Boardwalk Bay will have 11 water slides, pirate ships, cabanas and a play zone for little kids when it opens in spring 2027 across from the Boardwalk Inn. Kemah broke ground in October.
Kemah Boardwalk is adding a water park, and it's going full pirate.
Boardwalk Bay, a pirate- and shipwreck-themed water park, is set to open in spring 2027 at the Kemah, Texas, waterfront park, according to a Kemah Boardwalk news release Tuesday. Community Impact reported the news that afternoon.
The plan includes 11 water slides, private cabanas, pirate ships and a play zone built for the youngest guests. It'll sit across from the Boardwalk Inn, next to the Main Event plaza.
"Boardwalk Bay is the next chapter in that story," said Terry Turney, Kemah Boardwalk's chief operating officer. The story, in his telling, is families making memories at the Boardwalk for more than two decades.
When does Boardwalk Bay open?
Spring 2027. Kemah Boardwalk hasn't named a specific date.
Crews broke ground in October, according to the Boardwalk's news page. The rest of the Boardwalk, including its restaurants, rides and attractions, stays open during construction.
What will be at Boardwalk Bay?
Here's everything Kemah Boardwalk has said so far:
11 water slides. No names or heights yet.
Pirate ships. Plural. Somebody at Kemah has clearly been watching Pirates of the Caribbean again.
A kids' play zone. Turney said it's built "just for our youngest guests."
Private cabanas and what the release calls other resort-style amenities.
Turney's pitch to parents: it's "the kind of place kids will beg to come back to." He added that parents "will be happy to say yes to" it. Bold promise for any place with a cabana rental fee.
How much will Boardwalk Bay tickets cost?
Kemah Boardwalk hasn't said. The release says ticketing information will come later. The Boardwalk Bay page promises that ride names, renderings and season pass details "will be revealed in the months ahead."
For now, the Boardwalk Bay page's ticket button just links to Kemah Boardwalk's regular passes. So it's not clear yet whether the water park will be part of a current ride pass or need its own ticket.
What don't we know yet about Boardwalk Bay?
A short list of open questions, for planning purposes:
Size. No acreage or square footage yet.
Cost to build. Not disclosed.
Opening date. "Spring 2027" is all we have.
Slide names and heights. Coming "in the months ahead."
Tickets. Price, and whether it's included with any current pass.
Renderings. None released. The Boardwalk Bay page shows only a groundbreaking photo and a logo.
What rides are at Kemah Boardwalk now?
The Boardwalk sits on Galveston Bay southeast of Houston. Its current lineup includes:
Boardwalk Bullet
Boardwalk Beast
Drop Zone: A reimagined 140-foot tower that reopened March 9, 2026. Riders go up more than 100 feet and drop at up to 47 mph. Riders must be at least 48 inches tall.
Iron Eagle Zipline
Century Ferris Wheel and the Double Decker Carousel
Stingray Reef
C.P. Huntington train, which got an eco-friendly upgrade in 2023
Boardwalk FantaSea Yacht cruises
Seasonal events round it out, including Boo on the Boardwalk in the fall. Drop Zone and Boardwalk Bay make two big additions in one year, which is a lot of construction noise for one waterfront.
Who owns Kemah Boardwalk?
Landry's, according to the copyright line on Kemah Boardwalk's website and the press contact on its releases.
Kemah Boardwalk says more Boardwalk Bay details are coming before the opening. We'll update when slide names and prices land.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
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Hat Tips:
Kemah Boardwalk (Nov. 10, 2026), the Boardwalk Bay announcement, location, features, construction timeline and Terry Turney's quotes
Community Impact (Nov. 10, 2026), first report on the release
Kemah Boardwalk (March 6, 2026), Drop Zone details
Kemah Boardwalk (Nov. 2026), current rides, groundbreaking month and ownership line
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