Galveston

Galveston is a city on Galveston Island, off the Texas Gulf Coast, approximately 45 minutes southeast of Houston. Galveston is a port of entry and a destination for almost all the cruise ships with ports of call in Texas. Many Houstonians have beach houses in Galveston or elsewhere in Galveston County where they sometimes relocate during the summer, or simply drive to Galveston to enjoy the local beach. This article also covers Port Bolivar, which is just to the northeast, an 18-minute ferry ride away.

For other places with the same name, see Galveston (disambiguation).

Understand

Galveston is a beach resort town in the Houston area. Every summer and spring break, Houstonians crowd the beaches of Galveston as well as tourists from all over the United States (notably the South). Other than beaches, Galveston also has many attractions such as a pleasure pier, the Schlitterbahn water park, and Moody Gardens (a resort complex). Galveston is home to East Beach which is known for being a "party beach". Many famous artists perform occasionally and special events take place. People looking for a good time crowd East Beach. Galveston also has many nightclubs. For people looking for family fun in the sun, Stewart Beach is the premier family beach in the Houston area. Volleyball tournaments and sandcastle competitions take place on Stewart Beach. Apart from sunbathing and clubbing, Galveston is also home to a wide range of shopping. Seawall Boulevard has many shops for beachgoers such as surf shops, sunglasses, sim wear, sunscreen, and souvenir shops as well as boutiques, clothing stores, and so on. Dining is also a big deal on the island, as Galveston is known for having some of the freshest seafood. There are also many burger shops and restaurants of all kind. Many restaurants are located on the beach.

Named after Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid, Count of Gálvez and taken over by privateer Jean Lafitte for a while as his personal-like fiefdom around 1820, Galveston was controlled by the Confederacy but then in a twist of fate became a sort of freedman's refuge after the Civil War, as it prospered in becoming Texas' great cotton port. Then the great hurricane of 1900 hit, obliterating the barrier island and taking much of the city and some 6000 lives with it. A seawall was built along the extent of the city and the city became a mecca for hedonistic activities like gambling, but it never regained its premier port status, in part because of the development of the Houston Ship Channel further inland. However it holds its place among Gulf tourist destinations today and is a major cruise embarkation point.

  • Climate - Semi-tropical; averaging 57 °F (14 °C) in the winter months and 81 °F (27 °C) in the summer months.

Get in

By plane
  • 🌍 Scholes International Airport (GLS  IATA). This is the only airport in Galveston, but only serves private and chartered flights. 
  • 🌍 William P. Hobby Airport (HOU IATA). One of two airports in Houston providing scheduled commercial flights into the metro area, and the closest commercial airport to Galveston. It is directly connected to Galveston by Interstate 45; the drive takes about 45 minutes. Hobby Airport is dominated by Southwest Airlines. (updated Mar 2024)
  • George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH IATA) Also in Houston, and dominated by United Airlines. Take US Route 59 south into downtown Houston and exit into Interstate 45 south; you will pass by Hobby Airport en route. Allow at least 90 minutes to drive from IAH to Galveston, probably more during rush hour. IAH asks returning passengers to arrive 2 hours before check-in.

By car
  • I-45 South is the easiest route from Houston to Galveston Island. The freeway becomes Broadway St. on the island.
  • The San Luis Pass-Vacek Toll Bridge offers access to Galveston Island from Surfside Beach along State Highway 87. State Highway 288 connects the Greater Houston area to this route.

By boat
  • The Bolivar Peninsula - Galveston Island Ferry is a free vehicle ferry that regularly runs between Port Bolivar - located on mainland east of Galveston - and the island. For travel between New Orleans and Galveston, the ferry can save 30-40 minutes by avoiding Houston. The ferry is run on a first-come first-served basis, and there are often moderate waits during rush hour, and very long waits (on the order of 2-3 hours) on major holidays. Weekend evening waits also tend to be long. The trip is normally 18 minutes long, plus 9 minutes for loading. The addresses for the ferry are 123 State Highway 87 in Port Bolivar and 1000 North Ferry Road in Galveston.

By train

The national railroad operator Amtrak provides a Thruway bus service from Longview, connecting with its Texas Eagle. This train runs daily between Chicago and San Antonio, with through cars to and from Los Angeles three times per week. Additionally, the Sunset Limited, running three times per week between New Orleans and Los Angeles calls in nearby Houston. The bus stop is at 123 Rosenberg Street, next to the city's transit center.

Amtrak operates a daily shuttle between the Transit Station at 902 Washington Ave, but it only allows passengers who have arrived by their trains.

By shuttle

Several connections from IAH and HOU airports, through Galveston Express, Galveston Shuttle and Galveston Limousine.

Get around

The island is small enough that walking can take you most places, although it is not recommended in all neighborhoods, particularly outside the historic district, the Strand, and the Harborside district.

Seawall Blvd. is one of the busiest parts of Galveston, especially during the summer. Since Galveston streets are in a grid it is easy to find a less-busy parallel street to travel on, but watch out for unexpected one-way streets.

Metered street parking is available throughout the city, so bring change. The city operates a replica streetcar service, which operates in the historic district and parts of Seawall Blvd. Pedal cars are also available to rent from various vendors for use along the Seawall and the Strand. Island Transit offers limited bus service for the city.

Get taxi information or order a cab through Jeff's Cab & Shuttle Service at +1 409-621-5333.

See
  • 🌍 African-American Museum, 3427 Sealy Ave. (updated Aug 2021)
  • 🌍 Bishop's Palace (Gresham House), 1402 Broadway St. (updated Nov 2021)
  • 🌍 The Bryan Museum, 1315 21st St, ☏ +1 409-632-7685. W-Su 10AM-5PM, except Th 10AM-7PM. Adults $14, Seniors (65+) & Military $12, Students $10, Children (6-12) $5, Children under 5 free. (updated Nov 2021)
  • 🌍 Moody Mansion, 2618 Broadway Avenue J, ☏ +1 409 762-7668. Daily 10AM-5PM. A Romanesque-style estate that is a Galveston landmark, once home to cotton financier and Galveston magnate William Lewis Moody, Jr. $15 adults, $7 (ages 6-17). (updated Jan 2022)
  • 🌍 Elissa Barque Sailing Ship (Texas Seaport Museum), 2200 Harborside Dr. (updated Nov 2021)
  • 🌍 Galveston Railroad Museum, 2602 Santa Fe Plaza (near the Strand at 25th St.), ☏ +1 409-765-5700, fax: +1 409-765-5744. All sorts of railway things to see. It's in the old Galveston Railway Station, and the lobby is a huge period display. A large model train layout is also located in the museum. $6. (updated Aug 2019)
  • 🌍 Moody Gardens, One Hope Blvd (off 81st St.), toll-free: +1-800-582-4673. Botanical garden, indoor rainforest, aquarium, 3D movie theater, 4D special FX theater, water park, hotel, and golf course in one complex. The complex is made up of several large pyramids. Great place to take the kids for a whole day. Additionally, they have the Colonel Paddleboat for those wishing to take tours on the channel. $39.95 day pass. 
  • 🌍 Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum, ☏ +1 409-766-7827. 10:00 - 17:00 (varies by season). Housed in a retired oil platform. Interesting exhibit for someone unfamiliar with the drilling process. $8 (seniors and students are $5). 
  • 🌍 SS Selma (1919), Galveston Bay. This concrete ship, built in 1919, is the only permanent, and prominent, wreck along the Houston Ship Channel. 
  • 🌍 Strand National Historic Landmark District (East of Broadway, along the east side of the island). The historic Downtown features all sorts of old buildings and historical markers. 
  • 🌍 Texas Seaport Museum, Pier 21, Number 8 (Off the Strand), ☏ +1 409-763-1877, . Also home to several historic ships, including the 1877 tall ship Elissa. 
  • Statues are part of the Galveston landscape. Look out for ones such as the Texas Heroes Monument at 25th and Broadway and the 1900 hurricane Place of Remembrance and Pink Dolphin tribute to minority people statues along the Seawall.

Do
  • Bolivar Ferry. Free ferry for automobiles and pedestrians between Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula. The ferry ride is about 25 minutes, but waiting times for the ferry can be considerably longer, especially on busy weekends. If the vehicle line is long, a good option is to stay in the right lane on Ferry Road, park your car, and walk on the ferry to ride it across and back. Good views of the bay, ship traffic, and sometimes wildlife. Children will have much fun feeding anything edible to sea gulls at the stern of the ferry. 
  • Cruise line travel. Carnival and Princess cruise lines (perhaps others) have regular cruises which depart from Galveston. 
  • 🌍 Fort Travis Seashore Park, 800 Anderson Avenue, Port Bolivar, Texas. 
  • 🌍 Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, 2501 Seawall Boulevard, ☏ +1 409-766-4950, toll-free: +1 855 789-7437. Rides, games, gift shops, ice cream and other treats available on this nostalgic pier, rebuilt after Hurricane Ike which not only trounced the pier but the famous Flagship Hotel too. Admission $10 adults/$8 children/$7 seniors; All Day Ride Pass $27 adults, $20 children (Jan 2022). 
  • 🌍 Galveston Island State Park, 14901 FM 3005, ☏ +1 409 737-1222. Just a short drive west of Galveston's business district. While the Gulf shore campground and visitors center were destroyed by Ike, the park has reopened on a limited basis for day visitors. Adult $5/day, Children 12 and under free. 
  • 🌍 Haak Vineyards and Winery, 6310 Ave T, Santa Fe, Texas, ☏ +1 409-925-1401. Noon to 18:00 (varies by season). Galveston County's only winery. Tours complimentary. (updated Aug 2021)
  • 🌍 San Luis Pass (San Luis Pass County Park). Offers beaches, fishing, bird watching, and boating. Amenities are offered at the San Luis Pass County Park across the toll bridge, on the Brazoria County side. Beach driving is unofficially tolerated on the Galveston County side. Tide levels here are more prominent and can vary by almost 2 feet in height. Wading and swimming is strictly forbidden near the bridge and within the pass itself due to dangerous under-currents. (updated Jan 2024)
  • 🌍 Schlitterbahn Waterpark Galveston, 2109 Gene Lucas Blvd, ☏ +1 409-770-9283, fax: +1 409-740-1973. Hours vary by season. Next to Moody Garden and Scholes International Airport, this extension of the Schlitterbahn brand is an indoor/ outdoor water park for year-round entertainment. The indoor Wasserfest section is open year-round, while 2 outdoor sections are open during the summer. Most rides start from a river that runs from the highest point in the park to the lowest, with a conveyer belt to take tubers back to the top. Costs about $40 for entry. 
  • 🌍 Seawolf Park (Take 51st St. north over the causeway to the other side of Pelican Island.). Sunrise to sunset, Friday and Saturday nights for fishing.. Home of USS Cavalla and USS Stewart are berthed on Pelican Island. 

Learn

The 🌍 University of Texas Medical Branch is the island's major university. There is a significant "college town" feel to the section of the Strand nearest the university. It provides mostly postgraduate medical education.

🌍 Texas A&M University at Galveston, located on Pelican Island, is a branch campus of Texas A&M University. Its main fields of study include Marine Sciences, Marine Engineering, and Maritime Transportation. It is home to the Texas Maritime Academy.

Work

The two largest employers on the island are UTMB (University of Texas Medical Branch) and 🌍 ANICO (American National Insurance Company)

Buy

The Strand is an historic district near the docks with a variety of unique shops.

  • 🌍 Old Galveston Square, 2211 The Strand, ☏ +1 409 761-4110. Su-Th 10:30AM-6PM, F-Sa 10:30AM-8PM. Occupies about a block of the Strand with olde candy shoppes and other type tourist draws. (updated Jan 2022)

Eat

Mid-range

Splurge

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Mid-range


Splurge

Vacation rentals
  • 🌍 Sand 'n Sea Pirates Beach, 4127 Pirates Beach, ☏ +1 409 797-5500, . A great selection of vacation rental accommodations on beautiful West Galveston Island. 
  • 🌍 3 Beach Houses, 17407 Termini-San Luis Pass Rd (16 Mile Road and FM-3005), ☏ +1 281-338-9800, . Unbelievably reasonable accommodations with an ocean view! 
  • 🌍 Historic Sonnentheil Home, 1826 Sealy Ave. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. With much of the same gorgeous woodwork as the Bishop's palace, this historic masterpiece offers private accommodation for a group of up to four families, along with a beautiful modern kitchen, huge dining room, and a location convenient to the restaurants and nightlife of the Strand, and entertainment of Pleasure Pier and the beach. $299 to $599/night. (updated Nov 2023)

RV parks and campgrounds

Stay safe

Like any other tourist city, it is safe, but petty crime does happen. Use common sense, locking your car is a must. Bums will often hang out in the middle of the intersections.

Water currents can be a danger along any part of the island. Swimming near lifeguard stations and obeying safety signs may offer some assurance.

Straits have treacherous waters, largely due to murky water and fast moving currents: many drownings occur in the vicinity of the San Luis Pass compared to other areas off of nearby beaches. Water current dangers are more prominent up to about one mile away from island straits not protected by a jetty. Entering the water is not allowed in many of these areas.

Go next
Routes through Galveston
Houston ← Texas City ← Jct NW ←  N  S  → END
END ←  SW  NE  → ferry → Port Arthur via and → Orange


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