Best of Kemah, TX | Enjoy Gulf Coast
Kemah sits on Clear Lake where it meets Galveston Bay, anchored by the Kemah Boardwalk, a 60-acre Landry's-owned entertainment district with rides, waterfront restaurants, and summer fireworks. About 30 miles southeast of downtown Houston, it is the Bay Area's go-to day trip for families: wooden coasters, stingray exhibits, speedboat rides, and a dozen restaurants overlooking the bay.
Where Clear Lake meets the bay
Clear Lake is not really a lake — it is a brackish inlet off Galveston Bay, and Kemah sits at its mouth where the water opens wide. That geography made Kemah a natural boating town long before the boardwalk arrived: the lake's marinas hold thousands of slips, and the channel out to the bay carries everything from weekend sailboats to shrimp trawlers. The boardwalk commercialized the waterfront, but the boating culture underneath is older and deeper. On any given weekend, the lake is white with sails, and the Kemah channel is the front door to Galveston Bay for the entire Clear Lake fleet.
What to do
Kemah Boardwalk
The Kemah Boardwalk is a 60-acre waterfront entertainment district on Galveston Bay and Clear Lake, owned by Landry's. It features amusement rides including the Boardwalk Bullet wooden coaster and Drop Zone, the Stingray Reef touch exhibit, midway games, live music, and summer fireworks.
Waterfront Dining
About 10 restaurants line the boardwalk, from Landry's Seafood House and Saltgrass Steak House to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. and the Aquarium Restaurant, where guests dine around a 50,000-gallon tank. The Boardwalk Inn hotel offers rooms with private balconies over the action and priority restaurant seating.
Boardwalk Beast Speedboat
The Boardwalk Beast is an open-deck speedboat styled like a shark that speeds into Galveston Bay at 40 miles an hour on a 25-minute ride. Few riders get off dry. Evening rides add drink options.
Boating and the waterfront
Beyond the boardwalk rides, Kemah's real draw for boaters is access: the Clear Lake channel leads straight to Galveston Bay with no bridges to wait on, and the lake's marinas offer transient slips for visiting boaters. Sailing is big here — the lake's steady breezes and protected water make it one of the most popular sailing venues on the Gulf Coast, with regattas running most of the year. Waterfront dining stretches along the boardwalk and the channel, from casual seafood shacks to upscale bay-view restaurants; the common denominator is a table facing the water and boats going by. Evening is the best time: the lake goes glassy, the boardwalk lights come on, and the sunset over the masts is the free show.
Good to know
- Kemah Boardwalk is at 215 Kipp Ave, Kemah, TX 77565, about 30 miles southeast of downtown Houston.
- The Boardwalk is owned and operated by Landry's, Inc., and hosts more than 10 restaurants, rides, midway games, a boutique hotel, and a 400-slip marina.
- The Boardwalk Bullet is a classic wooden roller coaster and one of the signature rides.
- The Lighthouse District, a couple blocks south of the boardwalk, has indie boutiques and a blue-and-white-striped lighthouse photo stop.
Where to eat
- Landry's Seafood House - Flagship Landry's restaurant with Gulf seafood and Galveston Bay views.
- Aquarium Restaurant - Underwater-themed dining around a 50,000-gallon centerpiece tank with sharks and stingrays.
- Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. - Forrest Gump-themed shrimp restaurant on the boardwalk.
Where to stay
- The Boardwalk Inn - Boutique hotel on the boardwalk; every room has a private balcony, plus pool and hot tub.
Visitor tips
- An all-day ride armband runs around $30 but excludes the speedboat and zipline rides. Rides are frequently closed for maintenance; 80 to 90 percent are typically open.
- Walk a couple blocks south to the Lighthouse District for indie boutiques and the blue-and-white-striped lighthouse photo stop.
Keep exploring the Texas coast
Nearby Destinations
- Seabrook — across the lake: quieter boating town, historic shops, and 300 bird species.
- Texas City — the 5.3-mile Dike for fishing and sunsets, plus 1947 disaster history.
- Galveston — the island city 30 minutes south: beaches, the Strand, and deep history.
Research date: 2026-10-12. This is a research draft, not yet verified. How we verify.