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Major city · 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.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Mar–May, Oct–Nov
avoid Jul–Aug (heat and humidity), hurricane season peaks Aug–Sep
Airports
HOU · IAH
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

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.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Kemah, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–6
  • Sit-down mealBoardwalk sit-down mealChains, tourist pricing.$15–35
  • Beerdraught in a bar / can at a store$6–9$2–4
  • Taxi, about 5 km5 km rideshareSurge pricing at weekends.$12–20
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$15–35
  • Budget bedVacation rental (up to 6), a night, per roomUS$200
  • Mid-range bedHighway chain motel room, a night, per roomUS$110
  • High-end bedHighway chain motel room, a night, per roomUS$160

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$60 · Mid US$130 · High US$260

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Kemah BoardwalkBoardwalk Beast speedboatClear Creek and Galveston Bay fishingMarinas and sailing charters
Airports
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.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Kemah: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

17°C

7°C

9 rd

Feb

19°C

9°C

8 rd

Mar

22°C

12°C

8 rd

Apr

26°C

16°C

7 rd

May

29°C

20°C

8 rd

Jun

32°C

24°C

9 rd

Jul

33°C

25°C

10 rd

Aug

33°C

25°C

10 rd

Sep

31°C

22°C

10 rd

Oct

27°C

17°C

7 rd

Nov

22°C

12°C

8 rd

Dec

18°C

8°C

9 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting 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 & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Space Center Houston

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Car west on FM-2004/FM-517 to NASA Parkway, about 15–20 min

Half a day minimum; book timed tickets ahead.

Galvestongo

Door to door: About 30 min

TX-146 south to I-45, about 20–30 min by car

Beaches and the historic strand; easy add-on to a Kemah night.

Houston

go

Door to door: About 45 min

FM-2004 west to I-45 north, 30–45 min depending on traffic

Museums and food; do it as a separate base, not a day trip.

Bolivar Peninsula

caution

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

TX-146 south, then the Galveston–Port Bolivar ferry

Ferry queues build at weekends; go early or skip.

Surfside, Texas

caution

Door to door: About 1.5 h

TX-146 south then the Bluewater Highway

Quieter beach alternative; better as its own stop.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

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.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$60–110 excl. bed
Mid
$110–200 excl. bed
High
$200+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Boardwalk or boutique inn room1 × 1 night × US$200US$200
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$130US$260
Rideshare Houston Hobby → Kemah, one way2 × US$45 · checkUS$90
Boardwalk parking, one day1 × US$10 · checkUS$10
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$20US$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$60
Trip total≈ US$330 per person per day, bed includedUS$660

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–6
Boardwalk sit-down mealChains, tourist pricing.$15–35
Beer: draught in a bar / can at a store$6–9 / $2–4
5 km rideshareSurge pricing at weekends.$12–20
Boardwalk ride or attraction ticketcheck$5–15 each
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$15–35

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

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.
  • 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.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

KemahKemah

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No consulates in Kemah; most countries have consulates in Houston. US visitors: your own embassy is in Washington, DC.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • 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)

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

English is the working language; no phrasebook needed.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Kemah. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Mar–May, Oct–Nov · avoid Jul–Aug (heat and humidity), hurricane season peaks Aug–Sep · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for HOU and IAH: drive times field-checked, rideshare fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Three walking clusters with rescue anchors: boardwalk and marina, TX-146 strip, Seabrook side.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (boardwalk rides, Boardwalk Beast season, Space Center Houston) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Storm and heat fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources