which is the nicest galveston beach (Houston, Corpus Christi: transplants, new home, pros and cons)

[freedomisforeverybody]

Originally Posted by Schumacher713

I do because I have had a lot of experience in Galveston. I have friends who have lived there. It is a very poor area. There really is not that much to do there. My friend has friends in visiting Houston. They are not hitting Galveston. Galveston is a tourist area for people in the Houston area. I fear legalizing gambling is the only way to really turn that area into a true attraction. Though I am highly against legalizing gambling. The cons out weight the pros.

You say you attack it because it is a "poor" area? Don't you think that attacks such as yours would contribute to the "poorness" of the area? That's assuming the area is as "poor" as you make it out to be.

I have friends, and family that live in Galveston too, and there are some very affluent areas of the island as well. How much do you think those beach houses go for these days? There are subdivisions with $1 million dollar homes for sale now, not to mention the high rise condo's going up all along Seawall Blvd. Your image of Galveston as being somehow in abject poverty is absurd!

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[Schumacher713]

It is certainly more than just poverty. Gentrification will certainly take over there eventually. I just don't think it is all that fun down there. I have been down there plenty of times. I guess it depends on what you think is fun.

[freedomisforeverybody]

Originally Posted by Schumacher713

It is certainly more than just poverty. Gentrification will certainly take over there eventually. I just don't think it is all that fun down there. I have been down there plenty of times. I guess it depends on what you think is fun.

OK, I can accept that This is a fair, and civil critique, You just don't think its much fun. But why call it a "crap hole" and the other vicious attacks? Maybe that's, one of the reasons, why your friends , friends, are not visiting Galveston.

Maybe someday when this gentrification has done its thing, you will return, and bestow your blessing on our far southern neighbors. Maybe they will throw you a parade, right down Seawall Blvd

[chs]

Take it from someone who has lived in Galveston (OK, on Tiki Island which is definitely nicer than most of the city) for 4 years and also in Kauai (Hawaii) for 4 years - Galveston is a great place to kayak, sip on a margarita over the water, go out and get beers and seafood at Joe's Crab Shack or Benno's and to get your beach fix.
Then again, it will never look like Hanalei or even Kalapaki. That's not the point. If you live in Houston, it's a great roadtrip or weekend. It's like the Jersey Shore for those who lived in Philly or Long Island for the people in NYC. Not someplace you would travel for $800 by air to go but a fun place all the same. And the water is blue about 3-4 times a year. You have to live on the water there to appreciate that it does happen, just not a lot and usually in winter.

[War Beagle]

Originally Posted by chs

Take it from someone who has lived in Galveston (OK, on Tiki Island which is definitely nicer than most of the city) for 4 years and also in Kauai (Hawaii) for 4 years - Galveston is a great place to kayak, sip on a margarita over the water, go out and get beers and seafood at Joe's Crab Shack or Benno's and to get your beach fix.
Then again, it will never look like Hanalei or even Kalapaki. That's not the point. If you live in Houston, it's a great roadtrip or weekend. It's like the Jersey Shore for those who lived in Philly or Long Island for the people in NYC. Not someplace you would travel for $800 by air to go but a fun place all the same. And the water is blue about 3-4 times a year. You have to live on the water there to appreciate that it does happen, just not a lot and usually in winter.

Galveston is a hell of a lot better than the Jersey Shore. There are virtually no NJ residents in Galveston and you generally don't have to worry about stepping on illicit drug needles either.

[SlapbetCommissioner]

Originally Posted by War Beagle

I think this is a fair point. Galveston is acceptable for Texas, especially for Texans that have little to no experience outside of Texas. For everyone else, Galveston is a low-tier beach. It does have some pluses, such as warm water, but on the whole it is inferior to other beaches. But as others have said, its only 45 minutes away as opposed to a day's worth of driving.

The untraveled view of Galveston kind of reminds me of how untraveled Texans view the Hill Country. When I moved here, I heard all kinds of talk about how beautiful the Texas Hill Country is and how I HAVE to see it. Turns out (to my eyes) the Hill Country is an unimpressive poor man's hybrid of southern CA and the Appalachians. Sure, its pretty compared to most of Texas, but Texas is geographically one of the ugliest/most boring looking states in the Union, so that doesn't say much.

TL;DR: How impressed you will be with Galveston will depend to some extent on how much experience you have outside Texas.

Warbeagle I agree 100% with your post. We have been in FL, Coney Island, Hawaii and the Caribbean. We moved here 12 yrs ago and we visited Galveston for the first time last September. Were extremely disappointed with the quality of the water, and the sand was horrible, it feels like hard floor under your feet. However, the restaurants were excellent and the feel of the place was great.
Overall we had a great time when we stayed there last September, our kids were just happy to be outside.

[crone]

I grew up in Houston and went to Galveston nearly every weekend. As an adult we lived at Crockett and 48th. My stepfather lived in Cedar Lawn Circle.

I, too, have been to the cold water of so. California beaches many times as my brother is in Laguna. We also go to the Redneck Riviera several times a year.

Galveston in the old days was great. People came from all over to the beach, the Balinese for a dinner show and the other several places that had illegal gambling. All the religious folk ran the gamblers to Las Vegas, the storms took the Balinese.

The shelling in the winter is still great. The fishing, the free ferry to Bolivar and Tuna Christmas are still a tradition at our house. I still love Gaido's. We have no property there since a storm got the house, lot and all. The hotels are OK as are many beach rentals.

The weather is hard on houses in Galveston. You should go into some that don't look so great from the street. A whole other look.

Tillman Fertitta will one of these days bring gambling back. Sure will keep those dollars here instead of Louisiana and Vegas.

[statisticsnerd]

None. Galveston's water is muddy and the beaches are gross. I've lived in Houston for almost 30 years (my entire life) and I have always thought of Galveston as a run down city with subpar beaches.

I visited Key West a few years ago. Now THAT is where you can find some nice beaches. Light bluish-green water, palm trees, white sand, tropical feel. Paradise. Key West is a quaint town too, despite all of the tourists.

[freedomisforeverybody]

Originally Posted by statisticsnerd

None. Galveston's water is muddy and the beaches are gross. I've lived in Houston for almost 30 years (my entire life) and I have always thought of Galveston as a run down city with subpar beaches.

I visited Key West a few years ago. Now THAT is where you can find some nice beaches. Light bluish-green water, palm trees, white sand, tropical feel. Paradise. Key West is a quaint town too, despite all of the tourists.

Maybe, but if I had my choice to live anywhere in Texas, ( assuming money is no issue), I would pick a beach house on Galveston Island, or maybe somewhere along the Bay, to just about anywhere else in this area, or state, and I think a lot of the people who are calling Galveston "gross", would make the same choice as well.

[HouTXmetro]

Galveston is a nice place, sans the muddy water. But the Beaches are nice. I was there this past Saturday and the beach was very clean. It's not like it stunk and trash was everywhere. There were tons of people out. A little mud in the water isn't going to kill you but hey that's really the only draw back.

The seafood is excellent. You can water sport. Go further out for some deep sea fishing if you have access to a boat and the water is no longer muddy. The town itself is charming with historic architecture and museums. Moody Gardens indoor Tropical Rain forest. Pleasure Pier amusement park, Scliterbaun water park. The scenic view of the ocean and hearing the crash of waves laying out over the sand is enjoyable all by itself whether you to choose to get in the water or now.

Is it, South beach or any other place as far as the water... NO. But there is a lot to do there. As a town in it's entirety, I'd take Galveston over a lot of other comparable places such as as Pensecola Beach, etc. It's just way more options in Galveston.