There’s no better way to soak up the last few days of summer sun than Ride the Wind Day in St. Petersburg. Taking place on Friday, August 23, Ride the Wind Day celebrates the anniversary of the first human-powered flight to win the Kremer prize.
“It’s a bird. It’s a plane.” They’re kiteboarders! Since warm summer air is coming quickly to an end as the leaves begin to fall, come out and enjoy this fun-filled show of human exploration and ingenuity on Ride the Wind Day.
If flying yourself isn’t your idea of excitement, feel free to bring a kite or another artful aircraft. This is fun, especially for children who can fly their kites while their parents fly kiteboards.
What makes Ride the Wind Day in St. Pete one of the ideal locations for kiteboarding? The shallow waters where the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay meet to provide an ideal environment for beginners to learn kiteboarding, and it's lack of waves means that the waters are easier on the body's joints.
Kiteboarders can travel as fat as 26mph in the strong Florida gusts. There are also various styles of kiteboarding such as freeriding, surfing, and foilboarding. If you're feeling really brave, try your hand at parasailing!
If you’re interested in learning how to fly, kiteboarding school is available and costs around $100 per hour. Make sure your instructors are certified by the International Kiteboarding Organization before you set sail and hit the waves. You'll also have to rent gear and jet skis.
Some of the best companies to go kiteboarding in with in St. Petersburg are Elite Watersports, Kiteboarding St. Petersburg, and Best Pro Kiteboarding Center.
Since Ride the Wind Day is outdoors, make sure to pack all of the necessities: sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, towel, etc. You can even bring a lawn chair if you're content to watch other people fly!
Find more fun things to do in St. Petersburg by registering on 727area, your free guide to this side of the bay.
Cover photo courtesy of Pxhere