Every region of Florida has its kiteboarding spots and communities. Orlando is landlocked but only a short drive from two major kiteboarding cities, Cocoa Beach and St Petersburg, Florida. There are many more kiteboarding spots in each city, but these are some of our favorites.

Cocoa Beach is a shorter drive from Orlando, but you can only kite in specific wind directions. If there is an east wind, you'll have better luck in St Petersburg or Tampa. Many spots on the east coast of Florida do work with every wind direction. Likewise, there are many honorable mention spots in Cocoa Beach.

In this blog, we'll highlight each location, what style of kiteboarding it's best for, and why you would want to kite there. If you live in Orlando, you’re positioned in a great city to access some of Florida's best kite locations.

That said, there are many more spots to ride, and you can always call us to ask about kiteboarding in Florida. If you want more details about these spots, we'll also provide links to a complete spot guide for each beach in our table of contents.

Best wind directions. N, S, E, W

While it's not the closest kiteboarding beach, it is the most consistent place for wind in Central Florida. Skyway Beach will work with any wind direction and has shallow, flat water for freestyle or big air kiters looking for perfect training conditions. If you’re driving, you want to go somewhere the wind will work.

With so many possible wind directions, this is a safe bet. A large sandbar protects the kite beach and riding area, making it perfect for beginner kiteboarders. Several kitesurfing schools are located here, and you'll always be greeted by warm faces and stoked kiteboarders. There are also areas with deep water for kite foil and wing foil.

The beach is located at the rest stop on the northbound side of the Skyway Bride. There are two main kiteboarding beaches. Skyway East and Skyway West. Depending on the direction of the wind, you can ride either side.
Skyway East has white sugar sand, palm trees, and a considerable setup area. Skyway West has a smaller setup area, but the shallow riding area is massive. You do have to sail out past a boat channel to get to the larger kiteboarding area.

Best wind directions N, NE, W.

The 520 Slick is the closest kiteboarding destination to Orlando, and it's incredible when the wind lines up. On the 520 between Merit Island and Cocoa Beach, there is a small boat launch and parking lot. You can set up your kitesurfing kite in the grass in front of the mangroves. There are two small openings where kiters will drift and launch their kites.

The water here is shallow and butter flat. Cocoa Beach is home to one of the glassiest spots in the state and is perfect for beginner kiteboarders or advanced riders chasing the conditions. The mangroves here can make the wind gusty, but the wind is clean to the west of the launch spot. You can sail down near the bridge and get smoother wind.

Big air kitesurfers will use the mangroves for the updraft to get extra air. Elite Watersports hosts a Big Air Tour stop here for a reason. The key is to ride close to the mangroves and jump near the openings. For example, if you ride in the open space to the west, you can jump right where the mangroves start for an extra boost.

Best wind directions S, SW, W, NW.

Cypress Park, nestled in South Tampa, is a unique flatwater haven with two kiteboarding beaches on its south and north sides. It offers amenities like public restrooms, charcoal grills, shade, and picnic tables. The park's grassy areas are perfect for setting up or tearing down your kites. The park's south side features a spacious riding area for kiteboarding, but the size of the beach will vary with the tide.

Rest assured, both low and high tides offer stable conditions. During low tide, you'll have the most space to set up, launch, and land your kite. At high tide, while there may be some obstacles on the shore, the shallow water makes it easy to walk out from the beach to drift launch.

Ideal for beginners, the north beach at Cypress Park offers more space to set up and launch. The expansive riding area provides plenty of flat water for twintip kitesurfing and freestyle. However, the water can be too shallow for kite foiling or wingfoiling, and you have to walk quite a long way to reach the deep water.

Best wind directions S, W, N.

While this kiteboarding destination may require a longer drive from Orlando, it's a hidden gem worth the journey. With its long jetty-like bridge, Fred Howard Park transforms the entire area into a sprawling kiteboarding slick with flat water. The island is a picturesque parking lot adorned with sandy beaches and swaying palm trees, offering a unique and inviting setting for water sports enthusiasts.

Kiteboarding is not allowed on the main beach at Fred Howard Park. However, two smaller, secluded beaches are on the backside, perfect for kiteboarders and wingsurfers to rig up. This destination boasts the longest stretch of glassy flat water on the west coast of Florida, creating an ideal playground for foiling and big air kiters. Fred Howard Park is hands down the best flatwater spot on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

For intermediate kiteboarders and those seeking a less challenging experience, Fred Howard Park brings a lot to the table. The conditions are highly sought-after by freestyle kiteboarders. The launch area size varies with the tide, and during high tide, you must walk into the water to maintain a safe distance from beach obstacles.

Be careful not to leave your gear on the beach. The tide comes in fast, and your kiteboarding equipment can get swept away. The water downwind of the road offers a smoother experience than most sand bar-based flat water spots in Florida. At high tide, it's good for kite and wing foiling, making it a top kiteboarding beach in Central Florida.

Best wind directions ENE, E SE.

Okay, we admit it; this is a 2-hour drive from Orlando, but it should be on your radar. Huguenot Park is located in Jacksonville and is not exactly a convenient drive. Kiteboarding at Huguenot Park will work in all wind directions but is best with an east wind. Save this spot for your days off or the weekend, and you won't be disappointed.This kiteboarding location spot has a massive shallow lagoon along the ocean, complete with a campground, incredible waves, a flatwater jetty, and ocean flats with perfect wave kickers.

Huguenot Park is ideal for new kitesurfers looking for shallow, forgiving conditions to learn. It has a large area known as the mudhole, where big air and freestyle kiteboarders can ride in butter-flat water and perfectly smooth wind. The Jetty sometimes produces a long, glassy, endless wave, perfect for surfing and kitesurfing.

The ocean can produce flat water conditions with wave kickers and extra power with an outgoing tide. On an east wind day, you can also use the outgoing current for massive jumps or insurance that you can ride, so if you drive on a lighter wind day, there will still be enough power to kiteboard. You need to experience it to see what the hype is all about.  

There are many amazing kiteboarding schools in Florida. In Tampa Bay we boast some of the easiest conditions for learning, consistent wind and our ace in the hole is the fact that we can ride any wind direction here. If you are thinking of learning to kiteboard, give us a call and we can help you plan your kiteboarding trip.

If you need help give us a call. .
(727)-800-2202

There are many amazing kiteboarding schools in Florida. In Tampa Bay we boast some of the easiest conditions for learning, consistent wind and our ace in the hole is the fact that we can ride any wind direction here. If you are thinking of learning to kiteboard, give us a call and we can help you plan your kiteboarding trip.

If you need help give us a call. .
(727)-800-2202