Piyush Bakshi

Top 10 Things to do in Galveston Galveston, nicknamed the Oleander City, offers visitors a colorful mélange of sights and sounds, and things to do. Making a choice on your own can be a trifle overwhelming. Let us help. Here’s our list of the top ten things to do when you visit Galveston. 1. The Strand: Galveston is a historic city with a storied past. After all, it’s a city settled by a pirate – Jean Lafitte was his name. The Strand Historic District is a National Historic Landmark District and one of the six historic districts in the city that preserve the charm and soul of old Galveston. You can spend more than a couple of days checking out the museums, art galleries, souvenir shops, and restaurants here. Many are housed in elegant Victorian buildings that are more than a hundred years old. 2. East Beach: Galveston is a beach town, and East Beach is the largest beach in the city. This is where folks from Houston and surrounding areas come to for enjoying some of the best beach parties along the Gulf Coast. It’s a clean beach, family friendly, and offers ample space for parking. Play, barbecue, do some people gazing or stargazing…you will enjoy the time spent here. 3. Moody Gardens: The pride of Galveston, Moody Gardens is a great place for children and adults, alike. It is spread over 242 acres, is open 365 days a year, and offers nine attractions, as well as many activities and seasonal events. Learn about lush rainforests, check out marine life species from oceans far away, or take up the challenge of the 81-foot high Sky Trail Ropes Course. 4. Go fishing: When it comes to father-son bonding, few activities can beat a day at the pier, angling for redfish, croaker, perch, and gafftop. You can charter a small boat and head out to Galveston Bay to catch some trout for dinner. Or, head to the Gulf of Mexico, a mere 30 miles offshore. Here, you’ll find tuna, amberjack, and sailfish lurking beneath the waters, ready to give you the contest that you’ve come for. 5. Galveston Island State Park: The park, which is located at the west end of the island of Galveston, offers a pristine escape from the city. It covers 2,000 acres of land and water that are home to many species and a refuge for migratory birds. The park is a wildlife photographer’s delight. Catch raccoons, armadillos, and mallard ducks in their element. Go for nature walks, kayaking, or fishing, 6. Texas Seaport Museum: A must-visit for sailors and landlubbers alike, the Texas Seaport Museum is home to the tall ship Elissa, a sailing ship that was built in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1877. This floating piece of history still sails and a ride on it is an event to cherish. The museum has a database of the 133,000 people who entered the United States through the port of Galveston. Looking up ancestors in the database is a fun activity. 7. Eating Out: A city’s eating out scene is one of its defining characteristics. Galveston’s restaurants offer food to tickle the taste buds of both, gourmets and gourmands. Taking in the attractions of Galveston is hungry work. Fortunately, there are many eating places here, many of them family run and much loved by locals, that will sate your hunger pangs with tasty seafood, Italian muffalettas, and fusion Greek-American cuisine. 8. Lone Star Flight Museum: One of the finest aerospace museums in the country, the Lone Star Flight Museum pays homage to American military aircraft, including WWII fighter planes. There are more than 40 aircraft on display. You can even enjoy a ride in planes such as the B-17 Flying Fortress and T-6 Texan. 9. Tours: Guided tours are the best way to discover the hidden gems in Galveston. There are many exciting tours to choose from, and you should definitely add a couple on your itinerary. There’s a horse-drawn carriage tour that takes you through the historical district of East End, a ghost tour that’ll inform you of the supposedly restless spirits that refuse to let the dead past lie buried, a train ride that covers old and new Galveston, and many other tours. 10. The Bishop’s Palace: This stately mansion sprawls over more than 19,000 square feet, and is one of the finest examples of Victorian era architecture in America. A self-guided audio tour of the four-floored stone mansion could well be the highlight of your sojourn in Galveston.