The Final Information to a Weekend in Galveston

Stroll by means of Galveston’s Historic District.

One of many many nice issues about dwelling in Houston is its proximity to the Texas shoreline. Simply an hour away, Galveston has a lot to supply metropolis dwellers coming down I-45 for a enjoyable day journey, in addition to extra far-flung guests searching for a seaside with a aspect of historical past and Gulf seafood.

Sure, there’s far more to the island than its seashores. Hidden-gem eating places Galveston locals adore are blended in with extra touristy spots nonetheless well worth the go to. Spend a while within the metropolis’s many museums that spotlight the historical past of the world, then have some enjoyable at points of interest just like the Pleasure Pier and Moody Gardens. There’s a bit of little bit of one thing for everybody. Right here’s the place we hang around after we’re visiting Galveston Island.

The place to Eat

Bambú

Ask any native, and so they’ll let you know that whereas Houston is all about tacos, Galveston is the place for burritos. This Mexican café alongside twenty third avenue, open just for breakfast and lunch, is without doubt one of the greatest spots to seek out an incredible breakfast burrito on the town. Go for a standard menudo, or like a real native, dig in to the “shock burrito”—an island specialty of potatoes, egg, beans, cheese, and bacon—or the meat fajita or carne asada burritos.

Daiquiri Time Out

Regardless of its identify, this place is extra than simply daiquiris, so rum haters, again off. From its environment to its drinks, this craft cocktail lounge is the place to go to wind down after a busy day of strolling round. This gem is tucked away in Historic Downtown Galveston, however with its pink signage and blue constructing, it’s exhausting to overlook. Right here, you’ll discover island-style cocktails, a wide array of spirits, and beer. In case you’re a fan of a very good quaint, ask the bartender for the bar’s Oaxaca quaint (tequila, mezcal, agave, and bitters), an incredible riff on the basic. Professional tip: The speakeasy Pineapple Parlor is positioned behind Daiquiri Time Out.

Fish Firm Taco

Locals and regulars had been saddened when Dayatra Myers-Harm closed her taqueria (though you may nonetheless eat her meals at Resort Lucine). Shortly afterward, Raz Halili, the proprietor of Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster Home—and of the restaurant’s constructing—purchased the Fish Firm Taco identify and recipes. It reopened in September 2024 with a contemporary lick of paint. The corn tortillas are nonetheless made in-house, and every of the 5 tacos on the menu will be ordered with catch of the day picks like redfish, Gulf shrimp, or greens. Choices embody a Vietnamese taco with nuoc mam and herbs, and a Baja taco with lime crème fraîche, pickles, and ranchero salsa, plus sides like chile-marinated cucumbers and elote. Wash all of it down with a cactus flower, prickly pear, and dragon fruit agua fresca.

Gaido’s

A basic proper on the Seawall, Gaido’s has been serving the freshest Gulf seafood in Galveston since 1911. Request a desk by the home windows to benefit from the ocean views, and if it’s your first time in, sit again for a bit of historical past lesson out of your server. Italian immigrant San Giacinto Gaido based the restaurant, which is now operated by fourth-generation Nick Gaido and his spouse, Kateryna. Gaido’s presents never-frozen seafood like catfish, snapper, and redfish in basic preparations, whether or not grilled, fried, blackened, you identify it. Gulf shrimp is just about in every single place on the menu, from the shrimp cocktail to the fan-favorite fried platter, and ensure to make the most of seasonal choices like crab of all types and scallops.

Gypsy Joynt

Situated in a strip heart alongside Steward Street, Gypsy Joint is value a go to for its enjoyable, eclectic atmosphere. The decorations alone are a cluster of wacky objects like a dressed-up Santa, dream catchers, and flower wreaths—even the door deal with to exit is the wheels of a skateboard. It type of appears to be like like Mardi Gras threw up in right here, which is becoming contemplating Galveston’s celebration is the third-largest within the nation. Gypsy Joynt serves burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, tacos, and fluffy biscuits that the locals love.

Henry’s Mexican Restaurant

Like at many institutions on the town, the burrito comes folded not rolled at Henry’s, but it surely’s simply as scrumptious. The huge breakfast burrito is served all day and comes with egg, bacon, potato, and cheese. In case you’re fascinated with a plate, the Mexican-Salvadoran spot’s carne guisada, migas, or pupusas are all strong choices. In case you’re drained from an extended day on the seaside, you’ll respect the restaurant’s drive-through.

Katie’s Seafood Home

Previous to this restaurant, there was Katie’s Seafood Market, opened in 1998. Nonetheless up and operating at present, the market gained recognition for bringing contemporary seafood to the island’s native eating places in addition to different regional markets. In 2019, one of many house owners, Buddy Guindon, opened Katie’s Seafood Home, which will get its seafood from the market. The restaurant presents seafood gumbo, fried oysters, jumbo Texas Gulf grilled shrimp, and far more.

La King’s Confectionery

If you wish to be transported again to while you had been a child in a sweet store, that is the place to be. La King’s on the Strand is a large draw for anybody with a candy tooth. Select from considered one of its old school candies, ice cream scoops, coffees, specialty shakes and malts, or sundaes. La King’s has a working Nineteen Twenties soda fountain, which continues to be used for most of the store’s treats. And in the event you occur to be in Galveston throughout considered one of Texas’s brutal summers, it’s an incredible place to go to chill off.

Bear in mind to strive Maceo’s muffuletta earlier than heading out.

Maceo Spice & Import Firm

The Maceo household is legendary for its illicit bootlegging previous, however the descendants at the moment are higher recognized for…spices. However not simply spices: pastas, sauces like tomato gravy, wines, and different specialty meals imported from all around the world. It’s the right place to buy elements to make your personal meal, however in the event you’re too lazy to cook dinner, strive the store’s muffuletta, which is regarded by locals as the most effective outdoors of New Orleans.

Miller’s Seawall Grill

Since 1976, Miller’s has been bringing high quality seafood to Galveston’s Seawall. The restaurant’s all-day breakfast menu is stuffed with standouts like a lump crab benedict and the shrimp or pork fajitas grits. For one thing candy, go for the belgium waffle or french toast. For lunch or dinner, strive the Seawall Particular, which comes with a basa fish fillet and shrimp which can be both grilled or fried with onions, plus your selection of aspect. Can’t make up your thoughts and wish to eat like a king? Order the Miller’s Platter, which comes with a specific assortment of contemporary seafood, gumbo or chowder, fish, shrimp, oyster, and crab balls.

Mosquito Cafe

Strolling into beloved native spot Mosquito Café is like touring again in time to an old-timey nation restaurant. It serves a breakfast menu all day and lunch beginning at 11am. Go for a hearty begin to the day with the restaurant’s Plain Ol’ Breakfast, which comes with three additional giant eggs any type, entire wheat toast, and a selection of both hickory-smoked peppered bacon or premium hyperlink sausage, or roasted potatoes. For lunch, strive the shrimp tacos, that are made with blended greens, chipotle sauce, pico de gallo, and selfmade salsa inside a flour tortilla. In case you sit outdoors, ask for a fan to maintain the flies off your meals.

The Sunflower Bakery & Cafe

This Galveston staple serves contemporary Gulf seafood, baked items, sandwiches, espresso, and far more. Dig right into a soft-shell crab benedict for brunch, made with blue crab that’s battered and fried, topped with two poached eggs and hollandaise sauce, and served with breakfast potatoes. Or order the frittata margarita for an open-faced omelet with breakfast potatoes, sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. For lunch, strive a home specialty just like the tortilla-crusted contemporary snapper. Earlier than you head out, make sure to cease by the bakery for a cinnamon roll.

Issues to Do

Galveston’s Railroad Museum is not going to solely educate you on the historical past of railroads in America, however can even hold you entertained for hours.

Galveston Railroad Museum

$12 adults; $6 kids; $9 seniors

Courting to 1896, this family-friendly museum has a ton to discover. Climb aboard the prepare vehicles to be taught extra concerning the historical past of the railroads in Texas and the US, and admire outdated eating automobile china, photographs of various locomotives, and historic pamphlets. You may also see inside an outdated electrical cupboard, outdated eating vehicles, sleeper vehicles, an outdated Illinois submit workplace automobile, and different small artifacts. With all of the perception into the railroad system, you may simply wish to take a prepare in your subsequent journey quite than an airplane. Don’t neglect to strive the railroad simulator for the total expertise earlier than you allow.

Moody Mansion

$15 adults; $7 for ages 6–17; kids below 5 free

Galveston is thought for its historic mansions and loopy thriller hauntings attributable to its tumultuous previous with hurricanes, however do you know that one of the highly effective households to reside in Texas as soon as referred to as the island house? After the Nice Galveston Storm of 1900, the nation’s deadliest pure catastrophe, William Lewis Moody Jr. moved his household into this house. The Moodys, recognized for his or her wealth and monetary empire, saved the house within the household till 1983, when Hurricane Alicia hit. Years later in 1991, the house was restored and become a museum. Now, this well-known historic home and its 20 rooms are on show for vacationers. You may stroll by means of and get a way of how this highly effective Texas household as soon as lived their day-to-day life. The bottom flooring additionally homes the Galveston Kids’s Museum, a nonprofit that has varied actions for teenagers to play and discover.

Nia Cultural Heart

Free

This free artwork gallery and museum tells the historical past of Juneteenth in Galveston. The island is named the birthplace for this (now-federal) vacation: On June 19, 1865, the enslaved folks in Galveston realized of their freedom greater than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. At this mini-museum on the Strand, you can’t solely learn the timeline that led to the liberty of those folks, but additionally view the artwork gallery and different objects on show. Ask the workers concerning the bricks within the constructing, and also you’ll have the chance to dive even deeper into the historical past of Galveston’s enslaved folks. In case you look intently sufficient, you may see their fingerprints within the bricks. The Nia Cultural Heart is a nonprofit, so keep in mind to sign up earlier than exploring to assist them out with future grants.

Pleasure Pier

That is the place to be in the event you’re a thrill seeker or adrenaline junky. Though this attraction is standard already, its historical past makes it value mentioning: The pier was first constructed as a leisure facility throughout World Warfare II, then was reworked into Galveston Pleasure Pier within the Forties. Up till its destruction in 1961 throughout Hurricane Carla, the pier was generally known as a household vacation spot. 4 years later, the pier was restored, and the Flagship Resort opened and remained there till Hurricane Ike in 2008 when as soon as once more, it was destroyed. In 2012, the amusement park vacationers and residents now love opened. Immediately, households can journey to the pier to take pleasure in a day stuffed with amusement rides, a 5D theater, and a few Bubba Gump.

The Bryan Museum

$15 adults; $14 seniors 65+, lecturers, and navy; $12 college students; $7 ages 6–12; free if below 6

This museum on twenty first Avenue is the right vacationer attraction for historical past lovers. You’ll discover greater than 12,000 years of historic artifacts, paperwork, and art work—about 70,000 objects complete—that relate to Texas and the American West. These embody cowboy chaps, Native American stone instruments and arrowheads, and a Spanish mission bell. The museum can be diving deeper into its historical past with its latest everlasting exhibition, which tells the story of its previous because the Galveston Orphan’s house. By this exhibit, you’ll uncover the historical past of the constructing whereas additionally listening to tales from the orphans who as soon as lived there.

The place to Keep

Grand Galvez

In case you love a very good ghost story, that is positively the lodge it’s best to take into account staying in throughout your go to to Galveston. It opened in 1911, and regardless of all of the loopy storms it’s endured over time, the lodge continues to be standing. However let’s get into the actual enjoyable: ghost tales. When the lodge first opened, a press photograph allegedly confirmed a ghost of a gentleman standing in entrance of a French door, and others have claimed to see photographs of a younger lady bouncing a crimson ball. Nonetheless, essentially the most well-known ghost tales come from the tragic story of Audra, a.okay.a. the Lovelorn Bride. It’s been mentioned that the room she stayed in is thought for paranormal exercise and quite a few unexplained occasions. And in the event you assume the ghost tales are only a bunch of hogwash, properly, you’ll be simply as happy with Grand Galvez’s facilities—like a spa and resort-style pool—and its proximity to the seaside.

Resort Lucine

Similar to many different locations on the island, this lodge has a historical past to it. It was initially constructed within the Nineteen Sixties because the Treasure Isle Motel, and since then, it has been renovated into a brand new 61-room boutique lodge. Resort Lucine presents ocean views, a courtyard pool, and varied eating choices—like American eating institution the Fancy, the Den (nice for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night cocktails), and the Rooftop (a bar with ocean views and reside leisure). It’s the right spot for anybody who desires a contemporary but cozy keep.

The Oleander

After the craze of the Barbie film in 2023, who doesn’t wish to keep at a fancy, pink boutique lodge? The Oleander is the best spot for a women’ weekend. This lodge presents photograph ops abound, together with a enjoyable topiary backdrop on the entrance door, and rooms come geared up with colourful wallpaper, snug beds, mini fridges, and clothes racks. Plus, with lockboxes and door codes, the check-in and check-out course of is a contactless breeze.