When you look at the globe and picture road trips, there are several classics when it comes to surf. The Pacific Coast Highway in California, the entire Pan-American Highway through Mexico and Central America, the west coast of South America, South Africa and of course the east coast of Australia. But when combined with diversity and interesting history, I don’t think any of those can compete with the east coast of the USA. No drive changes as drastically in a few hours like this coast.
Photo by R. Craig
They worked, but were perpetually poor in England. So in 1733, one of the many King Georges sent 120 desperate souls to establish Savannah, known as America’s first planned city. The city was laid out in a series of grids that allowed for wide open streets separated by 24 large, oak shaded public squares and parks that served as places for meetings, elections and businesses. During the American Revolution, the British took Savannah in 1778 and held it into 1782. On October 9, 1779 Americans and their French allies tried to take the west side of the city from the British in the Battle of Savannah. Escavations revealed that these armies had soldiers from modern-day Haiti, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, England and Poland. African-American and Native American soldiers were also involved in the fight. The British finally abandoned the city in 1782 to concentrate troops as the Americans took control of major ports and cities in the North.
A winding, beautiful twenty mile drive east of Savannah will bring you to Tybee Island where there can be outstanding conditions for kiteboarding or kitesurfing. The waves are pretty crappy for surfing, but can be fun with the right tides and swell. There are four beaches for kiting that face every possible wind direction. Because of it’s location surrounded by salt marshes and the Savannah River mouth, having some wind is a pretty good bet on most days. https://tybeeisland.com/
Cape Fear to Cape Hatteras is one of America’s great meandering two lane backroads that follows the coast through small towns of friendly people, great local restaurants and superb park areas. Through pine and oak forests and along saw grass marshes you travel with surf and kite secret spots down every side road heading east. Unlimited stealth camping in the forests, under fishing piers and in restaurant parking lots, this coast gets slammed by hurricane swells during the summer months.
Bellamy Mansion photo by James L. Woodward
Nowhere in North Carolina is there more Revolutionary War activity than what is found here. More than forty battles and ongoing skirmishes were fought in and around the city during the war. Because it had the foresight to preserve so many buildings of different periods, Wilmington was chosen as one of the top 12 US Distinctive Destinations by The National Trust for Historic Preservation. Wilmington’s riverfront was ranked as the “Best American Riverfront” by readers of USA Today. For surfers and kiters this place is a gold mine with four beaches all within a half hour drive.
Wrightsville Beach has a reputation as a laid back place with friendly locals and killer barbecue. Of interest to me as a kitesurfer is the sailing history of this area.In 1853, the first structure on the island was built, the clubhouse for the Carolina Yacht Club, which is the third oldest yacht club in the United States.
Every beach on this coast has a fishing pier that serves as the focal point for community activities beyond just fishing. Places like Crystal Pier, Carolina Beach and Topsail Pier are a few spots. This coast faces southeast, so it will get thumping on southern hurricane swells. Tons of free space to yourself and with a place called Surf City, how can you go wrong?
Photo by Ed Potter
One of the main reasons that I have lived in the South most of my life is the incredible diversity of cultures here and especially those that converged throughout the past 400 plus years to form Southern Barbecue, in my opinion the tastiest food on the planet. You can smell smoked barbecue from a distance and your mouth is literally watering as you aim your car in the direction of the place. The absolute best seems to be a trailer some dude has put together and pulled out in front of his place on the black side of town down some side road under a pop up blue shelter. When the ribs are gone, so is he. To complement the seemingly endless tastes of smoke are sauces based on vinegar, tomato sauce, mustard and all kinds of local grown, secret herb mixes. This stuff is the reason I just could not be a vegetarian any more. And I love animals. But like some kind of soul drug, the smoke gets in your DNA. And get the sweet tea!
https://www.southernliving.com/food/entertaining/bbq-sauce-recipes
Photo by NASA
The Easternmost point of the United States of America is a wind battered, constantly sand shifting swell and wind magnet where there is almost never a flat day or without some sort of wind. Hundreds of shipwrecks lie offshore and pirates like Blackbeard called this place home while they weren’t out pillaging and walking people off of planks. The Wright Brothers tested man’s enternal desire to soar with the birds just north of here, which tells you about the almost constant wind. Hardcore surfers are here in the winter as the water is cold enough to make women out of manly men if you know what I mean. The variety of beaches and trails to the coast means there are plenty of places to get waves to yourself. https://www.outerbanks.com/blackbeard.html
https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/wright-brothers
George Washington is always shown as some sort of God like being who seemed to pure to take a crap even. Always looking somewhere beyond in deep thought and aloof to anyone even close by. History says otherwise as the Founding Father was a bad ass and big time! At 6’4″ he was loved by everyone and especially the ladies. He could party and dance till all hours and was one of the greatest military leaders in history. Yorktown is the culmination of his utter refusal to ever give up and after rallying his battered troops through Trenton, Princeton and the near death winter at Valley Forge, he inspired Americans to take up the fight and they achieved the impossible. Lord Cornwallis was Britain’s last real hope and the war ended a year after a few scraps were taken after his surrender at Yorktown.
Surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781. (Painting by John Trumbull)
Yorktown Beach may be the coolest kiteboard spot anywhere in the states historically unless you can get into Boston Harbor to buzz the Tea Party wharf. The parking gets full and the city has a trolley that takes you around to the historic sights and drops at the beach. So great to be the only tourist on the trolley with a kite, board and control bar. It’s good when the wind is from the E or NE, and the tide is going out. In summertime when swimmers are everywhere, you will have to duck a swim rope, or walk east towards the fishing pier to find a spot to launch from. There is a Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream right there for a perfect finish to this historic kite spot!
https://www.virginia.org/Listings/OutdoorsAndSports/YorktownBeach/
The only time to venture inland a bit is to pay homage to the city of Liberty –Philadelphia or Philly. Every corner of this place is throbbing with historical significance and should be a must see for anyone remotely interested in understanding what the experiment that is America is all about. Philadelphia is the place where the two sacred documents of the formation of the United States of America were formulated, argued over and eventually signed. The Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. At one time the capital of the country, it was also a place of battles, science and sieges. And you have to have a Philly Cheese Steak! Come on!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Historic_Landmarks_in_Philadelphia
Photo Meihe Chen
Oh man! Trenton! You river of the Delaware who Washington and his ragged band of rebels crossed to kick some Hessian ass and become the first victory towards the eventual independence of this country! It almost became the capital of the United States except for southern states who demanded that it be south of the Mason Dixon line. Hessian troops were hired by the King of England to come and have their way with the out of order colonists. They were ruthless and extremely disciplined in German military tactics. Imagine a bunch of hillbillys making Navy Seals look like lunch meat and you get the idea of the magnatude of the accomplishment of Washington’s genius and the absolute nerve of his troops. After the battles at Trenton and Princeton, he never had to worry again about the lack of numbers for his armies.
Surrender of Hessians at Trenton 1776 – Public Domain
Princeton, yeah, that Princeton. Where Einstein spent hours thinking in his disheveled office about universal properties, matter and, undoubtedly, his cousin/wife. But the University is not only one of the first in the States, but was also the site of Washington’s second victory a short few days after his band of freedom seeking revolutionaries left the Hessians bloodied and defeated in nearby Trenton. On a freezing January 3rd, in the new year of 1777, this may have been the most desperate of battles fought as it was against British Regulars. Washington surprised them ahead of scouts who wanted to bring news of his victory at Trenton. One of the fiercest fights of the war, this gave Washington and his now battle tested troops their first of many new victories against Mother England. After not being on the water for a few days, you can rent kayaks at Princeton Canoe and Kayak rental for a few hours of hearing splashes. Do not miss taking the Princeton University 23-stop smart phone tour of the campus! Check out the virtual tour link I have posted below to see one of the world’s finest learning places.
Photo by Hypnotica Studios Infinite
“Down in town the circuit’s full with switchblade lovers so fast so shiny so sharp
And the wizards play down on Pinball Way on the boardwalk way past dark”
Bruce Springsteen, 4th of July, Asbury Park
Known as “The Shore”, America’s party coast is famous for hundreds of miles of beach front boardwalks where funky is norm and hot dogs are cheap, bars are beachfront, music is on and arcades are still cool. Along this shoreline are over 40 towns and villages with distinct characters. Springsteen made Asbury Park famous and still plays in the area occasionally while Rock and Roll was first played live by Bill Haley and the Comets in the 50’s at Wildwood. The world’s greatest hotdogs are found at Max’s in Long Branch, horses race at Monmouth Park and Donovan’s Reef in Sea Bright is one of the best beach bars in the US of A.
The Jersey Shore is known on the East Coast as a magnet for surf and it seems to go off during the coldest months as regular posts are seen in surfing magazines of the hardcore checking surf in total neoprene, standing on snow as the ice along the shore gives way to crystal lips peeling offshore. Manasquan Inlet has deep water offshore leading to it, while the jetty and sandbars line up long barreling rights. This is one of the few places on the east coast known to handle massive hurricane swells and still have shape. The inlet allows for challengers to paddle out in the biggest of sets and blocks the surf from southern winds. Deep water leading to the inlet, a beefy jetty and good sandbars conspire to provide long barreling righthanders. Sand stopping jetties up and down the coast provide plenty of places for surf, but this coast is crowded. At least until the big stuff hits and filters out those with smaller testicles.
Photo by Dan Cirlin
Photo by Daniel Schwen
Entire lives are spent on this island and only a fraction of the things that can be done are touched. Just from the point of history of the revolution that became America, New York was the sight of the first battle that sent Washington and the Continental Army running for the hills and on their heels to head south to New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He read the Declaration of Independence first here at City Hall Park, was inaugurated at Federal Hall, worshiped at St. Paul’s Chapel and gave his farewell address at Fraunces Tavern. The Big Apple may be the best example of what he fought for – equality and life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness seem to be why this place pulsates!
Photo of Fort Washington by the US National Park Service
You are in NYC! Of course you can SUP! What does New York NOT have? There are two companies that offer rentals and tours to various parts of the city. If you rent you are confined to restricted areas to keep you from being killed by the insane amount of boat traffic, currents and winds. The tours run from only $65 up to $200 for a grueling round Manahattan Island run. The Statue of Liberty tour is 15 miles and about 2 hours of heavy paddling each way. Kitesurfers can take in the skyline at any of four nearby beaches – Plumb Beach, Breezy Point, Seagate or Rockaway.
Photo by Trevor Morrow
Heading east and north from New York City, you soon get an idea of how Long Island earned it’s name. People here begin to speak in the famous “Lonn-ga Eye land” accent and the city begins to thin out after about an hour drive. Soon you are winding past park lands and around the numerous bays as you head to the uppermost village at Montauk. You find yourself saying to yourself over and over -“this ain’t New York!” A place of legend for surfers, it has long had a reputation as a wilderness area with board snapping, cold water barrels that form over rock and sand bottoms. It was here that Alan Weisbecker began his sojourn across the USA and down the Pan-American Highway in search of his lost friend Patrick in the cult classic memoir “In Search of Captain Zero: A Surfer’s Road Trip Beyond the End of the Road.”
Photo by Tim Hetter
Photo by Abhi Suryawanshi
Boston is the American Revolution! One of the oldest cities in the USA, it was the place where “no taxation without representation” became the battle cry for the colonists who had enough of the King treating them like second class citizens. A place where so many had come before to escape poverty, class and religious injustice back in England, a unique culture of freedom had become established here and was the soul of this new place to the point of a flag being flown with the words of “Don’t Tread On Me” and the cry of “Give me liberty or give me death!” The Boston Commons was the first park in this new country and became the place where rebel speeches were given, effigies were hung in protest and the Colonial militia gathered for battle. In 1768, the British Redcoats took over the Commons and staged their operations from here for 8 years.
From the Old State House where the Boston Massacre occurred to Ben Franklin’s birthplace, Paul Revere’s house to the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Tea Party ships, Boston is a place where you cannot turn a corner without contemplation of those who came before and decided the fate of this United States of America, throwing off the chains of colonialism and gaining a new understanding of independence. The experiment that is the USA is a constant and dynamic struggle for these same issues throughout it’s short history and into today. The best way to see these sites as well as the sounds and smells of the downtown area is to rent a bicycle for $40 at Urban Adventours right next to the Christopher Columbus Park. You could take a tour, but I would recommend going it alone with your smart phone and the google “Tour Revolutionary Boston” map. Another idea is to buy a bicycle at a thrift shop, use it for the days you are in Boston and give it away when you leave. Use “bicycle” on Google directions and follow along at your own pace. There are over 18 stops and you can easily spend days doing this if you decide to go into each place.
https://www.urbanadventours.com/
https://www.battlefields.org/visit/itineraries/tour-revolutionary-boston-one-day
To a perfect finish of the trip, head east with either surfboard or kiting gear to get into the water at any of a number of surf spots just outside of the city. If you are an advanced level kiter, Pleasure Bay is located in Boston and has some of the finest flat water kiting on the east coast. Finish off the day with a lobster (lobstah) roll and a beer from the brewery at Sam Adams and raise a toast to the end of the greatest historical surf trip on the planet!https://magicseaweed.com/Massachusetts-Boston-Area-Surfing/267/
Photo by Richard Green
Sleep on Sand 
I thoroughly enjoyed this Mark. I love how you tied our country’s rich history into a surf trip.
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