Kemah Boardwalk: A Visitor's Guide to Rides, Dining and Parking

At a glance

• Where: #8 Kemah Boardwalk, Kemah, TX 77565, on Galveston Bay
• Distance: About 30 miles south of downtown Houston; roughly 45 minutes by car
• Hours: Seasonal; ride hours vary by month. Check the official site before you go
• Cost: Free to enter; rides by all-day pass or ticket, with some attractions priced separately
• Parking: Credit card only; gated lots free Monday to Friday, paid weekends, holidays and event days
• Time needed: 3 to 5 hours; longer with dinner
• Good for: Families, date nights, out-of-town visitors

Kemah Boardwalk is the easiest waterfront day out from Houston: a stretch of restaurants, rides and boardwalk planks on the edge of Galveston Bay, about 30 miles south of downtown. You can walk in for free, eat dinner over the water, and decide on the spot whether anyone in your group is brave enough for a 96-foot wooden coaster.

It works for a lot of different outings. Families come for the rides and the stingray touch pool. Couples come for a waterfront dinner and a sunset walk. Out-of-town visitors pair it with a morning at Space Center Houston, which the boardwalk's own visitor guide puts at roughly 7 to 10 minutes away. This guide covers what to do, when to go, how to get there and where to park without surprises.

What Kemah Boardwalk is

The boardwalk sits where Clear Lake meets Galveston Bay, in the small city of Kemah. It is owned and operated by Landry's, and the official address is #8 Kemah Boardwalk, Kemah, TX 77565. There is no entrance fee to walk the boardwalk itself. You pay for rides, food, attractions and parking.

The property is cashless. The official site lists Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and JCB as accepted cards, so leave the cash plan at home. There is also an on-site hotel, the Boardwalk Inn, if you want to stay the night.

Rides and attractions

Kemah Boardwalk has more than 15 amusement rides. Most are covered by an all-day ride pass, which you can buy online or at the ticket booths. Height requirements are posted at each ride and at the booths, so measure younger kids before you buy.

The big rides

• Boardwalk Bullet. The headline act: a wooden coaster that stands 96 feet tall, with a 92-foot drop and speeds over 50 mph. Riders must be at least 48 inches.
• Drop Zone. A freefall tower of more than 100 feet. Also 48 inches minimum.
• Flare. A 73-foot looping ride that swings riders forward and backward. 48 inches minimum.
• Pharaoh's Fury. A classic swinging-ship pendulum ride. 48 inches minimum.
• Aviator. A swinging ride for riders 48 inches and up, or 42 to 48 inches with an adult.

Gentler rides and views

• Century Ferris Wheel. A 65-foot wheel and the best seat on the property for bay views, especially near sunset.
• Boardwalk Tower. An observation tower for views across the bay.
• Double Decker Carousel and the C.P. Huntington train, a replica of an 1863 locomotive, are easy wins for small children.
• Wonder Wheel, Jungle Bounce, Hypnospin and Rockin' Rocket round out the kids' lineup.

Extra-ticket attractions

A few experiences are priced separately from the ride pass:

• Stingray Reef and rainforest exhibit, where you can touch stingrays and see exotic animals.
• Iron Eagle zip line, which runs about 100 feet up at speeds around 30 mph.
• Boardwalk Beast, a seasonal speedboat ride on the bay that lasts about 25 minutes.

Prices for passes and add-ons change by season, and the boardwalk often sells event and holiday passes. Check the official rides page before you go.

Dining on the waterfront

Food is half the reason most Houstonians drive down. Every restaurant on the boardwalk is a Landry's concept, so expect familiar names with bay views rather than chef-driven surprises. The official dining list includes:

• Landry's Seafood, with Gulf seafood and a patio facing the bay.
• Aquarium, a seafood restaurant built around floor-to-ceiling fish tanks. Kids love it.
• Saltgrass Steak House for chargrilled steaks.
• Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. for a casual, themed seafood meal.
• Pizza Oven, Chicken Shack and Bayside Grille for quicker, cheaper bites.
• Sweet Scoops, Funnel Cakes & More and Snack Express for the dessert stop.

Outside food and drinks are not allowed on the property. If you would rather eat somewhere independent, the surrounding bay area has plenty of options. Our guide to the best restaurants in Clear Lake is a good place to start, and our Houston seafood guide covers the Gulf seafood spots worth the drive inside the city.

The waterfront itself

Even if you skip the rides, the boardwalk is a pleasant place to walk. You can watch sailboats and fishing boats move through the channel between Clear Lake and Galveston Bay, which makes the marina side one of the better free shows on this stretch of coast. Evenings bring the ride lights on, a breeze off the water and a much better temperature than the middle of a summer afternoon.

Our honest take: the boardwalk is at its best around golden hour. Arrive in the late afternoon, ride a few things, then have dinner while the sun goes down.

Best time to visit

• Season. Ride hours are seasonal and vary from month to month, according to the official site. Spring and fall give you the most comfortable weather. Summer is busiest and hottest.
• Day of the week. Weekdays are calmer, and the gated lots on Bradford Avenue and Kipp Avenue are free Monday through Friday. On weekends, holidays and event days those lots are paid.
• Time of day. Late afternoon into evening is our favourite: cooler air, sunset views, and the rides lit up after dark.
• Weather. Rides can close for maintenance, high winds or lightning, and the boardwalk does not refund ride passes for weather. Check the Houston weather forecast before you commit to an all-day pass.

Getting there from Houston

Kemah Boardwalk is roughly 30 miles south of downtown Houston, and the official site estimates about 45 minutes by car. Traffic on I-45 can stretch that considerably, especially on Friday afternoons and summer weekends.

The usual route is I-45 South (the Gulf Freeway) toward Galveston, then east on NASA Parkway or FM 518 toward the bay and Highway 146. The boardwalk sits on the water in Kemah, just south of the Highway 146 bridge over the Clear Lake channel from Seabrook. Plug "Kemah Boardwalk" into your map app, and follow the signs once you reach Kemah.

There is no practical public transit route from central Houston, so plan to drive or use a rideshare.

Parking: the official rules

Parking trips up more first-time visitors than anything else, so here is what the boardwalk's Know Before You Go page says:

• Credit cards only. Every lot is cashless.
• How it works. Park, take a ticket, then pay by scanning the QR code sign with your phone or at a walk-up pay station.
• Gated lots (Bradford Ave and Kipp Ave). Free Monday to Friday. Paid on weekends, holidays and event days.
• Ungated lots (Kipp Ave and 6th St). Paid parking is enforced 24 hours a day by QR code.
• Texas Avenue lots. Free, with a shuttle, on select busy dates such as some holiday-season Saturdays and New Year's Eve. Check the official site for the current list.
• Rules. No overnight parking, no re-entry, no refunds, and no buses or RVs in the premium lots.

Rates change, and the boardwalk sometimes runs free-parking promotions, so check the official page on the day.

Know before you go

• No outside food or drink, no bikes and no pets. Service animals are accommodated with some restrictions.
• There is a dress code: shirts, shorts or pants, and shoes at all times.
• Ride wristbands are non-transferable.
• In summer, bring sunscreen and a hat, and plan shaded or indoor breaks in the middle of the afternoon.

Nearby: make a day of it

Kemah sits in the middle of Houston's bay area, which makes it easy to build a full day around.

• Space Center Houston. NASA's official visitor center is minutes away. Do it in the morning and finish at the boardwalk. Read our Space Center Houston visitor guide to plan the tram tour.
• Clear Lake. Just west of Kemah, Clear Lake is the heart of the NASA community, with parks, marinas and restaurants. See our list of things to do in Clear Lake.
• Seabrook. Kemah's neighbor across the Clear Lake channel bridge, with a quieter waterfront and bayside parks.
• League City. A short drive west of Kemah. See League City for more.
• Galveston. Keep heading south and you reach the beaches on Galveston Island. Our beaches near Houston guide compares the options.

Looking for more ideas within an easy drive? Browse our day trips from Houston hub or our roundup of family activities in Houston.

Last verified: October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Does it cost money to get into Kemah Boardwalk?

No. Walking the boardwalk is free. You pay for rides, attractions, food and parking.

How far is Kemah Boardwalk from Houston?

About 30 miles south of downtown Houston. The boardwalk estimates roughly 45 minutes by car, longer in heavy I-45 traffic.

Is parking free at Kemah Boardwalk?

The gated lots on Bradford and Kipp avenues are free Monday through Friday and paid on weekends, holidays and event days. The ungated lots are paid at all times. All lots are credit card only.

How tall do you have to be to ride the Boardwalk Bullet?

Riders must be at least 48 inches tall. Height rules for every ride are posted at the ride entrance and the ticket booths.

Can you bring cash to Kemah Boardwalk?

The property is cashless. It accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and JCB.

Is Kemah Boardwalk close to Space Center Houston?

Yes. The boardwalk puts Space Center Houston about 7 to 10 minutes away, so the two make an easy full-day pairing.