- Water
- Chop
- Best season
- Jun–Sep
Hot desert to the east and a cool coast to the west drive a strong, reliable summer thermal through the Gorge, with wind over 20 knots on around 190 days a…
5 centers · Lessons, Rental
Jupiter
Florida
- Water
- Flat and waves
- Best season
- Nov–Apr
Jupiter's kite beach on Florida's Atlantic coast north of Palm Beach, with a mix of flat water and waves that suits both freestyle and wave riding. The season…
2 centers · Lessons
Key West
Florida Keys
- Water
- Flat water
- Best season
- Oct–Apr
The chain of islands at the end of the Florida Keys is surrounded by ocean on every side and has some of the best flat-water riding in the United States, with…
2 centers · Lessons
Lake Michigan – Grand Haven
Michigan
- Water
- Waves
- Best season
- Apr–May · Sep–Nov
The Great Lakes' kite mecca on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, home of the MACkite shop and its spring and autumn events. North-westerlies bring waves that…
1 center · Lessons
Long Beach – Belmont Shore
California
- Water
- Flat water
- Best season
- Apr–Sep
A wide beach in Long Beach behind the harbour breakwater, so the Pacific swell stays outside and the water is flat to choppy with long stretches of room…
4 centers · Lessons, Rental
Maliko Gulch downwinder
Maui, Hawaii
- Water
- Waves
- Best season
- Apr–Sep
The 15 km run from Maliko Gulch to Kanaha is the world's best-known downwind course, where foil downwinding was pioneered: strong summer trades line up…
Maui – Kanaha & Kite Beach
Maui, Hawaii
- Water
- Flat and waves
- Best season
- Mar–Oct
The north-shore trade winds at Kanaha Beach Park and neighbouring Kite Beach made Maui the birthplace of modern kiting and a wing-foil hub, with a who's who of…
5 centers · Lessons
Miami – Crandon Park
Florida
- Water
- Chop
- Best season
- Nov–Apr
Miami's beaches fill with sunbathers and carry strict rules, so the riding happens a short drive away: Crandon Park on Key Biscayne is the most popular spot, a…
5 centers · Lessons
Oahu – Kailua
Oahu, Hawaii
- Water
- Flat and waves
- Best season
- Apr–Oct
Kailua Bay on the green windward side of Oahu, the spiritual home of kiteboarding and of names like Naish and Cabrinha, is a white-sand, turquoise bay that…
3 centers · Lessons, Rental
Oahu – Mokulēʻia
Oahu, Hawaii
- Water
- Waves
- Best season
- Jun–Aug
A beach park on Oahu's North Shore, the island's wave-riding alternative to Kailua. The trade wind here is strong and gusty and the waves range from small to…
San Diego – Mission Bay California- Water
- Flat water
A large, calm saltwater bay in San Diego where schools teach wing foiling off Fiesta Island and from the aquatic centre. The sheltered water suits first lessons…
3 centers · Lessons
Santa Cruz – Waddell Creek
California
- Water
- Waves
- Best season
- May–Sep
A beach on Highway 1 north of Santa Cruz where the summer north-westerly meets Pacific swell. Conditions mix chop and waves, good for both freestyle and wave…
Sherman Island
California
- Water
- Chop
- Best season
- Apr–Sep
An island in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, about an hour east of San Francisco, where the summer thermal pulled in from the Bay blows reliably from…
South Padre Island
Texas
- Water
- Flat and waves
- Best season
- Mar–Jul · Oct–Dec
The longest barrier island in the world, on the Gulf coast of Texas near the Mexican border, with flat water on the bay side and waves on the ocean side like a…
2 centers · Lessons Tampa Bay – St. Petersburg Florida- Water
- Flat water
Florida's Gulf Coast around St. Petersburg has become one of the busiest places in the south-east US to learn wing foiling. Schools use the shallow bay water…
4 centers · LessonsSchools and rental
47 stations at this spot: what they offer, whose gear they run and when they are open.
A shop that teaches first-timers in a shallow, sheltered corner of Crissy Field with careful tide planning.
Action Sports Maui Maui – Kanaha & Kite BeachThe largest Maui school teaching first wing lessons at Kanaha, licensed on the beach since 1996.
Always Kiting Long Beach – Belmont ShoreLong Beach kite shop teaching at Belmont Shore, with all gear, radio helmet and wetsuit included in the lesson fee.
Best Pro Kiteboarding Tampa Bay – St. PetersburgJet ski-assisted beginner wing foil lessons in shallow water around St. Petersburg.
Big Winds Hood River – Columbia River GorgeAn outfitter that has served the Gorge wind sports community for decades, with wing foiling lessons, rentals and a large gear shop in...
Boardsports California Crissy FieldWing foil lessons at Crown Beach in Alameda and Coyote Point in San Mateo.
Cascade Kiteboarding Hood River – Columbia River GorgeA Hood River school specialising in beginner and intermediate kite and wing instruction.
Complete Kiteboarding Maui – Kanaha & Kite BeachTroy Schafer's kite and wing foil lessons on Maui.
E-FoilUSA Miami – Crandon ParkA foil school on Biscayne Bay with private boat lessons, women's clinics and kids' courses.
EFoil Miami Miami – Crandon ParkThree-level wing lessons on Biscayne Bay and at Virginia Key.
Elite Watersports Tampa Bay – St. PetersburgA St. Petersburg school teaching wing foiling around Tampa Bay, from Tarpon Springs to Sarasota.
Extreme Oahu Oahu – KailuaWing foil lessons on Oahu.
Floras Lake Windsports Floras LakeFamily-run school on freshwater Floras Lake since 1990, teaching kite, wing, foil and windsurf from April to September with jet-ski support.
Foil Surf Co. San Diego – Mission BayPrivate wing foil lessons in Mission Bay from local foilers with twenty years' experience.
HST Windsurfing & Kitesurfing School Maui – Kanaha & Kite BeachMaui's oldest and largest water sports school, teaching windsurf, kite and wing foil.
Hawaiian Watersports Oahu – KailuaA Kailua school with 35 years on the bay, teaching wing foil with two-way radio helmets.
Hollands Surfside South Padre IslandBoat-supported kite and wing foil lessons on South Padre Island.
Inland Sea Windsurf Co. Cape Cod – West Dennis BeachCape Cod shop teaching mostly private one-on-one kite lessons with radio helmets, and selling demo and used wing gear.
Jupiter Watersports JupiterJupiter watersports shop offering kite lessons in lesson packages, with gear included.
Key West Kiteboarding Key WestA kite school in Key West.
Kite Club Hatteras Cape Hatteras – Outer Banks- Certified by
- IKO
An IKO kite school on Hatteras Island that also runs IKO instructor training courses.
Kiteboarding North Padre Island Corpus ChristiJet ski-assisted wing foil lessons around Corpus Christi, Port Aransas and North Padre Island.
Kitesurf Life Long Beach – Belmont ShoreIKO Pro Center permitted by the City of Long Beach to teach and rent at the Belmont Shore kite beach from spring to autumn.
MACkite Boardsports Center Lake Michigan – Grand HavenGrand Haven board sports centre and shop running kite, wing foil and e-foil lessons, with two-day kite camps on Lake Michigan.
MANTA Wind and Water Sports San Diego – Mission BayTwo-hour beginner wing foil lessons on Fiesta Island in Mission Bay, from age 12.
Maui Wingfoiling Lessons Maui – Kanaha & Kite BeachWing foil lessons on Maui.
Miami Wing Foil School Miami – Crandon ParkWing foil lessons at Key Biscayne, Virginia Key and Miami Beach.
Mission Bay Aquatic Center San Diego – Mission BayPrivate winging lessons at the Mission Bay Aquatic Center.
NB Windsurfing Tampa Bay – St. PetersburgPrivate wind and wing foil lessons at St. Pete Beach.
New Wave Kiteboarding JupiterStuart-based school teaching kite, wing foil, e-foil and tow foil around Jupiter, Stuart and Palm Beach.
Northwave Hood River Hood River – Columbia River GorgeA Columbia Gorge windsurfing and wing foiling shop offering rentals and repairs.
Ocean Freaks Key West Key WestKite and wing foil lessons in shallow water around Key West.
Off The Hook Kiteboarding Long Beach – Belmont ShoreKite and wing foil lessons at Belmont Shore in Long Beach, focused on safety.
Paka'a Foil Hawaii Oahu – KailuaA wing and foil centre on Oahu.
Prokite South Padre South Padre IslandYear-round kite, foil and wing lessons and a shop on South Padre Island.
Pure Stoke Sports Hood River – Columbia River GorgeThe Hood River outdoor retailer formerly known as 2nd Wind Sports, specialising in wing, hydrofoil and kite gear.
REAL Watersports Cape Hatteras – Outer Banks- Brands
- CORE
The big kite and wing centre in Waves on Hatteras Island, with lessons, camps, a shop and its own lodging on the sound; a CORE partner...
Ron Jon Kiteboarding Cocoa Beach – Banana RiverThe largest and longest-running kite shop around Cocoa Beach, offering lessons, gear, repairs and advice for the Banana River.
SA Kitesurf Adventures Tampa Bay – St. PetersburgWing lessons from St. Petersburg and Clearwater to Bradenton and Sarasota.
SF Wing Foil Academy Crissy FieldBeginner and intermediate wing foil lessons from Tiburon with a private dock and boat support, plus guided tours of Crissy Field.
Sealand Adventure Sports Charleston – Sullivan's IslandKite and foil shop on Sullivan's Island whose PASA-certified instructors have kited there for over 20 years.
Slingshot Demo Center Hood River – Columbia River Gorge- Brands
- Slingshot
Slingshot's own demo centre at its Hood River home, offering free two-day demos of its wings, foils and kites.
SoCal Kitesurfing Long Beach – Belmont ShoreLarge IKO Pro Center on the Belmont Shore kite beach, where the Long Beach breakwall keeps the water flat.
TKS Miami Miami – Crandon ParkPrivate wing foil lessons in Miami on Duotone, Fanatic, Naish and F-One gear.
Wind Addict Miami – Crandon ParkA Miami kite and wing school and shop with boat charters.
Wing Foil Maui Maui – Kanaha & Kite BeachWing foil lessons on Maui.
Worldwinds Windsurfing Corpus ChristiWindsurf and wing foil lessons and rental at Bird Island Basin, open seven days a week.