In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · United States
Kemah
Give Kemah one night, or a half-day from Houston: the boardwalk is a 2–3 h stop, not a base. Weekdays for quiet, weekends for the fountains.
Kemah is a small Gulf Coast town on Clear Creek where the waterfront was rebuilt in the 1990s as a boardwalk of chain restaurants, rides and a marina. It is 30–45 min from Houston and 20 min from Galveston by car, so most visitors come for an afternoon or one night rather than a multi-day stay. There is no public transport in town; you need a car or a rideshare.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat and humidity), hurricane season peaks Aug–Sep
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–110 excl. bed · Mid $110–200 excl. bed · High $200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–6 |
| Boardwalk sit-down meal | $15–35 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at a store | $6–9 / $2–4 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) rideshare3.1 mi (5 km) rideshare | $12–20 |
| Boardwalk ride or attraction ticket | $5–15 each |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $15–35 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HOU · William P. Hobby
- About 30–40 min by car via I-45 and FM-517; check current drive times.
- IAH · George Bush Intercontinental
- About 50–70 min by car; allow more in rush hour.
Typical fares
- Rideshare Kemah → Houston Hobby
- $35–55, 30–40 min (check)
- Rideshare Kemah → Galveston
- $30–50, 25–35 min (check)
- Boardwalk parking
- limited free spaces, paid lots nearby (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No public transport in town. Walk the boardwalk on foot; drive or take a rideshare for anything on TX-146. Parking at the boardwalk is limited and partly free — arrive before midday at weekends.
See and do
Known for
- Kemah Boardwalk
- Boardwalk Beast speedboat
- Clear Creek and Galveston Bay fishing
- Marinas and sailing charters
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Space Center Houston | Car west on FM-2004/FM-517 to NASA Parkway, about 15–20 min | About 30 min |
| Galveston | TX-146 south to I-45, about 20–30 min by car | About 30 min |
| Houston | FM-2004 west to I-45 north, 30–45 min depending on traffic | About 45 min |
| Bolivar Peninsula | TX-146 south, then the Galveston–Port Bolivar ferry | 1.5–2 h |
| Surfside, Texas | TX-146 south then the Bluewater Highway | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Boardwalk / Waterfront
- Walk to rides and restaurants; the priciest rooms and the noisiest at weekends.
- TX-146 strip
- Chain motels along the highway; 5–10 min drive to the boardwalk, free parking.
- Seabrook side
- Quieter residential edge next door; good for marina and sailing access.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the boardwalk? | Where is the boardwalk? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| A table for two, please | A table for two, please |
| Is there parking nearby? | Is there parking nearby? |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| Call me a rideshare, please | Call me a rideshare, please |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer heat and humidity: carry water, plan indoor breaks midday.
- Hurricane season runs Jun–Nov, peaking Aug–Sep; check forecasts and evacuation routes if a storm is named.
- Boardwalk restaurants are chains and priced for tourists; independent options sit back from the waterfront.
- The Boardwalk Beast speedboat does not run in winter — check dates before you plan around it.
Kemah is a small, low-crime town and the boardwalk area is well lit. The real risks are summer heat, weekend parking and driving after a few drinks on the waterfront: use a rideshare.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kemah yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Kemah Boardwalk
- Boardwalk Beast speedboat
- Clear Creek and Galveston Bay fishing
- Marinas and sailing charters
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Kemah Boardwalk (official): www.kemahboardwalk.com/
- Space Center Houston (official): spacecenter.org/
- Texas Parks and Wildlife — coastal fishing: tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/
- Wikivoyage: Kemah, revision 5240918 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5240918
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Kemah
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No consulates in Kemah; most countries have consulates in Houston. US visitors: your own embassy is in Washington, DC.
English is the working language; no phrasebook needed.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/kemah). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.