Attractions

Where to Go, What to See

Galveston Island offers everything in a resort destination – beautiful accommodations, entertainment, shopping and 32 miles of Gulf Coast beaches. Galveston’s festivals, special events and attractions are enjoyable for Islanders and tourists alike. One bit of advice – if you live here, don’t wait until you have out-of-town visitors to tour the Island’s many attractions. Galveston’s temperate weather allows residents and visitors to enjoy the beautiful outdoors year-round and there’s always a gulf breeze.

The Island offers wonderful Gulf beaches, golfing, fishing, volleyball and horseback riding. Beach and umbrella concessionaires provide their services in many areas of the beach, an area that is designated by City Council as an alcohol-free beach area. Children and adults alike enjoy playing in the sand.

Galveston’s East Beach (also called R.A. Apffel Park) on the city’s east end, features Big Reef Nature Park where bird watchers can catch a glimpse of their favorite local species. This is the only beach park where alcohol is allowed.

Seawolf Park, located on Pelican Island via Seawolf Parkway (51st Street), was built on an immigration station site and offers a three-story pavilion with a view of Galveston Harbor, picnic sites, a playground area, and a fishing pier. The U.S.S. Cavalla, a World War II submarine, the U.S.S. Stewart, a destroyer escort, and other military hardware are on display at Seawolf Park and open for tours. Campers enjoy the Galveston Island State Park, located on the west end of the Island. The site features picnic tables, barbecue pits, and water and electrical hook-ups.

Discover how the offshore industry of the Gulf Coast operates by visiting the Ocean Star Oil Rig and Museum at Pier 19. Take a trip with Galveston Harbor Tours at Pier 21 to delight in the dolphin watch tour and learn how the harbor operates.

Get into nature and the beauty of our world at Moody Gardens, a lush, tropical setting for a world-class educational and recreational complex. The ten-story glass Rainforest Pyramid houses thousands of exotic tropical plants, birds, butterflies, waterfalls, cliffs, caverns, and rainforest animals. Moody Gardens also features one of America’s largest aquariums, as well as the Discovery Pyramid’s traveling science exhibits and Ridefilm Theater. View exciting movies in the IMAX 3D and 4D theaters on the six-story screen, and dine in the Garden Restaurant overlooking sparkling Galveston Bay. Relax amongst the beautiful, soft white sands and cool freshwater lagoons at Palm Beach, while the children enjoy the Yellow Submarine and Octopus Slide.

Docked at Moody Gardens, the Colonel, a 750-passenger, 19th-century-style sternwheeler, offers a unique view of the gardens and an enjoyable cruise. And business or pleasure, the Moody Gardens Hotel offers spectacular views of the entire Island. With its huge array of awesome aquatic adventures, Schlitterbahn Galveston Island can be your personal happy place! During the summer season from April 26 through September 21, 2008, the park offers over 32 amazing rides and attractions including a large wave pool, uphill water coasters, thrilling speed slides, kid’s water playgrounds, whitewater rapids, relaxing hot tubs, family raft rides, the Boogie Bahn surf ride, and the exclusive Transportainment® river system. During the heated indoor season from February 16 through April 20 and September 27 through December 31, 2008, relax in steaming warm waters and enjoy summer fun all year long at Texas’ first heated, indoor water park. (Both the air and water are always in the 80s!) The heated indoor area features more than a dozen heated attractions in a tropical, heated indoor oasis.

A Glimpse Into the Past

Galveston Island has several museums, historic homes and transportation museums open to the public for tours. One such attraction is Elissa, a 19th-century square-rigged iron barque that called twice on the bustling port city during its long sailing career. Purchased in the 1970s by Galveston Historical Foundation, the ship was restored to its former majesty and is open for tours at Pier 21. The Texas Seaport Museum, home of the Elissa, vividly illustrates Galveston’s maritime history through interactive exhibits and multimedia shows. Visitors can search a computer database containing 130,000 entries for ancestors who may have immigrated to the U.S. through the Port of Galveston. Galveston Island was second only to Ellis Island as an immigration station. Galveston Historical Foundation, the oldest historic preservation organization in Texas, was chartered in 1871 to preserve Galveston’s history. In 1999, the foundation relocated its administrative offices to the 1861 Galveston Custom House at 20th and Postoffice streets. It operates a number of attractions in addition to Elissa and the Texas Seaport Museum. They include the 1892 Bishop’s Palace, built in 1888 by Colonel Walter Gresham, and listed by the American Institute of Architects as the 14th most important Victorian building in America; the 1859 Ashton Villa House Museum; the 1838 Michel Menard House; Galveston County Historical Museum; the 1859 St. Joseph’s Church; Garten Verein; and the Great Storm Theater. Each May, some of the most beautiful, private historic homes throughout the city are opened to visitors during the Galveston Historic Homes Tour hosted by Galveston Historical Foundation. Operated by the Mary Moody Northern Endowment, the Moody Mansion on Broadway includes 32 rooms filled with opulent furnishings and heirlooms from one of Texas’ most powerful families. Most museums are open daily with the exception of major holidays.

Ships, planes and trains – all have museums in their honor in Galveston. The Railroad Museum, at the entrance to the historic Strand District, houses 40 rail cars and locomotives. Strolling through the sleeper and restaurant cars, one gets a sense of what it was like to travel by rail in years past. The Lone Star Flight Museum, home of the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame, is known as one of the premier aviation museums in the country. The museum contains a flying collection of award winning aircraft primarily from the WWII era. Flights are now available in the museum’s B-17, B-25, T-6 and Stearman, allowing visitors to experience America’s airpower heritage.

During the summer months, relive the good ‘ol days by visiting the Summer Band Concerts in the park located behind Ashton Villa every Tuesday evening.

Galveston Island’s Strand National Historic Landmark District offers more than 100 shops, restaurants and art galleries conveniently located within 36 square blocks. For more information about these and other Galveston attractions, begin your tour with a stop at the Galveston Chamber office at 519 25th Street; or the Galveston Island Visitors Centers located at 2027 61st Street and in the Old Galveston Square at 23rd and Strand; or stop by The Heritage Visitors Center at 2328 Broadway inside the Ashton Villa carriage house. This is just a sampling of the many attractions Galveston has to offer its visitors. It would take weeks to see all of the fascinating sites in the Galveston-Houston area. Within a 30-mile drive from Galveston, on the way to bustling Houston, are Space Center Houston entertainment and educational center at NASA, and Gulf Greyhound Park, the busiest and one of the most attractive greyhound racing parks in the country.

In almost any month of the year, you can find a festival on Galveston Island. The first weekend in December brings Dickens on The Strand each year. A celebration of Charles Dickens’ Victorian London during the Christmas season, the festival is filled with bagpipers, handbell choirs and a variety of entertainment and features authentic British foods, crafts and costumes.

Mardi Gras! Galveston, a 12-day event proceeding the season of Lent, is celebrated with parades, masked balls, art exhibits, sporting events and live entertainment. Mardi Gras! Galveston, the largest midwinter festival in Texas, draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to Galveston Island each year. November hosts the Lone Star Biker Rally with around 100,000 people attending – most on motorcycles. Events are held all over the city and nearby communities throughout the weekend with numerous exhibits and vendors relating to motorcycle enthusiasts.

Festivals and unique events throughout the year celebrate Galveston’s diverse culture and history. Oktoberfest, normally held the last weekend in October, is a celebration of German heritage, others include – Hispanic, African American, Greek and many more. Featherfest in April celebrates the Island’s bird population, some unique to this area. Designed to heighten awareness of the importance of conservation and preservation of natural habitats and the environment, the event is special to Galveston as the Island hosts more than 300 species of birds as they travel through the area annually during spring and fall migration. (See our recreation section for birding locations.)

An Evening Out

Arts and entertainment are as much a part of the Island’s history as its port and Victorian architecture. From theater, music and dance, in historic and traditional settings, to reggae, rock, country and the oldies in the city’s nightspots, Galveston sparkles at night.

The Grand 1894 Opera House presents a year-round performing arts schedule featuring international stars of stage and screen, Broadway musicals, dance, music and comedy productions. Called “one of the finest theaters in the world” by veteran actor Hal Holbrook, The Grand is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designated the “official opera house of the State of Texas” by the 73rd legislature. Past performers have included Bill Cosby, Gregory Peck, James Earl Jones, Bernadette Peters, and Willie Nelson. The Grand also presented the world premier production of Red, White and Tuna, as well as Tuna Does Vegas.

If it’s a just-released motion picture you would like to see, Premiere Cinema, a multi-screen theater, is conveniently located on Seawall Boulevard at 89th Street. In the heart of the historical district, the Strand Theatre is now in its 27th season. The elegant 200-seat theatre is home to plays, musicals, concerts and film festivals year-round. Jazz, blues and rock keep The Strand and Postoffice streets hopping at night.

After dinner at one of the fine restaurants in the area, catch a few sets of live music and top off the evening with a waterfront stroll down the Seawall. Drop in and enjoy a hot cup of coffee in one of the coffee shops, or a deli sandwich in our many delis and bistros, or beignets, bagels, or fine pastries offered at one of the many fine bakeries.

The Strand, Pier 21 and Postoffice Street area – also known as Gallery Row – are home to art galleries housed in brightly painted Victorian buildings. On a Saturday evening about every six weeks, the galleries host an Artwalk, featuring changing artists works. Restaurants, bistros, boutiques and salons are also flourishing in the area of Postoffice Street. Loft living brings vitality to this eclectic neighborhood, around the clock.

Sports Anyone?

Follow the Galveston College Whitecaps baseball team.

As if all of this wasn’t enough, sports fans also will be satisfied with the best college and professional sports in the nation, right in their own backyard.

For professional sports, one need drive only one hour to Houston, home of the 1994 and 1995 national basketball champions, the Rockets. Also take in Astros baseball, the Hotshots soccer team, and the Aeros hockey team.

Major college sports teams in the area represent Rice University, the University of Houston, and Texas Southern University.

Amateur athletes in Galveston enjoy rugby, soccer, softball, and little league sports at the city’s many parks and ball fields.

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