A Carnival by the Bay

As I approached the Kemah Boardwalk, I was suddenly reminiscent of my younger days, when going on roller coaster rides and eating cotton candy till I turned queasy was just another glorious day! Not only does the boardwalk have a merry-go-round, a roller coaster, and an Aquarium, it also has some of the best restaurants in Texas, from the typical tourist traps to fine dining. I was amazed that all of this, including a hotel, was on this boardwalk. I have never been to the Santa Monica Pier, but I can only imagine this is a smaller version, a cliff notes, perhaps.

Immediately overwhelmed by the amount of people (I went on Mother's Day, SO not recommended) , it appeared to me that this is one of the only places in Texas where families can eat, drink and play, without having to walk much. Parking is free, unless it's one of those lazy days, then it's $6 closer to the boardwalk.

If you decide to go for the free parking, and it's one of those adult adventures, try stopping by a few bars along the way before spending a fortune on cocktails on the pier. The Monkey Bar was a nice, friendly neighborhood dive, with live entertainment on the patio. Palapas is a biker bar that plays loud rock music, but has a tiki-beachcomber theme to it--go figure! There are also a myriad of little shops and restaurants if you don't like what the boardwalk has to offer.

It was a little too touristy for me, but I did enjoy walking around Kemah and seeing what the boardwalk has to offer for my future little-littles. I was impressed to see a live band in the center of all the madness, with room for people to sit and dance! The later you arrive, the more adult-friendly the boardwalk becomes. This is a definite can't miss for anyone visiting the Houston-Galveston area. http://www.kemahboardwalk.com/, http://www.kemah.net/