Riding zones in the Houston and Galveston area
Scroll down to see a closeup of these zones with descriptions, wind directions, and general information about the riding areas. There are more less popular riding spots but these are the main ones. Any questions/comments email houston@xlkites.com or just leave a comment on the site.
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| Location name | GPS | Body of Water | Access Type | Best Wind Directions | Skill Required |
| Morgan’s Point | 29.676588,-94.98275 | Galveston Bay | Beach | South, Southeast, East | Beginner/Intermediate |
| Be careful of the strong currents from ships passing through the east end of the beach. You may have some trouble with the police as this is private property, but I’ve never ran into issues. The water is shallow and good for beginners if you stay to the west side in front of the large houses. | |||||
| Sylvan Beach Park | 29.654433, -95.008618 | Galveston Bay | Beach/Boat Ramp | South, Southeast, East | Intermediate |
| There is a new beach being put in at the East end of the the park. Other than that there is a boat ramp that can be launch from on the west side. Deep water comes up fast off shore | |||||
| Atkinson Islands | various | Galveston Bay | boat launch/riding destination for tanker waves | Any | Advanced |
| These islands are a great place to ride on any wind direction because of their remoteness it is a advanced riding area even though the riding is actually pretty tame. To get their you can ride from El Jardin or either of the above riding spots, another option is to get a good freind to take you out there in a boat. The southern most island is great for catching tanker waves. Ask the guys at XLKITES about this as they head out here occasionally. | |||||
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| Location name | GPS | Body of Water | Access Type | Best Wind Directions | Skill Required |
| El Jardin | El Jardin Dr. | Galveston Bay | grassy launch beach access | South, Southeast | Beginner/intermediate |
| Great spot on any South Wind, but gets tight fast when there are more than 4 or so riders there. The West side of the riding area has a jetty and the east side has a broken dock that goes into the bay which confines this spot. If you ride here be comfortable with deep water as it gets deep after about 100ft or so. Also, if there are a lot of riders get out past the end of the broken dock and stay outside to allow other riders to go in and out of the beach. If you get into trouble there are large yard you can land you kite in to the east and west of the launching area, but you’ll need booties to make it over the rip-rap or bulkheads at thier shoreline. | |||||
| Atkinson Islands | various | Galveston Bay | boat launch/riding destination for tanker waves | Any | Advanced |
| These islands are a great place to ride on any wind direction because of their remoteness it is a advanced riding area even though the riding is actually pretty tame. To get their you can ride from El Jardin or either of the above riding spots, another option is to get a good freind to take you out there in a boat. The southern most island is great for catching tanker waves. Ask the guys at XLKITES about this as they head out here occasionally. | |||||
| Clear Lake Park | Clear Lake | grassy launch with bulkhead or smooth cement access | Southwest, South, Southeast | Advanced | |
| Clear Lake Park is a good spot on a very strong southern wind. The launch is grassy and enterance is sloping cement bulkhead so not too bad. The water gets deep fast so being able to stay upwind is a must, the lauch and landing area is also very tight depending on the wind direction. Another option for getting in and out of the water is the boat ramp located on the western side of the park. | |||||
| Seabrook Sailing club | Toddville Rd. | Galveston Bay | tight gravel/grassy launch with boat ramp or dock access | Southeast, South, East | Advanced |
| Bacliff Spillway Park | Park Rd. | Galveston Bay | grassy launch with boat ramp or rock access | NW, North, NE, East, ESE | Beginner/intermediate |
| This is one fo the best spots on the bay for a Northwest wind. The launch area is nice but the water access is a little dogy with the boat ramp and rocks. It is all good once you get into the water. The spillway area nex to the boatramp is super shallow and a great spot to ride if the wind is Southeast. That metal/cement bulkhead is a good jump on a high-tide windy day. The water here is shallow out to the end of the bulkhead or that wood tower then is gets deep fast. If you get into trouble here head for the large lawns to the east and self land. | |||||
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| Location name | GPS | Body of Water | Access Type | Best Wind Directions | Skill Required |
| Levee Lagoon | 29.454994-94.929428 | Galveston Bay | boat launch/riding destination | East, Northeast | Beginner/Intermediate |
| Great Spot as a riding destination with a group of people from the Levee on an East wind or with a boat in any wind direction. You can anchor your boat inside the lagoon to keep it out of the swell. The lagoon water is 3-4ft deep and butter flat on any wind direction. It is also a great place for pics or island hoping video. The XLKITES crew make a trip out here fairly often, if you’re interested call the shop. | |||||
| Dollar Bay east | Ranki Dewalt Rd | Dollar Bay/Moses Lake | grassy launch and grassy access | West, Northwest, North, Northeast | Intermediate |
| This is a good spot that is close to the Levee for when the wind switches from a Levee ride-able direction to a westerly direction (which is horrible at the Levee). Dollar bay west can be accessed directly from the road leaving the levee directly adjacent to the shooting range. Follow the same road back and you’ll see the grassy launch area. | |||||
| Dollar Bay west | 29th St N. | Dollar Bay/Moses Lake | tight grassy launch and rocky/grassy access | West, Northwest, North, Northeast | Intermediate |
| Interested spot if you lived in Texas city in the neighborhood around 29th street. There are two launches, one off to the west side of 29th st while you’re driving down and one in an empty lot on 29th after taking the right turn. | |||||
| Texas City Levee | Skyline Drive | Galveston Bay | grassy launch beach access | South, Southeast, East, Northeast, North | Beginner |
| Best spot for beginners in the USA. 1-2 square miles of area of waist-deep flat water to practice on. This spot has a great grassy launching area and easy access with a dedicated kitesurfing and windsurfing beach. If the wind is blowing there are always riders out here. This is also where XLKITES conducts all thier lessons so there is usually a watercraft in the water as well. | |||||
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| Location name | GPS | Body of Water | Access Type | Best Wind Directions | Skill Required |
| Boliver Penisula | Gulf of Mexico | beach | Any Direction | Beginner | |
| Worth the ferry ride over. The flats are great for new guys and there is surf for more experienced riders. The wind gets a little gusty on any directions off shore, but is still ride-able. | |||||
| East Beach | Gulf of Mexico | beach | Southwest, Southeast, South, East | Beginner | |
| Great spot for landboarding or land bugging! Perfect for new surf riders or new riders in general. Becareful of the jetties and current, the water gets deep fast so stay close to shore if you’re new. This is where XLKITES teaches landboarding, bugging and beginner kitesurfing lessons in the Houston and Galveston area. | |||||
| Stewart Beach | Gulf of Mexico | beach | Southwest, Southeast, South, East | Intermediate | |
| Great spot for more experienced riders. It is only intermediate because of the amount of people and lake of space in that area. The winter is less busy but still pretty tight for new riders. New guys should stick to East beach if riding in Galveston. | |||||
| Galveston Seawall | Gulf of Mexico | beach | Southwest, Southeast, South, East | Intermediate | |
| Very tight launch site with little room for error with people and the proximity to the roadway. Watch out for surfers and swimmers once in the water, also be aware of the jetties in high surf they’ll sneak up on you. | |||||