On the Boardwalk, in … Texas

KEMAH, Texas - Not all boardwalks are created equal.

There is one along Galveston Bay in Texas where the Boardwalk Bullet coaster reigns supreme, accelerating riders up to 51 m.p.h. and culminating in a gut-wrenching 96-foot drop.

I braved the Bullet, but not until I had taken in the rest of Kemah Boardwalk, home to 10 themed restaurants; a 52-room boutique hotel; 13 amusement rides; and a 424-slip marina that features a 149-passenger, 117-foot luxury yacht for bay cruises.

I lunched on grilled mahimahi and shrimp at the Aquarium Restaurant, where the room centerpiece was a 50,000-gallon fish tank filled with everything from tropical fish to sharks. The balcony had patio tables overlooking Clear Creek Channel, which connects Clear Lake with Galveston Bay, and provided breathtaking views.

Afterward, I fed the stingrays at Stingray Reef - a 19,000-gallon tank where southern and cownose stingrays come right up to your hand to be fed and petted, like water puppies. I must say this was an exhilarating experience. I went from being squeamish to wanting a pet stingray for my home. I was informed by chief biologist/caretaker Aaron Sprowl that stingrays have no teeth, only cartilage, and the ones in the pool are conditioned to swim over a guest's hand to remove fish. Once I got that into my brain, I put a tiny silverside between my knuckles in a clenched fist, placed my hand all the way in the water up against the wall, and waited for the stingrays to come eat. When one finally did, I breathed a sigh of relief that all my fingers were still intact.

The stingrays had a slippery texture, like a wet rubber mat, and after I petted a few, I tried to look closely into their eyes to see if they were enjoying the attention. They seemed to.

Other exhibits featured red-bellied piranhas and bamboo sharks. Those you didn't touch, only ogled through their glass encasements.

Retail shops form a semicircle around the Plaza - the heart of Kemah Boardwalk that's next to the Boardwalk Inn and is home to the "dancing fountains," often used by kids to cool off; the entertainment stage for live bands; the Aquarium Restaurant; and Stingray Reef, and is also the turnaround point for the C.P. Huntington gas-powered train, one of the Boardwalk rides. I took my time walking in and out of the shops, which offered everything from Christmas ornaments to T-shirts.