Scott And Carol Present - A Look At The Kemah Boardwalk

Not to far from Houston, it is easy to find the Boardwalk Bullet. All you have to do is follow the signs, and they are plentiful. Or you could look up directions from their website. 

The Kemah Boardwalk revives the tradition of seaside amusements. These originally started in the 19th century, before air conditioning, when people sought out the beach in search of a cool breeze. 

The Kemah Boardwalk started as Landry's Seafood House in 1990 and by 1997 they had taken over the four remaining food establishments, giving them a total of six. Like some other amusement parks, rides were brought in to entertain guests as they waited to eat. The Boardwalk Bullet took approximately one acre of parking away but what a trade!

The immersively themed Boardwalk Bullet is the king of the midway. 

 

The tortuously twisted layout of the boardwalk Bullet represents the The Gravity Group's first twister coaster design.

Once you park your car, this exciting view greets you as you approach the Boardwalk entrance. The ninety-two foot first drop accelerates either of the two trains to fifty-one mph.

The nicely themed train gives riders lots of airtime, and it is constantly crossing over and under itself. Great head choppers are located throughout the course.

Here the train dives deep into the structure, only to reappear with a full head of steam. This ride uses all 3,236 feet of track to the fullest, with almost no dead spots throughout the ride.

After riding the Bullet and eating a great meal, nothing beats a seaside stroll in the evening.

Here is a fine example of a ride interacting with a  restaurant. The CP Huntington train ride is so popular that there are two trains for extra capacity.

 This different view of the Chance Inverter was taken from the Sky Tower.

Here is an aerial view of some of the great restaurants along the Boardwalk. 

Here families must choose between Pharaohs Fury or the Ferris Wheel. It probably depends on whether you are riding before or after dinner. 

Here is a view of the Boardwalk Tower from which we took all the aerial photos of the park. A big plus is that this ride is air conditioned, offering a welcome respite from the Texas heat and humidity.

Slightly more stomach churning than the Boardwalk Tower, the Drop Zone offers and aerial view, but no photos are allowed.

Pharaoh's Fury is shown here in full swing, with the traditional cheering from each end as they rose into the sky.

Here is a double-decker carousel view you don't often see. The palm trees add a nice southern flair only exceeded by the southern hospitality of Kemah Boardwalk.

If you want to feel the wind in your hair and the ocean in your face, you can take a ride on the Boardwalk Beast. This allows you a high speed tour of the Galveston Bay, for an additional charge.

If you aren't traveling to Texas in the near future, here is an awesome Boardwalk video from our friends at Theme Park Review  . Keep your arms and legs inside your chair at all times and no loose objects are permitted. 

Many thanks to James for the history and tour of Kemah Boardwalk. We hope to make a return visit soon.