I think a trip to Cape Hatteras is in your future. There are a few kiters here in Atlanta whom I'm sure would be happy to offer words of advice and encouragement but that's about it.

The water was cold in February, not so much now . Kiting and windsurfing are cold weather sports here. Plan on investing in some decent neoprene. Don't cheap out - 'wind' sports have some very specific requirements for wetsuits.

btw, welcome, enjoy and be safe.

Hey, I'm new to the sport too, but I'd really like to get my feet wet (no pun intended) this summer. Naturally I would think that kiting is a summer thing, but you mentioned that kiting is a "winter sport", why so? Is it because motorized boats dominate the lakes in the summer?
Second question, since I'm new, I'll be needing lessons/gear. Where's the best place for me to go?
Third question, I live in Atlanta (Brookhaven area), moved here a couple months ago. Is Lake Lanier the place for me to go practice or are there better spots out there?

The chase boat is in the water but year after year nobody every takes me up on it.

Boat traffic is real bad on the weekends from Memorial Day thru July 4, then it will slack off some. Also, the wind gets lighter in June, July and Aug.

The main kiting launch is Old Federal, and when the lake level is low, there is a sandbar, which is nice for practicing flying the kite in lite air. But the lake just filled up.

I believe kite lessons are available in Charleston, Tybee (Savannah) and Jacksonville and maybe the pan-handle of FL. And in the OuterBanks of NC, there are several big Kite Shops/Schools, and they have great conditions for kiting, shallow water and wind. Also, lessons and shallow water are available in Tarpon Springs, FL.

Gene

I love the OBX and Tarpon.

Florida Panhandle would be Emerald Coast KiteBoarding in Panama City. Web site has nice details about lessons.
Good people
http://www.pcbkitesurf.com/kiteboarding-lessons-info-rates/

Hey, I'm new to the sport too, but I'd really like to get my feet wet (no pun intended) this summer. Naturally I would think that kiting is a summer thing, but you mentioned that kiting is a "winter sport", why so? Is it because motorized boats dominate the lakes in the summer?
Second question, since I'm new, I'll be needing lessons/gear. Where's the best place for me to go?
Third question, I live in Atlanta (Brookhaven area), moved here a couple months ago. Is Lake Lanier the place for me to go practice or are there better spots out there?

http://windsurfatlanta.org/wiki/Weather_%28Atlanta%29

Lanier is the best place close to Atlanta. For both windsurfing and kiting, you need open space with as few obstacles to the wind as possible. For example, a 100 ft pine affects the wind from 700-1000 ft or more downwind.

Chris Campbell has mentioned if one is close to Augusta, there are other choices.

http://windsurfatlanta.org/wiki/Lake_Lanier

Wow, thanks for all the info.
What about gear? I'm guessing I need:
- lifejacket
- gloves
- some sort of boots
- warm clothing
Any recommendations for board and kite size for a smaller guy (135lbs-ish)? I'm probably just going to save $ and buy something second-hand off Craigslist/eBay

I met a kiter while traveling last year in California and he suggested buying a kite and flying it in a park somewhere to get the hang of it. Any thoughts/recommendations on this?

P.S. Kinda sucks that everything good (lessons, kiting spots) is >5 hours drive away. I need to move closer to the coast.

Heng, You've probably already heard this, but just in case you haven't, I think I should chime in.
The universal advice I hear from EVERYBODY I ask about kiting is "TAKE THE LESSONS!".
I've been sailing for 40+ years and windsurfing for almost 20. My sailing friends who also kite and know me well, still say– "Take the Lessons".
I own a kite and have flown it a little with an experienced kiter's help. After about 20 minutes, it was clear to me that lessons will save a TON of time in getting proficient and especially understanding the gear and what to buy. Buying a kite and trying to figure it out seems like a good way to get hurt. :shock:

I recommend Emerald Coast in PC for lessons. That's where I'll be going.

Good luck!

When kiting was new I tried the sport and concluded there just aren't many days when you can kite on area lakes. Conditions are better on the coast, but considering the drive, you need two days to make the trip worthwhile. In Atlanta there are far more great days for windsurfing than kiting. Lake Lanier is a short enough drive that I can see wind in the trees and drive to the Lake when I know conditions will be good.

Lake winds tend to be gusty and windsurfers handle gusts much better than kites. There are obstacles for kiters - sailboat masts, and trees along the shoreline that are no problem for windsurfers. You're in the water a lot more kiting than windsurfing, and our steadiest, strongest winds are during winter and early spring when the water is too cold for most kiters.

The Outer Banks have much better conditions for kiting and the water is already warming up in the Sound. I agree with Chris about the importance of lessons for becoming proficient and avoiding serious injury when kiting. Ocean Air, Kitty Hawk Kites, and Real Kites offer lessons on the Outer Banks.