Liberty OTS Galveston advice

[ecormier]

Hi all!

 

Hubby and I are looking at a cruise on the Liberty out of Galveston in January 2019. We would like to arrive a couple of days before.

 

Would you suggest pre-cruise in Houston or Galveston? What is the best way to get from Houston to Galveston? What hotels would you recommend? What would you recommend we do in Galveston and Houston? Would you recommend ship transfer to Houston?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

Cheers, Betty

[ssb]

Galveston is island tourist destination with 7 million visitors a year and two first class convention centers.

 

Lots to do .

 

 

 

 

 

• Download Map of Galveston Island
  
• Download Map Galveston's East End
  
• Download Map of Houston Metro Area
  

First there is a trolley system to/from/between most hotels and tourist destinations. And the better hotels have a courtesy transfer vehicle to all locations.

 

 

The better Hotels are

 

San Luis

Tremont

Galvez

Harbor House

Moody Gardens

 

 

AREAS:

Old Town Strand / Port has two hotels only Tremont and Harbor House

with lots to do and walking to

 

Gulf of Mexico / Seawall has many hotels including Galvez and San Luis and other good ones

with lots to do and walking to

 

Moody Garden Hotel is on water and bay front

with Moody Gardens an entertainment complex

 

Vacation Rentals:

Short Term Rentals Owners Association of Galveston

stroag.org

 

see galveston.com

see galvestonhistory.org

see pier21.org

see bryanmuseum.org

[Clarea]

Hi all!

 

Hubby and I are looking at a cruise on the Liberty out of Galveston in January 2019. We would like to arrive a couple of days before.

 

Would you suggest pre-cruise in Houston or Galveston? What is the best way to get from Houston to Galveston? What hotels would you recommend? What would you recommend we do in Galveston and Houston? Would you recommend ship transfer to Houston?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

Cheers, Betty

You may also want to take a look at the Gulf Coast Departures forum: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=414

[George C]

San Luis is a really nice upscale hotel with a great steak restaurant and piano bar, also pool with swim up bar, Hilton is nice, planning on doing moody gardens on next trip.

[Wordell1]

The Johnson Space Center is not far from Galveston and is worth a trip if you have never been

[ecormier]

Thanks ! This gives me a great start to my research. Keep those recommendations coming.

 

Cheers, Betty

[wolfganghowell]

Without knowing your budget or preferences, advice could be all over the place. :)

 

 

We always stay at Hotel Galvez - lovely, historic and unique. They can shuttle you to and from the port. Rooms between $220-270 per night.

 

 

Places to research in Galveston - Gaido's, Original Tex Mex, The Spot, Poop Deck, Tremont House Rooftop Bar.

 

 

January weather is very unpredictable - could be relatively mild or could be cold. Fog can be an issue that month so I would recommend either a later flight or stay over Sunday night and head home on Monday.

 

 

Two main areas to explore are the Seawall and the Strand. Have a great time.

[ssb]

The Galveston Island Bucket List

 

Updated 47 days ago

There is so much to do on our little island that you may not be able to do it all at once, but no worries! We have compiled the ultimate 'bucket list' to tackle in Galveston, Texas.

How many have you done? One? Ten? Better get going!

1. Take a helicopter ride around the island

 

2. Visit 1892 Bishop’s Palace

 

3. Try Gaido’s world-famous pecan pie

 

4. Catch a show at The Grand 1894 Opera House

 

5. Reel in a fish off 61st Street Fishing Pier

 

6. Go shelling

 

7. Catch a sunrise on the beach

 

8. Bike the entire 10.3 miles of Seawall

 

9. Ride the train at the Galveston Railroad Museum

 

10. Purchase and eat fresh seafood from Katie’s Seafood Market

 

11. Meet a penguin at Moody Gardens

 

12. Attend Dickens on The Strand in costume

 

13. Get spooked year-round at the Haunted Mayfield Manor

 

14. Spot a dolphin on a harbor tour

 

15. Ride the World’s Tallest Water Coaster at Schlitterbahn: MASSIV

 

16. Discover Old-World Charm in Historic Downtown Galveston

 

17. Spot as many of the 35 tree sculptures as possible

 

18. Snap a picture inside a #LoveGalveston picture frame

 

19. Try Galveston Island Brewing beer

 

20. Play a round of golf at Moody Gardens

 

21. Attend the largest motorcycle rally in Texas

 

22. Purchase local art

 

23. Take your pet to the beach

 

24. Step aboard the 1877 Tall Ship ELISSA

 

25. Go Birding

 

26. Rent a beach house

 

27. Explore the Broadway Cemetery

 

28. Take a picture underneath the Mardi Gras Arch

 

29. Catch a play at Island ETC

 

30. Explore Hendley Market

 

31. Take a picture on one of the GIANT beach chairs

 

32. Read a book on the Great Storm of 1900 at the Rosenberg Library

 

33. Attend Movie Nite on The Strand at Saengerfest Park

 

34. Grab a scoop of Hey Mikey’s homemade ice cream

 

35. Take a cruise out of Galveston Island

 

36. Witness a taffy pull at La King’s Confectionery

 

37. Take a tour of the USS Cavalla and USS Stewart at Seawolf Park

 

38. Go to the Galveston’s Own Farmers Market at the Bryan Museum

 

39. Dine at one of several participating Galveston Restaurant Week restaurants

 

40. Catch beads at Mardi Gras! Galveston

 

41. Recreate the 1900 Storm Memorial statue pose

 

42. Learn how to make a sandcastle

 

43. Enjoy happy hour at a downtown restaurant

 

44. Make a round trip on the FREE ferry

 

45. Take a selfie with a sea turtle statue

 

46. Spot a monkey at the Moody Gardens Rainforest exhibit

 

47. Take a ghost tour

 

48. Take an action shot in front of the “Greeting from Galveston, Texas” mural

 

49. Try a ‘Have A Cow! Shake’ from Star Drug Store

 

50. Ride a Segway down the Strand Historic District

 

*Printable Checklist - Galveston Island Bucket List

 

Article written by Clayton Kolavo

 

Clayton Kolavo is the newest member of the Galveston.com & Company family. Clayton oversees planning, implementation, and evaluation of public relations and marketing activities, including promotions, video production, blogs, and social media. Serves as Director of Galveston.com TV and Galveston Restaurant Week, as well as media liaison between the firm and local tourism partners.

[BecciBoo]

I second Galveston and before you go, pass the time by reading Issac's Storm or see the Youtube movie of the same name.

https://books.google.com/books/about/Isaac_s_Storm.html?id=8PZvUFtwKwgC&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHTcPxATzm0

Edited July 25, 2018 by BecciBoo

[BecciBoo]

I've just spent the day reviewing both...what a story.

 

As cruisers, we never should forget nor fail to respect the power of Mother Nature. I truat the line and their good Masters to keep us safe, but am prepared for whatever the sea delivers.

[llecamus]

I second Galveston and before you go, pass the time by reading Issac's Storm or see the Youtube movie of the same name.

https://books.google.com/books/about/Isaac_s_Storm.html?id=8PZvUFtwKwgC&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHTcPxATzm0

 

Thanks for sharing the YouTube video; I had no idea of its existence. I fell in love with Erik Larsen’s storytelling in Isaac’s Storm, plus living on Texas Gulf Coast the subject matter is close to heart. His latest book Dead Wake (story of the Lusitania) was my cruise reading our last Alaskan cruise.

 

I also put my vote in for Hotel Galvez, especially for those who are driving in. You can use their gated parking garage for very cheap if you stay there pre-cruise (or even at Harbor House, a sister property right near the cruise pier). And Uber is a good alternative if you don’t want to wait for the hotel shuttle (or like us, forget to reserve it).

[BecciBoo]

Thanks for sharing the YouTube video; I had no idea of its existence. I fell in love with Erik Larsen’s storytelling in Isaac’s Storm, plus living on Texas Gulf Coast the subject matter is close to heart. His latest book Dead Wake (story of the Lusitania) was my cruise reading our last Alaskan cruise.

 

I also put my vote in for Hotel Galvez, especially for those who are driving in. You can use their gated parking garage for very cheap if you stay there pre-cruise (or even at Harbor House, a sister property right near the cruise pier). And Uber is a good alternative if you don’t want to wait for the hotel shuttle (or like us, forget to reserve it).

 

And thx for the Dead Wake ref, I'll download that for the upcoming next month!

[Monnom]

A lot depends on your tastes, your budget, and when you're arriving. I debated for a while what to do and realized that 30/40 minutes outside of Galveston is a huge mall ;p Being from Canada, I always like to explore the places I can't back home. There's also a Dave and Busters that I really want to try. The Space Center is very close by as well, if that interests you. And a minute from the mall is a Holiday Inn Express that's half the price of the hotels I looked at in Galveston. However, if your heart is set on Galveston, my vote is for The Galvez!

[Petroplex]

Hi all!

 

Hubby and I are looking at a cruise on the Liberty out of Galveston in January 2019. We would like to arrive a couple of days before.

 

Would you suggest pre-cruise in Houston or Galveston? What is the best way to get from Houston to Galveston? What hotels would you recommend? What would you recommend we do in Galveston and Houston? Would you recommend ship transfer to Houston?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

Cheers, Betty

 

Welcome to Texas, Betty! I have reviewed some of the attractions in Galveston, and I also have a deck by deck video walk through of the ship. To answer your question directly, though, you need to answer a different question first.

 

I believe I read in one of the other posts that you will be flying in from Canada. In deciding what to do, the first question is this: Will you be renting a car? If the answer is no, there are two good options. One is to get a hotel in downtown Houston. They have some lovely parks and museums and a zoo, and I will hazard a wager that the temperature there will be more pleasant in January than it will be back home. You can then arrange for a private car service to take you to the pier on Sunday morning. Option 2 would be getting a car directly to Galveston from the airport. The Tremont and the Harbor House are both walking distance from the pier. If the prices are similar, I would go for the Tremont every time. Either of those hotels lets you walk to dinner at Fisherman's Wharf or Olympia Grill (the Pier 21 location), and you can have a lovely sweet snack at La King's.

 

If you have a car, however, your options expand considerably. First, if you have a car figure out where you will park it during the cruise. We are regular customers of Galveston Park n Cruise, and I just booked them again yesterday for the cruise I will be taking next year. We have stayed at the Hampton Inn the last couple of trips because I was able to get a fairly large room with my Hilton points. However, I would probably go with one of the recommendations the other folks have made. In particular, I am a fan of the Galvez. Best wishes for safe travel, and I hope you will enjoy your visit to a brilliant city.

[SirRedman]

When we cruised out of Galveston, we used Galveston Limo both from and back to Houston (we flew in a day prior). Very inexpensive and easy to use! We stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott which is about as far from the pier as you can get (I think). There wasn't a lot down in that area, but it was all we could find/afford.

[ssb]

When we cruised out of Galveston, we used Galveston Limo both from and back to Houston (we flew in a day prior). Very inexpensive and easy to use! We stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott which is about as far from the pier as you can get (I think). There wasn't a lot down in that area, but it was all we could find/afford.

There are trolley’s now around town , that connect to most all hotels motels and tourist destinations. And better hotels motels have buses vans to take you wherever you want to go around town .

[SirRedman]

There are trolley’s now around town , that connect to most all hotels motels and tourist destinations. And better hotels motels have buses vans to take you wherever you want to go around town .

 

 

Never saw a trolley one during our visit. And yes, the Courtyard had a van to take you places, however they charged for the service.

[ssb]

Never saw a trolley one during our visit. And yes, the Courtyard had a van to take you places, however they charged for the service.

 

 

 

http://www.galvestontrolley.com

[aacruise]

The Galveston Trolley only goes as far as 81st street and Seawall. There is a bus route that may go down as far the Courtyard by Marriott.

 

The hotels & other suggestions are good. The Hotel Galvez is supposedly haunted, but in our stay there several years ago we weren't bothered. There are attractions within walking distance of the Moody Gardens Hotel that includes an Aquarium Pyramid & Rainforest Pyramid.

 

A great restaurant where locals eat is Miller's Seawall Grill. This restaurant is near the Hotel Galvez. The only bad thing about the restaurant is that parking is limited.

 

Please be aware that there is road constructionv(never ending) on I-45 from about exit 26 down to exit 19. A good road app for current traffic conditions is the Houston TransStar app.

[kalliekae]

Op, we've stayed at the Tremont and it was quite nice and within walking distance to the pier, downtown restaurants, and shops. This year, I think we will stay at the Galvez since my daughter stayed there recently and really liked it. It's located across from the ocean and there are many restaurants nearby. Daughter took the hotel shuttle to the pier so that was convenient. Enjoy your cruise!

[ssb]

The Galveston Trolley only goes as far as 81st street and Seawall. There is a bus route that may go down as far the Courtyard by Marriott.

 

The hotels & other suggestions are good. The Hotel Galvez is supposedly haunted, but in our stay there several years ago we weren't bothered. There are attractions within walking distance of the Moody Gardens Hotel that includes an Aquarium Pyramid & Rainforest Pyramid.

 

A great restaurant where locals eat is Miller's Seawall Grill. This restaurant is near the Hotel Galvez. The only bad thing about the restaurant is that parking is limited.

 

Please be aware that there is road constructionv(never ending) on I-45 from about exit 26 down to exit 19. A good road app for current traffic conditions is the Houston TransStar app.

 

Millers had a fire and is closed for a while .

[aacruise]

Millers had a fire and is closed for a while .

 

I know but I am presuming that they will reopen by Jan when the OP will be in Galveston.

 

Actually, since I live on Galveston's West End, I hope that they will reopen long before that time.

[lbjen]

Definitely account for the possibility of fog delays in your planning. If you *have* to be home on that Sunday, it might not be the best port for you. That’s not to say you will have a fog delay, but there’s a chance.

[ssb]

I know but I am presuming that they will reopen by Jan when the OP will be in Galveston.

 

Actually, since I live on Galveston's West End, I hope that they will reopen long before that time.

 

Yes they say they should be open sometime next month.

[KG1924]

We've sailed out of Galveston twice and it's a cute town! We've stayed both by the strand/downtown and on the ocean side, both are nice for different reasons depending what you want to do. I think we like staying down by the nightlife a bit more but we still took a cab over to the beach.

 

The only advice I would give is that January and February are prime times for fog down there. Our first trip we were delayed hours from boarding because of the fog. I don't think we actually got on the ship until 7pm (Carnival...Dream or Magic...can't remember lol) but that can happen with any cruise line. Our group just camped out at a restaurant next to the pier and patiently waited for our ship to finally come in. While an inconvenience when you want to get on the ship, it's more important to allow plenty of time for delays when getting off. I wouldn't book an early flight home at least.