Kemah Boardwalk ~ Kemah, TX

Houston doesn’t lack in fun attractions for the whole family – in fact they have some very unique places to visit. The Kemah Boardwalk, about 20 minutes south of downtown Houston, is a great place to spend the afternoon or evening with the entire family.

Reminiscent of an Atlantic boardwalk, Kemah Boardwalk has amusement rides, carnival games, beach shops, and great restaurants. We visited on a a weekday summer evening and found the crowds to be light, with small waits at the restaurants.

Upon first site, my kids were attracted to the rides. There are rides for all ages. My 3 year old enjoyed the Double-decker Carousel, the train, and some of the other “kiddie” rides, while the older ones braved the Drop Zone and the Boardwalk Bullet – the wooden roller coaster. Each ride can be ridden with a single purchase ticket or you can buy an all-day pass. The pass seems to make the most sense, but it doesn’t include the midway games.

Another fun attraction at Kemah Boardwalk is the Boardwalk Beast. This high-speed boat ride gives thrill-goers a fun look at Galveston Bay in a unique way. It is a pretty pricy tour, but looked like a ton of fun.

We really enjoyed just walking up and down the boardwalk – we saw jellyfish and seagulls. We could smell the salty-air. It was the closest we got to the “beach” without going down to Galveston.

But what fascinated my kids the most? We happened upon a Kemah Boardwalk employee tossing a pizza crust he found on the ground into the water. The fish went crazy over it – thousands of them jumping out of the water to get to it – and it was gone in a matter of seconds. My kids thought it was great.

And we didn’t pay a dime for that entertainment.

Overall, would I recommend Kemah Boardwalk for the family? Yes. It was a unique atmosphere and something fun to do for the evening. It was July and very hot in Houston, but being by the water that evening, it was very pleasant. Put it on your Houston to do list.

Here are some other great places to visit in Houston:

Space Center Houston

Children's Museum of Houston

Houston Zoo

Houston Museum of Natural Science

Omni Kids Fantasy Suite

The Woodlands Resort

Texas Travel Facts for Kemah Boardwalk: