Texas vacationers, can you help?

Question

If you live in Texas or travel here frequently can you tell me what is your favorite thnig to do/see while in Galveston?

I should have mentioned I myself am a frequent visitor to Galveston and I LOVE the dark beaches, the color of the water is just a refection of the dark sands... I guess I am wondering what I am MISSING when I go.

Thanks for the positive answers, I just cannot decide on the best, so I'm putting it to a vote. I'm a bit disappointed that so many answers were negative, you folks are lucky to live in one of Texas' few Treasure spots!

Answer 1

Well..I live in Galveston!
For starters, you will be disappointed with the beaches. Our water is brown. On a good day, you can see your feet when you are in water up to your ankles. Our sand is fine and brown, not white. Stewart beach is the best beach to go to with a family, East beach is the only beach that allows you to bring beer and they have live bands on weekends. Otherwise, just parking anywhere off the seawall and walking down the stairs to the beach is usually just as good. You rollerblade, jog, rent bikes,etc on the seawall.
Moody Gardens is in Galveston and offers an IMAX 3-D theatre, a rainforest pyramid and an aquarium.
Schlitterbahn is located right by Moody Gardens and is an awesome water park.
The strand is somewhere else you may enjoy. The strand is loaded with history and shops. You could spend all day walking from store to store, just be sure to stop by the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for a choco covered apple!
There is a railroad museum, Tours at extravagant palaces such as the bishops palace, or even a tour at Moody Mansion.
If you are over 21, Gulf Greyhound park is in La Marque (10-15 minutes north of Galveston), where you can bet on races and I think they still have $.50 beer on Thursdays.
The Kemah Boardwalk is about 15-20 minutes from the Island, north on 146. There is a brand new HUGE rollercoaster, speedboat rides, carnival type attractions, Joe's crabshack, Landry's, the Aquarium, and every thursday is Rock the Dock where there is beer and live bands.

I hope you are here for business and didn't just decide to come here for fun, because it is not very pretty.

Answer 2

Moody Gardens, The Bishop's Palace, The Moody House, Schlitterbahn, the beach, Gaido's restaurant, the Galveston Port - take the boat tour, the Railroad Museum at the end of The Strand, The Strand, the Opera House for live performances - Tuna Does Vegas is there until Aug. 20. We rent a beach house on Bermuda Beach every year (we're Houstonians).

Answer 3

Go shopping on the Strand. Tour all the historical homes that you can. Rent a peddle car, or roller skates on the Seawall. Ride the trolley from the Moody Center to Pier 21 and back again. Ride the paddle boat down by the Strand. Take the ferry across to Boliver and back again (if I were you, I would leave the car on the Galvestion side, but take it if you want to drive around a while, over there). Go to Moody Gardens and the Flight Museum. During the nice weather there is the Outdoor Musicals, also. If I remember correctly, you get tickets at the Galveston Museum. Oh, and don't forget to eat all the seafood you can hold. Whew! That ought to take you a couple of days!

Answer 4

ride the ferry for free
people watch from a restaurant balcony on the seawall (fishtales or the spot)
watch the surfers from fishtales upstairs
stroll the beach shops by the Flagship Hotel.
stroll the strand district for shopping.
stroll the harbor district for shopping, the museum has a historical slide show about the great 1900 flood
tour the tallship Elissa, pretty cool,and you can volunter there
favorite restaurant:
Luigi's (strand)
Clary's (by the Galveston Daily News)

best kept secrets:
the pool at the Galvez
the back porch at Cocktail's
the covered deck of a bayside bar i don't know the name of it but take 45 south to galveston then turn rt at 61st then take a right at the first red light. It's the first bar on the right. There's a nice deck and no crowds, on the water. watch the boats go by in shady comfort and eat a pretty good meal.

San Louis Pass is a great beach where you can drive on, just don't get stuck in the sand.

Answer 5

Truthfully, there are better beaches and there are worst beaches.

The water is not dirty, but it is not clear. It's a good temperature for swimming. There's lots of waves and surfers do surf there. It is a relatively safe beach at which to swim. The seaweed only washes up a few times a year. And I have ony seen the jellyfish on the beach once in all my visits.

The sand is the color of sand, but nice. If you take the ferry to High Island (a 15 minute ride with your car and all) go to Crystal Beach. It's about a 1/2 mile down on your right. Lots of sand dunes and beach there.

If you expect white sand beaches and crystal clear water, you will be disappointed.

Galveston itself has many great things to do. Plan to spend the weekend at least. There's The Strand which is a collection of quaint stores, boutiques, candy shops, and restaurants. Try the WONDERFUL Mosquito Cafe on the Strand. Voted by Zagat's as one of the top 15 restaurants in the Houston area.

Visit some of the old, magnificent homes. The Bishop's Palace, for one, is very interesting.

Visit some of the historical museums. They have lots of information on the 1900 hurricane that killed from 6,000-8,000 people. Because of this tragic storm the meteorologists began to listen to the "new theory" of the storm surge. It is the largest natural disaster to ever occur in the United States.

Someone already mentioned the water park Schlitterbahn. Fun, fun, fun!

http://www.schlitterbahn.com/gal/...

You simply have to visit Moody Gardens---this is a must. Discover the ten-story Rainforest Pyramid with exotic plants, animals, and butterflies, IMAX 3D, and a white sand palm beach. (Yeah, they imported the sand!)

http://www.moodygardens.com/

It's a 20 minute drive to the Kemah Boardwalk. Lot's of shops, restaurants with music drifting onto the boardwalk with the beautiful view of the bay and all the sail boats and yachts. Try Floyd's (seafood) or Frenchy's (Italian, so figure) in Kemah, the city, for food instead of the chain restaurants at the boardwalk. The food is much better is it's more reasonably priced. There are also some rides and other attractions at the Boardwalk, including a brand new roller coaster.

http://www.kemahboardwalk.com/flash_cont...


Just 5 miles from Kemah is NASA Space Center. Here's the link. If you've got kids---this is a wonderland for them. The food court is not that expensive.

http://www.spacecenter.org/education.htm...

Back in Galveston, go to Sea Wolf Park. You will enjoy the museum. USS Cavalla Gato-class submarine that sank during WWII is there. Lots of history and information. on this submarine lost in WWII, Seawolf Park displays a WWII sub, a destroyer ... ton aircraft carrier Shokaku (veteran of Pearl Harbor and Battle of Coral Sea) . Pelican Island, where this is situated, was originally an immigration station site when Galveston was a major seaport and entryway to America, this often-overlooked park offers a lot of entertainment options. Pelican Island, on which it sits, provides an admirable view of Galveston harbor, best experienced from the park's three-story pavilion. What really sets it apart, of course, is the naval display, with the USS Cavalla (a sub) and the USS Stewart (destroyer escort) ready for inspection.

http://www.galveston.com/seawolfpark/...


Pelican Island via Seawolf Parkway
(51st Street, across Galveston Bay)
Galveston, TX 77550


There's a lot more, but this is becoming a long answer.

Have fun, whatever you decide to do in Galveston.

Answer 6

Galveston is about 80 miles from our home, we go there often. Moody Gardens has an IMAX, Rainforest in a Pyramid, and may other sites worth seeing, as of last year Schlitterbaun Water park opened. The one in New Braunsfel has been voted best water park in the World by the Travel Channel. There is also a Rainforest Cafe. The board walk for shopping, and a port for Cruises.

Answer 7

I know you said you like Galveston...but you should go to Lake Travis, near Austin. That's a great little city and the water there is beautiful. I use to live near Galveston, and I for one would not sending my best friend there.

Answer 8

I dont go down there often (live in Houston) but Moody Gardens is nice...if you have a car while here go to Boardwalk in Kemah....always Nasa...lots to do in Houston too...Bishops Palace in Galveston is also worth a look.

Answer 9

Going fishing at San Luis Pass Pier and have a fire on the beach there.
I also like touring the strand and visiting historic sites. not to mention, the flight museum and 3d imax at Moody Gardens

Answer 10

It sucks

i live here

and man its like super gross

go to the places around galveston, theyre nice but the beach itself is a disaster

You can try Moody Gardens, theyre nice :)
Also, theres a bunch of awesome restaurants!
Kemah Boardwalk?
Their aquarium is nice