Kitesurfing Belmont Shore · Long Beach

Wind & Conditions

Belmont Shore in Long Beach, SoCal. W-SW sea breeze (230-270°, 10-18 kn) in summer afternoons. Small swell, warm water. The Alamitos Bay entrance provides a flat-water option. One of the few accessible kite zones in the LA metro area.

About Belmont Shore · Long Beach

Belmont Shore sits at the southern edge of the Los Angeles metro area, in the beachfront neighborhood of Long Beach, where a long strip of sand runs along the Pacific coast before curving around into the protected waters of Alamitos Bay. For kiters, this matters: you get a choice between open-coast conditions facing the Pacific and the flat-water option at the bay entrance, all within reach of one of the largest urban populations in the US. Getting here is straightforward by LA standards. Long Beach is well-connected by freeway, and Belmont Shore has street parking along the beach access points — though competition for spots picks up on sunny afternoons, exactly when you want to be on the water. Plan to arrive early if you're coming on a weekend. The wind that makes this spot work is the classic Southern California sea breeze, running W-SW (230–270°) most summer afternoons. It typically fills in late morning to early afternoon and can build to 10–18 knots on a reliable day. The usable wind window runs from 135° to 315°, which covers that sea-breeze corridor cleanly. It's thermal-driven and afternoon-weighted, which means morning sessions are often light — patience pays. On the ocean side, expect small swell and the chop that comes with an onshore breeze over open water. It's manageable for intermediate and above riders comfortable with powered-up conditions and some wave action. The Alamitos Bay entrance, just to the east, offers the flat-water alternative: shallower, calmer, and more forgiving for those who want to work on technique without the bounce. Warm water is one of this spot's underrated advantages. Southern California ocean temperatures are comfortable in peak summer, making longer sessions easy even without much neoprene. As urban kite spots go, this one demands situational awareness. The beach draws swimmers, paddleboarders, and the general Long Beach summer crowd. Launching and landing with a clear head and good communication with your crew matters here — there's no remote beach buffer. Respecting other beach users is part of fitting in. For food and drink after a session, Bacari Long Beach is the closest option at around 637 metres, and the Boathouse on the Bay is another solid choice roughly 1.3 km away. The Belmont Shore neighborhood has a good cluster of restaurants and bars within walking distance for a longer post-session stretch. Belmont Shore won't make anyone's list of the world's great kite destinations, but it delivers something harder to find: reliable afternoon thermal wind in driving distance of millions of people. If you're based in LA or visiting with gear, this is the spot that makes an otherwise kite-dry metro area work.

Best Season

Check the Breeza app for the current rideable window at Belmont Shore · Long Beach.

World Ranking

Not globally ranked, but a kitesurf destination — a local favourite worth a check when the wind lines up.

Location

Belmont Shore · Long Beach, California, United States, United States

Lat: 33.7485, Lon: -118.1266