I'll be heading to Galveston next week for a few days for the first time in 20 years. Anybody got some good leads on stuff I should check out? Any thing/places I should avoid?
Don't know about what to check out...but based on the last time I was there, you should avoid the beach . Full disclosure...last time I was there was 1995. And the beach was horrible that day - bucket size jellyfish almost everywhere, and the places there weren't jellyfish, it was trash, syringes, and body parts...okay, maybe no body parts, but it wouldn't have surprised me. We had to walk about probably a mile down to get to a usable part of the beach to swim. Probably was just a fluke that day.
Stay away from San Luis Pass. It's always been a very dangerous place with current and riptides, but the local news mentioned last night that the currents have changed making it even more dangerous. Quite a few have drowned there already this year.
Galveston Beaches are hit or miss. They will definitely be packed this weekend, but you never know until you get there about seaweed, jellies, trash, or gangbangers. I've given up on them.... Take the ferry over to Bolivar, drive up a few miles and take any of the access roads, there's beautiful sandy beaches you can drive on, great breakers, not as crowded, and more of a family friendly environment if that's what you may be looking for. That's where I'm headed Saturday
Going to The Strand for a walking tour or taking one of the horse drawn carriage tours is a good way to spend an afternoon. Galveston used to be the most populous city in Texas before the 1900 hurricane. The Strand is a historic district with old buildings and several displays about the hurricane. If I remember correctly, the hurricane killed over 10% of the city's population and Galveston's days as a port city were effectively over. The port was moved upriver to Houston because it was more protected. They also have a airplane museum and train museum, each worth a few hours. They aren't big attractions, but not something you commonly see. Moody Garden's is a good place to visit if you want to get out of the sun awhile. It's been a few years since I've been there, but I think they have a Schlitterbahn water park there now which is always popular with kids.
