Flying into Hobby, want to go to NASA, then Galveston, how to do it?

[cvpends]

We're flying into Hobby early on Friday, July 26th, want to go to NASA that afternoon, then go to Galveston Friday evening and enjoy the Galveston area on Saturday before we leave on the Magic on Sunday. What is the most cost-effective way to do this, transportation-wise? I've thought of these options:

 

1) Rent a car, and return it on Saturday...but then how do we get back to Galveston? Are shuttles running on Saturday, although no ship is in port that day?

 

2) Get a one-way rental, but I haven't found any rental company who is willing to do this. I called Enterprise, because others have said that they allow this, and they obstinately denied that they do this. Do you know of a company who does?

 

3) Take taxis everywhere -- but this seems expensive. Do taxis even pick up at NASA?

 

4) Take a shuttle to Galveston (do they run on Friday?) then taxi up to NASA.

 

5) Rent a limo for a whole bunch of hours (also seems expensive.)

 

6) Some have mentioned renting a car for the week (we would need one for 11 days, since we're staying in the Galleria area of Houston a day after the cruise also.) I priced this and it was almost $400, including taxes.

 

Are there other, better options?

 

Argh. Pleeeeaaase help me with thinking this out :eek:

[ssb]

Rethink this through!!!!!!

Flying into Hobby, hobby to NASA, then NASA to Galveston, then Galveston and drive around Galveston , then cruise and back to Galveston,

then Galveston to Houston galleria area and then galleria area

back to airport.

And anything else you may want to do in between all of these??

And you have total flexibility!!!!

 

# 6 sounds cheap!!!!!

[LHT28]

I rented a car via Priceline

I bid $11 per day ..it was accepted

We flew into IAH but dropped off at Hobby so I am sure you could pick up at HOU

 

If you can get a good deal

[cvpends]

Rethink this through!!!!!!

Flying into Hobby, hobby to NASA, then NASA to Galveston, then Galveston and drive around Galveston , then cruise and back to Galveston,

then Galveston to Houston galleria area and then galleria area

back to airport.

And anything else you may want to do in between all of these??

And you have total flexibility!!!!

 

# 6 sounds cheap!!!!!

 

Wow, that's a lot of exclamation points :eek:

 

The plan doesn't sound so complicated to me. We always like to fly in a couple of days early and/or stay late when we cruise from an area we haven't yet explored, and have had lots of fun and found many interesting things to do by doing so. It's part of the cruise experience for us.

 

Regarding the car, I don't believe we need a car in Galveston. It looks small enough that we will probably just walk all around, like we did in New Orleans. The only reason I think we might need a car is that I don't know how else to get to NASA. My husband and I both have spent many years working on space systems and both we and our daughter are really interested in going to see Houston's NASA facility, especially since I don't know when or if we will ever go to Houston again.

 

If we do go with option 6, as you suggested, I wonder how much it will cost us to park the car for the week in Galveston? We are staying at the Harbor House for two nights ahead of time. Do they have free parking or a parking agreement with another hotel?

[cvpends]

I rented a car via Priceline

I bid $11 per day ..it was accepted

We flew into IAH but dropped off at Hobby so I am sure you could pick up at HOU

 

If you can get a good deal

 

This is a good idea. I bid yesterday, and it wasn't accepted, and will bid again daily in hopes of this plan working. The only thing is, I understand that July is high season for Houston, so that pulls prices up. What time of year were you travelling?

[LHT28]

This is a good idea. I bid yesterday, and it wasn't accepted, and will bid again daily in hopes of this plan working. The only thing is, I understand that July is high season for Houston, so that pulls prices up. What time of year were you travelling?

We went November for Thanksgiving with the family in Houston

There is a place on PL to see what others are bidding at the time then go from there

http://www.priceline.com/promo/rc_winning_bids.html?irefid=RCDEALS&irefclickid=RC_WINNINGBIDS

It took me a few tries to get what I wanted to pay

 

Galveston if you just stay close to the hotel you may not need a car but otherwise I would get one

 

You could see if the hotel has a park n cruise package ..We ahve never stayed there so cannot comment

Moody Gardens is worth a trip

 

Enjoy

 

Lyn

[cvpends]

We went November for Thanksgiving with the family in Houston

There is a place on PL to see what others are bidding at the time then go from there

http://www.priceline.com/promo/rc_winning_bids.html?irefid=RCDEALS&irefclickid=RC_WINNINGBIDS

It took me a few tries to get what I wanted to pay

 

Galveston if you just stay close to the hotel you may not need a car but otherwise I would get one

 

You could see if the hotel has a park n cruise package ..We ahve never stayed there so cannot comment

Moody Gardens is worth a trip

 

Enjoy

 

Lyn

 

Thanks for the pointer to the winning bids -- I didn't know about that! And thanks for the other information. I will check out Moody Gardens also. I will keep everyone posted on my Priceline efforts, and am still open to other ideas.

[TruckerDave]

I would do this. Rent a car when you get in on Friday. Keep it until Sunday morning and return it to Hobby and catch a shuttle back to the port. Just drop off the family at the port (or if you stay at a hotel on the island with a shuttle to the port) before you return the car and grab shuttle to the ship. On the return, just grab a shuttle back to the airport and pick up a car again and return to port and grab the family. (or just take the whole clan to the airport and get the car without having to return to the island.)

[CarribeanDiva]

TruckerDave has a great suggestion.

 

We often drop everyone off ahead of time like that. Be sure you print your documents individually if you do that, so the others do not have to wait on you to board.

 

We always spend the entire day at JSC. There is just so much to see and do if you are into that. Have a great time!

[ssb]

TruckerDave has a great suggestion.

 

We often drop everyone off ahead of time like that. Be sure you print your documents individually if you do that, so the others do not have to wait on you to board.

 

We always spend the entire day at JSC. There is just so much to see and do if you are into that. Have a great time!

 

I like that too!

Unless you want total flexibility,

and if price is alot more reasonable than rent car for whole time!

[cvpends]

Thanks for your input, everyone! I have a twist of events this week: Two of the other teachers at my school have decided to book cabins on the same sailing, so we now have a much larger group. Any car rented would have to fit six of us and a whole slew of suitcases :eek: Maybe a minivan? Argh.

[jamminlion]

Just some additional advice - in Houston and Galveston and Texas in general, you will swelter in July. It can be 100 with 80%+ humidity. It's treacherous. You will not want to do a lot of walking around Galveston. You will want to drive in the a/c.

 

JSC is totally worth the visit. As is nearby Kemah boardwalk area. You could stay near JSC (lots of reasonably priced hotels there) and drive on to Galveston Saturday morning. Honestly, traffic should be better early Saturday morning than a Friday evening. People will be heading to the beach Friday evening for the weekend and I-45 will possibly get backed up. Heading out early Saturday morning to Galveston would be easier traffic wise.

 

Dropping off at the port and the returning car to Hobby and taking a shuttle back can be very time consuming. One accident on I-45 could spell disaster for making the ship.

 

Maybe rent in Houston. Return car in Houston. Shuttle (or town car) everyone to Galveston and rent a car for Galveston. Drop everyone at port and return car to Galveston. Then taxi to port.