Things to Do in Kemah TX: Boardwalk, Sailing & Bay

At a glance

Where: City of Kemah on Galveston Bay, along SH 146 and FM 518, south of the Clear Creek channel
Distance: About 40 minutes by car from Houston, per the city's tourism office
Hours: Boardwalk and businesses vary by season; check each official site before you go
Cost: Boardwalk, channel views and summer Friday fireworks free; rides, cruises and charters paid
Parking: Boardwalk lots credit card only; gated lots free Monday to Friday, paid weekends, holidays and event days
Time needed: Half a day for the boardwalk; a full day with a sail or the Space Center

Kemah is a town of fewer than 2,000 people that the city says welcomes more than 4 million visitors a year. That's more than 2,000 guests for every resident, all squeezed into a bayfront pocket where Clear Lake drains into Galveston Bay. Most of them come for the Kemah Boardwalk. The ones who come back figure out the rest: sailboats threading the channel at sunset, a 1970s barbecue joint that started as a meat market, a dinner that runs 18 courses, and parades held on the water instead of the street.

Kemah is where Houston goes to feel the wind. Literally: the Texas State Historical Association says the name is an Indian word meaning "facing the winds."

How we define Kemah here: the City of Kemah, the small bayfront city along State Highway 146 and FM 518 in northeastern Galveston County, on the south side of the Clear Creek channel. Seabrook (across the bridge), Clear Lake Shores and League City are neighbors; we mention them only as nearby extras.

Three things even regulars don't know

Kemah was first called Evergreen. The TSHA says the town grew up around 1898 on a rail line, was also known as Shell Siding while the railroad hauled shell out of the area, and took the name Kemah in 1907 when it got a post office, because another Texas town already had "Evergreen."
The barbecue came from the butcher. T-Bone Tom's says it began as the Kemah Meat Market in the 1960s and has been smoking brisket as a restaurant since 1974.
Mardi Gras here floats. The Yachty Gras boat parade has carried beads down the channel since 1999, according to the city.

Things to do in Kemah, TX

1. Walk the Kemah Boardwalk for free

The boardwalk is the town's anchor, and it's free to walk in. You pay for rides, food and parking, and the property is cashless, so bring a card. Come for the bay views and the people-watching even if nobody in your group wants a ride. Our Kemah Boardwalk guide covers rides, restaurants, height rules and the parking lots in detail.

2. Ride the Boardwalk Bullet (or the Ferris wheel)

The headline ride is the Boardwalk Bullet, a wooden coaster that Discover Kemah says has 42 track crossovers packed into a small footprint. If that sounds like a lot, the Ferris wheel, carousel and train are the calmer way to see the bay from above. Ride passes and height rules are on the official rides page.

3. Touch a stingray at Stingray Reef

On the first level of the Aquarium restaurant, Stingray Reef has touch tanks where you can touch and feed live stingrays, plus a rainforest exhibit with piranhas, snakes, tarantulas and turtles. The boardwalk says Stingray Reef tickets are sold on-site, so you can't prebook. It's a good rainy-day or too-hot-to-be-outside stop with kids.

4. Get soaked on the Boardwalk Beast

The Boardwalk Beast is a speedboat ride on Galveston Bay that lasts about 25 minutes and, per Discover Kemah, reaches 40 mph. It runs seasonally and is priced separately from the ride pass. Sit near the back if you'd rather not take the spray full in the face.

5. Watch the boats come through the channel

This one is free and it's our favorite thing to do in Kemah. The narrow Clear Creek channel between Kemah and Seabrook is the boat traffic lane between Clear Lake and Galveston Bay, and the boardwalk sits right on it. Grab a spot along the railing near sunset and watch sailboats, fishing boats and the occasional big yacht slide past close enough to wave at. Discover Kemah describes about 45 acres of waterfront, and the Kemah Boardwalk Marina alone has about 400 slips, so there's always traffic.

6. Catch free fireworks on a summer Friday

In June and July, the boardwalk puts on Fireworks Fridays: a fireworks show over the bay, typically at 9:30 p.m. On summer Thursdays, Rock the Dock is a free concert series, typically starting at 7:30 p.m. Fourth of July and the end of summer get fireworks of their own. Check the boardwalk events calendar for this season's dates.

Insider tip: watch the Friday fireworks from the water. Windward Seaventure lists a Friday Night Fireworks sail on its site.

7. Bar-hop the Lighthouse District

A few blocks back from the boardwalk, the Lighthouse District is Kemah's local side: bars and small shops, with the little 5th St. Lighthouse Gazebo Pocket Park nearby. The best-known stop is Skallywag's Suds N Grub at 600 6th Street, a pirate-themed bar with a long beer list and pub food. The district also hosts the city's Halloween Trunk or Treat, a Christmas market and the Krewes Into Kemah Mardi Gras parade.

8. Eat barbecue at T-Bone Tom's

T-Bone Tom's at 707 Highway 146 is the pick for anyone who's had enough fried shrimp. Expect oak-smoked brisket, ribs, homemade sausage made daily and hand-cut steaks, plus gumbo and seafood. There's an indoor dining room and an outdoor area, Tom's Back Yard, that typically stays open later. It's open daily; check the site for current hours.

9. Book the 18-course dinner at Ishtia

Ishtia at 709 Harris Street is the opposite of a boardwalk meal: a reservation-only tasting menu cooked over open flame, where the chefs both cook and serve each course over two to three hours. The site lists an 18-course main dining room and a 9-course chef's table, typically Thursday to Saturday. Book ahead through the restaurant's site; it's a special-occasion dinner, and it's priced like one.

10. Learn to sail, or let someone else do it

Kemah has been a sailing town for a long time, and you don't need your own boat.

[Bay Area Sailing School](https://www.bayareasailing.com/) at the Watergate Yachting Center teaches American Sailing Association courses year-round, seven days a week. Its own site says fall is the best time to sail here.
[Sailaway Cat](https://www.sailawaycat.com/) runs catamaran charters of two to four hours, including sunset sails, across Galveston Bay and Clear Lake.
[Windward Seaventure](https://windwardseaventure.com/) offers dinner cruises, captained charters and sailing lessons from Admiralty Way in Kemah.

11. Take a dinner cruise or a pontoon out

The Boardwalk FantaSea sails from the boardwalk and bills itself as the Gulf Coast's largest charter yacht, with dinner cruises, sightseeing cruises and private charters. For a smaller boat, Electric Regatta operates from the Kemah Boardwalk Marina with captained wine cruises and pontoon rentals.

12. Walk the 57-Acre Park and Nature Area

The city's 57-Acre Park and Nature Area at 1860 Park Oaks Street is the quiet counterweight to the boardwalk. Discover Kemah calls it a tribute to the natural splendor of the coastal region, and it's dog-friendly as long as dogs are leashed. Go early on a weekend morning before the boardwalk crowds wake up.

13. Beat the clock at Escape Kemah

Escape Kemah is a family-owned escape room at 609 Bradford Avenue. You get 60 minutes to find the clues and the key. Discover Kemah suggests it for kids 10 and up, and it's a smart plan B when a summer storm rolls over the bay.

14. Throw beads from the shore at Yachty Gras

Kemah does Mardi Gras twice. On land, the Krewes Into Kemah parade sends decorated jeeps, golf carts and floats (including a pirate ship) through the Lighthouse District. On the water, the Yachty Gras boat parade has brought decorated boats down Clear Creek Channel since 1999, with crews tossing beads to the crowd along the boardwalk. The city's events page lists both.

15. Watch the Christmas Boat Lane Parade

Every December, the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce's Christmas Boat Lane Parade sends lighted boats across Clear Lake and Galveston Bay and through the Clear Creek channel. The boardwalk describes hundreds of decorated boats and a parade that has run for more than six decades. The boardwalk's railing is the classic place to watch, and it fills up early, so claim a spot well before dark.

Also on the calendar: the Blessing of the Fleet, a long-running tradition that honors local shrimpers and fishermen, and the Toughest 10K, a race over the Kemah bridge. Dates move from year to year, so check the city's events page or the city calendar.

Save this: a one-day Kemah route

Morning: walk the 57-Acre Park and Nature Area while it's cool.
Late morning: drive to Space Center Houston, which the boardwalk puts about 7 to 10 minutes away. Our Space Center Houston guide helps you plan the tram tour.
Lunch: brisket and sausage at T-Bone Tom's on Highway 146.
Afternoon: touch the stingrays, then take the Boardwalk Beast or a short sail.
Golden hour: grab a railing spot over the channel and watch the boats come home.
Night: a drink in the Lighthouse District, or Friday fireworks in June and July.

Tips and best time to visit

Go on a weekday if you can. The boardwalk's gated parking lots are free Monday to Friday and paid on weekends, holidays and event days.
Spring and fall are the sweet spot. Summer brings the fireworks and concerts, plus heat and the biggest crowds.
Bring a card, not cash. The boardwalk is cashless.
Check the wind before a boat trip. Charters and the Boardwalk Beast can change plans for weather.
Ishtia and the charters need reservations. Everything else works as a walk-in.

Getting there and parking

Kemah sits on Galveston Bay southeast of Houston. Discover Kemah puts it about 40 minutes from Houston by car, and about an hour from the Houston airports. The usual route is I-45 South, then east on NASA Parkway or FM 518 to State Highway 146. There's no practical public transit route from central Houston, so drive or use a rideshare.

At the boardwalk, every lot is credit card only. You take a ticket and pay by phone or at a pay station; the gated lots on Bradford and Kipp avenues are free on weekdays. Our Kemah Boardwalk guide has the full lot-by-lot rules. In the Lighthouse District, the city's parking lot off 6th Street is the one used for community events.

Food nearby

Beyond T-Bone Tom's and Ishtia, the boardwalk's waterfront restaurants are the easy default, and Tom's Back Yard is the casual one. For independent seafood and more choice, head a few minutes west: our guide to the best restaurants in Clear Lake is a good next stop. If you want a taproom, Galveston Bay Brewing is just over the line in neighboring Clear Lake Shores.

Nearby attractions

Clear Lake: NASA's home neighborhood, just west. See things to do in Clear Lake and our Clear Lake area guide.
League City: Kemah's inland neighbor, a short drive west. Read things to do in League City.
Galveston: keep heading south and you reach the island. Our Galveston day trip guide has the plan.

For more easy drives from the city, browse our day trips from Houston.

Last verified: October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kemah Boardwalk free?

Yes. Walking the boardwalk is free. You pay for rides, attractions, food and parking, and the property is cashless.

How far is Kemah from Houston?

Kemah's tourism office puts it about 40 minutes from Houston by car, on Galveston Bay southeast of the city. Allow more time in heavy I-45 traffic.

What does Kemah mean?

The Texas State Historical Association says Kemah comes from an Indian word meaning 'facing the winds.' The town was called Evergreen until 1907.

When are the fireworks in Kemah?

Kemah Boardwalk typically runs Fireworks Fridays every Friday in June and July at 9:30 p.m., plus shows for the Fourth of July and the end of summer. Check the boardwalk's events page for this year's dates.

What is there to do in Kemah besides the boardwalk?

Take a sunset sail or dinner cruise, eat barbecue at T-Bone Tom's, bar-hop the Lighthouse District, walk the 57-Acre Park and Nature Area, or try Escape Kemah.

When is the Kemah Christmas boat parade?

The Christmas Boat Lane Parade runs each December across Clear Lake and through the Clear Creek channel, and the Kemah Boardwalk is a classic place to watch. Check the boardwalk or city events pages for the date.

Things to Do in Kemah, TX: Boardwalk, Boats, Barbecue and the Bay