5 Kid-Friendly Attractions at Kemah Boardwalk

My family and I hit up Kemah Boardwalk for Spring Break! We wanted to take a stay-cation, for the weekend, with a different change of scenery than the burbs life, and Kemah was the perfect little getaway!

Kemah is located 20 miles outside of downtown Houston, and 25 miles from Galveston, TX.  If you haven’t been, it is packed with fabulous water front restaurants, amusements,  charming shops, and kid-friendly attractions that will keep the whole family entertained for hours. I packed my toddler, her pachis, fruit, snacks, and my super excited 7 year old who was eager to see what the buzz was about. Bryce was only a toddler when we last took him, so he soaked it all in! If you would of seen his eyes, filled with amazement when we first arrived! If you are interested in planning a trip for your family, here are 5 activities not to miss.

1. Feeding the Fish

Situated along the docks of the boardwalk are dispensers that give out a handful of fish food for a couple of quarters. Brynn loves the water, so all I heard from her was, “Agua, Agua, Agua!” She was so fixated on that, that she couldn’t see the fish jumping to the surface to eat. This was the first activity we did because Mami also wanted some pretty pictures in our rompers. Haha! You can see more of our outfit details on this “Rompin Through Town!” post.

*Mom Blogger advice: Take any pictures the first 10-15 minutes of your trip so your hair, make-up, and most importantly- kids can look good! Haha! Kids, especially toddlers start to get tired mid-day and you don’t want to be fighting with their nap time, while begging for a picture! Trust me, I’ve been there, and it’s so not worth it!

2. Amusement Rides & Games

Amusement Rides are what the boardwalk is most known for, and the rides are great for all ages! Brynn loved her first time in the carousel and wanted to do it over and over again! There are plenty of other thrilling rides for the older kids too- from roller coasters to the Pharoah ride with all the screaming people. Haha! We bought the All-Day-Ride Pass for $24.99 since Bryce was over 48 inches. Brynn was free since she was under 2. The lines were long, but worth the wait. And the weather was beautiful, perfect for those Midway games! Breezy, sunny, but not too hot. By the way this is rare in Houston! As far as games, those are mainly behind the Lighthouse Buffet and along the Boardwalk. Bryce, of course, played a couple of basketball and baseball games and won a small prize.

 

3. The Aquarium- Stingray & Rainforest Exhibit

When choosing a restaurant for dinner, we knew right away The Aquarium was it for the kids! Bryce loves sea animals, and Brynn, well, she just follows her big brother like he knows what he’s doing or something! Just our luck, we were seated on the first level of the Aquarium Restaurant right in front of the Stingray and large fish. Brynnie wanted to touch all the swimming Nemo’s, so the “do-not touch the glass” sign just served as decoration. :/ But Bryce, who is avidly reading everything right now, kept her in check. For just $5.99 you can walk over to the Rainforest Exhibit to see the sea turtles, piranhas and more. Kids are also able to touch the stingrays and feed them at the exibit. Oh and the food, was just amazing! I had the stuffed-crab-shrimp with rice and veggies, which I highly recommend!

4. Train Ride Around the Boardwalk

For just $5, you can board the running replica of the C.P. Huntington Train and enjoy a ride around the boardwalk! Brynn loved hearing the train’s “choo-choo” and whistle blow as we were waiting for rides. Warning about the Train: Look out for the train stoppers that go down. We almost got hit because they do not give you much time to move. Maybe it was also because I was also loaded with a stroller, toddler on my hip-that did not want the stroller, all while trying to travel around the boardwalk. Either way, the train is a must and super fun!

5. The Boardwalk Beast

They say save the best for last right? You can cruise through the Galveston Bay on this family-friendly party boat, known as the Boardwalk Beast. You will be blasted with music, water, and entertainment. Kids must be 36 inches or taller to be able to ride. We couldn’t ride it this time because Brynn is not tall enough. But my family and I have gotten on it, and it is a lot of fun! Make sure to bring an extra change of clothes for the little ones.

*One more thing-if you littles like water, bring a swim suit for the Dancing Fountains located in the middle of the Boardwalk. They can dance along while playing with the water sprouting from the fountains.

I hope you have found these top 5 kid-friendly attractions helpful for your next trip to Kemah Boardwalk!

Be prepared for a day full of fun and entertainment! 🙂