Top three kitesurfing spots in Tampa Bay for beginners.

Kitesurfing in Tampa Bay is among the best kitesurfing locations in the world. The number of world-class kiteboarding spots makes Tampa Bay special for kiteboarding. Regardless of the wind direction or skill level, there is a good kite beach and a warm community. At Elite Watersports we’ve been teaching kiteboarding and kitesurfing here for years. Here is a list of our top three locations in St Petersburg FL, for new kite surfers.

Kitesurfing lessons at Tampa Bay Skyway East.

Tampa Bay Kitesurfing Spot #1 – Skyway Beach East.

Skyway Beach is amazing for kiteboarders of all skill levels. Our St Petersburg-based kitesurf school teaches here when this wind direction is right.

Why is Skyway Beach great for learning to kitesurf?

• A large forgiving beach for launching and landing your kite.
• Shallow calm water protected by a large sandbar.
• A large community of Tampa-based kite surfers looking out for each other.
• Ample area for kite foiling and wind winging.

The kitesurfing beach here offers plenty of parking. The water is shallow enough for the kiters to launch right from the shore. The sandbars make kitesurfing easy, fun, and forgiving for learning. It is also amazing for trying new kiteboarding tricks! The community here is one of the largest and friendliest in the state of Florida. Expect to make lots of new kite friends. There is almost always another kitesurfer here to help launch or land your kite or share the water with! 

There is some deep water on the perimeter of the beach. Kitefoilers and wingsurfers often come here to practice. The easy access and calm waters are some of the best found in the world.

Kiteboarding at Skyway Beach is amazing with shallow flat water.

 What to be aware of kiteboarding in Tampa Bay?

• Watch for changing tides. The beach can get smaller.
• Wear kitesurfing booties. There can be shells or rocks on the bottom.

If you want to take kitesurf lessons in St Petersburg this is our favorite kitesurf beach in Florida. It's perfect for twin tip kiting, foil kiting, or wing foiling. There is deeper water located on each side of the beach for big air kitesurfers who need a safe place to kite. The sandbar here is a luxury location for our jet ski-assisted kiteboarding lessons. Imagine standing in waist-deep blue water, with ample practice space. Now imagine a skilled kite instructor guiding you into this fun sport. You come off the water with a smile on your face and share a cold one with the friendly locals.  

Kiteboarding Lessons are safe and fun in this part of Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay Kitesurfing Spot #2 – Skyway Beach West.

The west side of the Skyway Bridge is a popular kitesurf location in Tampa Bay. It’s like the East side but there are some differences to be aware of. We love teaching here for many of the same reasons. The water is calm, shallow, forgiving, and flat.

We teach kitesurfing lessons here when the wind is not working on the other side. You will find the same community of Tampa Bay kitesurfers here looking out for each other. We often take our jet ski-assisted kite lessons out past the channel. Here you will find smoother wind and shallow flat water. There is plenty of space here to learn safely and quickly.

There is also deeper water located on the north side of this kite beach. You will find kitefoilers, big air kite surfers, and wind wingers practicing here.

• The kite launch area is smaller than Skyway East.
• There can be shells so wear booties.
• If you kitesurf too far north there isn’t a good place to exit the water. 

Kiteboarding in Fort Desoto East Beach 

Tampa Bay Kitesurfing Spot #2 – Fort Desoto East Beach.

Kitesurfing and teaching kitesurf lessons at East Beach is a real treat. The kite launching area here is one the safest and largest in Tampa Bay. There is easy beach access, easy parking, bathrooms, and a beach shower not far from the kite spot.

We don’t teach here as often but it stands out as one of the most special places for kiteboarding in Tampa and St Petersburg. Like the skyway, there is a large sandbar protecting the riding area. This keeps the water calm and smooth. The riding area is also forgiving and shallow. We love to come here during our free time to play and sometimes to teach. The wind here might be some of the smoothest in central Florida!

What to be aware of kiteboarding in Tampa Bay?

• You must go out far to find deep water.

This can be more challenging for kitefoiling and wind-winging. That said, for twin-tip kiteboarding, this is a real gem. You can still find deeper water past the sandbar. You will have to hike a ways out.

• Like most of the bay, there are shells so wear booties.

If you are learning to kitesurf give us a call or reserve your lessons here. Our kite instructors can teach you everything you need to know and recommend the best kitesurfing kite and gear for beginners.

Our expert team is also happy to build the best kitesurfing package for your needs. 

Take a kitesurfing lesson in St Petersburg with this fun crew!