2022 November December Marina World

TALKING SHOP
Kemah Boardwalk:
Gateway to Galveston Bay
The town of Kemah in Texas is home to the third largest concentration of recreational boats in the
US and has long been an idyll for generations of boaters looking to escape the state’s summer
heat. Charlotte Niemiec invites Brad Grace, marina manager at 400-slip Kemah Boardwalk marina,
to talk shop
Kemah Boardwalk is a 60-acre (24-
ha) theme park situated on the Gulf
Coast in Kemah, Texas, around 30
miles (48km) southeast of downtown
Houston. Considered among the most
impressive boardwalks in the US, the
complex is owned and operated by
leading hospitality company Landry’s
and – in addition to its 400-slip
marina – boasts thrilling rides, games,
attractions, a boutique hotel, a charter
yacht and multiple shops. Originally
a small fishing town, Kemah is today
a major tourist destination and the
ideal location for visitors looking to
spend a day on the water boating or
fishing, or dining at one of the many
fantastic waterfront restaurants. With a
history steeped in the legend of pirate
Jean Lafitte in the early 1800s, who
developed Galveston as a base for his
smuggling operations, local attractions
include the Johnson Space Center,
museums, a rainforest exhibit and
stingray touch pool.
The marina, originally called
Lafayette Landing Marina, was built in
1988. It was subsequently acquired by
Landry’s in 2000, and renamed Kemah
Boardwalk Marina. There are now
over 30 marinas in the Galveston Bay
area but, because of its location at the
mouth of Clear Lake on the shores of
Galveston Bay, Kemah is often called
the ‘Gateway to the Bay’. Brad Grace
explains its unique appeal is due to its
“convenient and protected location on
Galveston Bay, with deepwater slips
Brad Grace
and no bridge restrictions between us
and open water – and within walking
distance to dozens of restaurants,
shopping, attractions and nightlife.”
“Our marina hospitality services offer
more amenities and guest services
than any other marina on the Texas
Gulf Coast. Galveston Bay itself offers
fantastic sailing activities and hosts
weekly sailing races and larger sailing
regattas each season,” he adds.
Grace started his career in the
marina industry 30 years ago as a
dockhand at a small family-owned
marina in Northeast Florida. “I found
I enjoyed working on the water,
interacting with the guests and around
boats, and the constantly changing
dynamics of the job,” he says. “Over the
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