What to see around Galveston?

[Uncle Meat]

We're considering the Goat Island - Galveston Island area.
What were your experiences?
We could stumble thru the different attractions blindly but would love to hear what you have to say.

Any tips?
Places to eat?
Places to fish?
Fishing charters?

 

[TwoForFlinching]

If you see a taco truck with people standing around, hop in line.

 

[kd5rjz]

The state park is awesome and Kemah is closeby as well.

 

[MacFromOK]

I heard there's water someplace around there...

 

[Nifrost]

Im not up on the attractions, but maybe some of this will be of help......

—A lot of the downtown shops are closed during the week. There is a nautical antique shop that I’d have loved to have been able to roam around in.
—The Mosquito Cafe is good for lunch, Willie G’s on the harbor side for good seafood dinner.
—I wasn’t impressed too much with the brewhouse on the Seawall or the shark shack downtown—we ate dinners at both establishments.
—The Spot on the Seawall was always busy, but we never stopped.
—They have an offshore drilling museum on the harbor side that looked pretty interesting but I dont know anything about it.

 

[kd5rjz]

The drilling museum does look neat.

The fishing is usually better in Texas City, and be sure to check out Nasa if you haven't seen it before.

There a couple of good pawn shops around Houston as well. Best hole-in-the-wall local seafood is Bayside in Port Lavaca.

The boardwalks in Galveston and Kemah are both owned by Landrys. Expect to spend about 10x what you would expect (the rollercoaster was like $10 per ride per rider last time I was there). Everything owned by Landrys is nice and clean and well run but pricey. Aquarium in downtown Houston is nice, Houston Zoo is both big and nice, and chinatown in Houston has some of the best chinese food inside the coasts.

Use cash at sketchy stores, credit card skimming is huge down there and stay alert at gas pumps (for both skimmers and car jackers).

 

[dennishoddy]

Don't get close to docked cruise ships in your boat. A lot of 19 year old Coast Guard sailors will have M16's pointed at your head.
Don't ask me how I know this.

 

[Cohiba]

Ahhhh good ol G-Town. Wife and I are spending Thanksgiving back in our old stomping grounds....got married on the beach and lived there for three years.

Fishing: If you want to ride a charter...as you enter and drive around Galveston ask at the bait camps or bait shops who they recommend. If your just wanting to throw a line in check out the Fishing Pier up on the Seawall-just a little West of Wal-Mart. Usually a ton of people there but you can rent poles and throw a line in.

Smitty's is a good bait camp to ask at....if not drive to others. They'll also tell you what bait is best when you're there.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Gal...472!3m2!1i1116!2i625!4f13.1&spf=1538828194972


Food: 2 places I recommend.

1. Gaido's up on Seawall. The Gaido family have been in Galveston a gazillion years and know how to do seafood right.

http://www.gaidos.com/


2. Willie G's....in the Strand Area(old town) right on the bay...you can see oil rigs being repaired to go out into the Gulf, sail boats docked(if you have one you can drive it into Willie G's dock outside their restaurant) and see the cruise ship pass by.

Backside of the restaurant.


Some where next to Willie G's is a movie theatre that shows and explains the Great Storm that hit Galveston in the early 1900's and how they cleaned up the island, removed the dead people, and raised the island....that's why the Gulf-Seawall side is higher and the Bay side is level....so the water can flow and the seawall raised and cemented can try to protect Galveston.

****Remember*** If you go to Willie G's or the Great Storm...get your parking ticket(pay parking) stamped so it's free.

Great Storm Theatre on the South side of Willie G's.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUse...Theater-Galveston_Galveston_Island_Texas.html


How they raised the island.

 

[Cohiba]

Take a tour of the Bishop's house and the Moody home.

Ride the ferry to Bolivar and stay on the back end of it and you'll see dolphins.





Go to Moody Gardens.






Galveston Web Cams.......see the weather and places.
https://www.galveston.com/webcams/

WASH YOUR CAR just as you leave Galveston...the Salt/Salinity is horrible


Have Fun!!!!

 

[DavidMcmillan]

Some great food in Kemah, and an Italian restaurant in Galveston that is top notch. I can't remember the name, but it's an old favorite, on the Strand, I think.