Things to do in Galveston?

[2-laner]

When we get off the ship Sunday morning, we will have all of that day and evening to "bum around" Galveston. Was just looking for suggestions anyone would have on how to enjoy ourselves before heading home the next day. My sister heard of a 'ghost tour' - she loves that kind of thing. We heard that one of the hotels is considered haunted, and she was all for staying there. The rest of us vetoed that. :(:) But we did agree to a tour if there was such a thing there. Anybody been?? Would love any input all other activities as well. Thanks :)

[robtx100]

We have not done the ghost tour, but have stayed at the Hotel Galvez many times. We once stayed in room 505. I thing they said it was room 500 that is haunted. Also, there is a very large portrait in the hallway of Galvez and his eyes look as if they follow you from every angle you look at it. If you get a chance to stay at the Galvez, you will not regret it. Great hotel with a FANTASTIC staff.

 

There is Sea Wolf Park that has a submarine and ship there to tour. The Strand is always nice.

[cks]

When are you cruising? I think they usually only do tours around Halloween time (give or take a couple of months). I've done a couple of different ghost tours. Ghost Tours of Galveston is a decent one. It's not really spooky...just more of a history lesson really. They take you around downtown and talk about casualties that happened in buildings, or show you buildings that were used for morgues during the civil war and/or hurricanes. It's neat, but not scary. I didn't see a ghost. :(

 

I also did an "are we haunted" tour through the historical foundation at Ashton Villa. Again, not really a ghost tour, just some info about ghost stories that supposedly happened in the house. The house is gorgeous though, so it's worth the trip. Again, didn't see a ghost.:(

 

Other than the whole haunted thing, there's plenty to do. Old mansions to tour, the beach, shopping downtown, Moody Gardens, ride the Colonel Paddlewheel, ride the ferry...to name a few. If you can post back what time of year you'll be here and what you might be interested in doing, I can help you narrow things down, or give more specific locations. Have fun!!

[Host Kat]

GHF again to host Haunted Happenings

 

http://www.galvestondailynews.com/story/163266

 

Also, check out the oldie but goody thread titled Ghost Tour In Galveston? at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1077070. Please note it is from last October so some of the links might not work now.

Kat

[CGBCruiser]

We have not done the ghost tour, but have stayed at the Hotel Galvez many times. We once stayed in room 505. I thing they said it was room 500 that is haunted. Also, there is a very large portrait in the hallway of Galvez and his eyes look as if they follow you from every angle you look at it. If you get a chance to stay at the Galvez, you will not regret it. Great hotel with a FANTASTIC staff.

 

There is Sea Wolf Park that has a submarine and ship there to tour. The Strand is always nice.

 

Ashton Villa is supposed to be haunted too! Oops...I hadn't read Kat's link above. I've always heard Galveston has many uneasy spirits! :)

[2-laner]

Thanks everyone for the great info. We will be there in Feb around Valentine's Day. Can't imagine too many ghost haunting events scheduled for that time of year. Unless it had to do with a long lost love still trying to find their mate after 200 years :) We may have to check out the hotels just to look around. We usually love to just visit local places to get a feel for the town and the people that live there.

[cks]

Thanks everyone for the great info. We will be there in Feb around Valentine's Day. Can't imagine too many ghost haunting events scheduled for that time of year. Unless it had to do with a long lost love still trying to find their mate after 200 years :) We may have to check out the hotels just to look around. We usually love to just visit local places to get a feel for the town and the people that live there.

 

Well, if you really want to go ghost hunting that time of year, The Galvez and Tremont House are both supposedly haunted hotels. Mediterranean Chef is a restaurant on The Strand that is supposedly haunted.

 

It can be pretty chilly that time of year, so I hope you have good weather. That makes sightseeing so much more fun. And even if it's cold, you should stop in at La King's Confectionary on The Strand for ice cream. It's a neat experience. Have a great time and a great cruise!

[ssb]

When we get off the ship Sunday morning, we will have all of that day and evening to "bum around" Galveston. Was just looking for suggestions anyone would have on how to enjoy ourselves before heading home the next day. My sister heard of a 'ghost tour' - she loves that kind of thing. We heard that one of the hotels is considered haunted, and she was all for staying there. The rest of us vetoed that. :(:) But we did agree to a tour if there was such a thing there. Anybody been?? Would love any input all other activities as well. Thanks :)

 

Galveston.com is good source of info!

It is a commerical website though

and doesn't necessarily have everything to do here, but most.

What are your interests?

cks,others and us can certainly try to help.

[2-laner]

I love "down home" and "small town" environments best. So I am usually happy to be checking out local shops, cafes, hotels, etc. I love places that have "atmosphere", so the above mentioned hotels sound like a must-do on our list. I generally would like to stay clear of chain stores and restaurants and find local favorite places to eat and shop. I almost always try local flavors when it comes to meals. I want to try food and drinks that I can't get back home. In the way of activity, I am drawn to outdoor activities and events. (The three of us that are taking this trip all like to stay on the move when we travel. Physically motivated tours, excursions, etc) A cruise ship is probably the last place I should be going on, as I tend to enjoy being away from tourist and crowds. But, I do like cruising, and simply find my balcony or other hidden coves on the ship to enjoy my quiet time. :)

[cks]

I love "down home" and "small town" environments best. So I am usually happy to be checking out local shops, cafes, hotels, etc. I love places that have "atmosphere", so the above mentioned hotels sound like a must-do on our list. I generally would like to stay clear of chain stores and restaurants and find local favorite places to eat and shop. I almost always try local flavors when it comes to meals. I want to try food and drinks that I can't get back home. In the way of activity, I am drawn to outdoor activities and events. (The three of us that are taking this trip all like to stay on the move when we travel. Physically motivated tours, excursions, etc) A cruise ship is probably the last place I should be going on, as I tend to enjoy being away from tourist and crowds. But, I do like cruising, and simply find my balcony or other hidden coves on the ship to enjoy my quiet time. :)

 

Ah, you sound like my kind of person. Never fear, we can steer you in the right direction. Although you can't get anything here that you probably can't get back home, here would be a list of places I'd recommend for some local flair:

 

Mod Coffeehouse (Postoffice St, downtown)

Lunchbox Cafe (23rd St, downtown, small eatery that serves locally grown food)

Murphy's Pub (22nd St, downtown, TONS of beer on tap, including Texas favorites; best darn pizza on the island)

Mosquito Cafe (14th St, a must for any galveston trip)

Original Mexican Restaurant (14th St, pretty good Tex-Mex)

Skyy Bar (Postoffice St, downtown, yummy sushi)

Gumbo Bar (Postoffice St, downtown, decent bowl of gumbo, might taste good on a cold February day)

LaKings Confectionary (The Strand, downtown; the aforementioned ice cream parlor and candy factory)

 

All of the above suggestions are inexpensive and close to the port. Of course there are tons of other places on the island too, but those are my top choices for simple, good, local hangouts. More info/directions/etc can be found on galveston dot com.

 

As far as things to do, it really depends on the weather since you're coming in February, and whether you have a car with you. If you can afford the time and it's a nice day, you really should try to get to Brazos Bend State Park. It's about 1.5 hrs northwest of Galveston, but it's such a great place. There are alligators all through the park...in the wild, not in captivity, so you can get up close and personal. If it's cold they may be hiding. But if it's sunny, they should be out sunbathing.

 

If you're not interested in going that far, you can always check out Galveston Island State Park, again weather permitting. It's just a nice little nature and birding area. Both of these places are online if you want more info.

 

If you're into history, check out the 1900 Storm movie or the Jean Lafitte movie. They're at the theatre at Pier 21 (right near the port). They're just short little films about some of Galveston's history. The Elissa is right there to tour also.

 

And last, but not least, I'd check out Galveston Music Scene online, if you like live music. You can browse by date and go check out some local live music. Again, choices may be limited in February (we just don't do cold well. :)).

 

Sorry this turned into a novel. I like showing people the interesting side of Galveston. I hope you have a great time. Oh, and do check galveston dot com for a schedule of events as your trip nears. You never know what will be going on.

[clearlakecruisers]

We love Galveston and agree that you don't have to leave the island to stay busy and have a great time. Just wanted to mention that, should it interest you, NASA/Johnson Space Center, Armand Bayou Nature Center and the Kemah Boadwalk are located in the Clear Lake area of Houston about 25-3o minutes north of Galveston

[2-laner]

Your ideas are wonderful! Reading the list of food places is going to make deciding very difficult. There were several that I would love to try. I like cold weather, so unless it is freezing rain, sleet, something along those lines of travel hazards, we will more then likely be happy out in it. So, I am going to look up those places you recommended going to, and check it out. We will be driving down from Kansas, so that will make it easier to go places in our own vehicle. Thanks again for all you wonderful advice :):)

[hughdm]

Add the Saltwater Grill on Post Office Street downtown and Olympia Grill on the Strand by the waterfront to the list of great restaurants. Also, a fun thing to do is to tour around town and see what they did with the trees that were killed by hurricane Ike. They've carved the stumps and trunks into a number of whimsical sculptures. http://www.galveston.com/treesculptures/

 

 

 

 

[cks]

Add the Saltwater Grill on Post Office Street downtown and Olympia Grill on the Strand by the waterfront to the list of great restaurants. Also, a fun thing to do is to tour around town and see what they did with the trees that were killed by hurricane Ike. They've carved the stumps and trunks into a number of whimsical sculptures. http://www.galveston.com/treesculptures/

 

 

 

 

 

Right, great suggestion about touring the trees! I forgot to mention it.