Is a day trip to Galveston fun? (Houston, San Diego: to rent, hotels)

[MaryleeII]

Be aware EVERYTHING is espensive on the island. If you can, pack a cooler with sodas, snacks, water, etc, otherwise you can easily spend $100+ just for snacks.

Otherwise, we have always enjoyed Galveston, is fun. Be aware, its very crowded on weekends in the summer, if you can, try for a weekday.

[Supermac34]

Even though things can be expensive on the island, there IS a super Wal Mart for food/drinks/snacks.

I personally like the quieter beaches going out West.

[Poltracker]

I second taking a ride on the ferry. You can park on one side and walk on. It was fun to watch the dolphins play yesterday and the big ships were parking up close at the sandbar waiting for the pilots to come on board and guide them into the Houston ship channel. As far as beaches go, there is generally a small fee at beaches that have facilities like bathrooms. If you head west along the island, there is the state park and some pocket parks with facilities, otherwise, there are signs along the road that indicate where beach access is.

A side note about the weather. It is not normally quite this hot this early in the season. The brutal heat (upper 90's to 100's) is not noemal until the end of July beginning of August. Our area is also down by about 25 inches of rain since lasr October. The only good thing is the lack of mosquitoes.

[glorplaxy]

Even though Galveston is not the prettiest beach, I always manage to have a ton of fun when I go, although I actually swim all day.

[Malvie]

Originally Posted by kmpinCA

Thanks for all the positive responses. Are beach tags required (I am thinking back to years ago at the Jersey shore). Also, a few responses mentioned heading to the western direction - is there specifically labeled parking areas or should I plan on bringing lots of quarters for parking meters? Is the middle of the week a better idea than weekends (forget Cape Cod on the weekend, is why I ask) - or is summertime busy no matter the day.

The parking areas for the western beaches are free. Pick one and park.

Galveston is one of the last "cheap" beach destinations in the country.

[kmpinCA]

Thanks to all for their input on parking, restaurants and general impressions. We are definitely going (will try for a weekday) and will check out the ferry. I was also happy to hear there are restroom facilities (almost none in CA). I will explore the website for Galveston and pack the sunscreen for a fun day.

[worldlyman]

Luigi's, a nice Italian restaurant on the Strand, is magnificently haunted. Really good food. The wife and I ate there 10 years ago and then one week later it was on local ABC news as being among the haunted spots of the Strand.

[DejaBlue]

Galveston for a day can be fun but I won't set foot on that sand or in that water. Both look so nasty it's unreal. I'm never that desperate for a beach. After knowing both oceans and the Caribbean I'll never set foot in the nasty Gulf. At least not that murky, soupy brownish grey stuff they call water right off the Seawall.

[worldlyman]

Originally Posted by DejaBlue

Galveston for a day can be fun but I won't set foot on that sand or in that water. Both look so nasty it's unreal. I'm never that desperate for a beach. After knowing both oceans and the Caribbean I'll never set foot in the nasty Gulf. At least not that murky, soupy brownish grey stuff they call water right off the Seawall.

Yeah, we get it, Beach Snob. I lived in San Diego and Clearwater, FL (Clearwater Beach ranked as one of the top city beaches perennially) myself but the inner charms of Galveston are quite unique compared to many popular US beach towns I've been to.

I think most everyone has a cognizance of Galveston's surf.

For the matter, before the oil spill, I'd have rather taken my chances swimming in Galveston rather than the pretty blue but very contaminated SoCal beaches, not that those Pacific waters are all that conducive to swimming anyway.

[Shipresa]

Not all of us can pop off to the Caribbean or Pacific Coast at a whim. So maybe we are grateful more than worrying about snob-appeal.

We do day trips often to Galveston. When folks come to visit us in Houston, its a day trip down. Kids love it. The surf isn't too strong for them. Its fun! And a nice day out.

Restooms are plenty. The gift shops (Murdoch's, the one near Stewart Beach) have a lot of clean bathrooms.

Stewart's charges $8, but you get access to showers and changing rooms, and it may be worth it to get all that silt out of your clothes before the drive back to Houston.

I don't find Galveston any more expensive than Houston. Stop at any Walgreen's, or heck, their local Walmart, Kroger or Dollar General for drinks. The west beaches are better, and going south down the seawall is more quiet. Everyone is real nice, both locals and folks just down from Houston as well.

The ferry always has local folks out to watch the dolphins feed. I've yet to see a dolphin when doing the ferry, but you have to watch attentively as they don't come near the ferry.

Sometimes we go out past Crystal Beach (on Port Bolivar after the ferry) for dinner at Stingeree's - fresh seafood and a wonderful restaurant, and turn north and come home via I-10.

I like Galveston.