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My trip to Galveston was over quicker than it started, but it was great to get away from Wichita Falls for a couple of days. I wanted to write a post to share some initial impressions about the island (I will have a complete trip report in the coming days). Much like all of the posts on this site, this list is representative of my experience. Here are my Galveston travel Dos:
Do
1. Be ready to spend money. The first thing that you need to know is (this should be a given) that the prices for EVERYTHING is through the roof. For example, Pleasure Pier amusement park costs $27 per person. The pier has about 10 rides. Additionally, the seafood restaurants will run you from $70 to $100 for two people. This does not include parking, golfing, jet ski/bicycle rental, etc. Which brings me to my next do…
2. Bring something small to ride or drive. If you have bicycles, kayaks, jet skis, or the like, please bring them to Galveston. You will save yourself valuable time and money.
3. Stay east of Central City Boulevard. This is because almost everything that Galveston has to offer (food, entertainment, and shopping) is located on the eastern section of the island. This would have cut down my travel time significantly. The things that I recommend on the west side of the island are Jimmy’s by the Pier and The Courtyard Marriott (if you like to be away from a ton of people).
4. Visit Galveston before/after the summer rush. There were just too many people around for me (funny, coming from a visitor to the island). As I mentioned before, commute time to/from any place was ridiculous. There were lengthy waits at a majority of the restaurants that we visited. You will also miss hurricane season.
5. Get off of the beaten path. I found that we visited a lot of the touristy places on the island. While not everything was bad, we enjoyed ourselves when we visited places such as Pho Tai and Sunflower Bakery. Talk to the locals and see what works for you.
6. Have fun. Galveston offers a lot of activities. When I travel, I do not have a plan for when I arrive. This allows me to be open to a variety of things without being tied to a schedule. Go fishing/walking on the pier or swing by the Schlitterbahn for a great time.
Final Word
I had a good time in Galveston, but I feel that it would have been better if there were not so many people everywhere. I enjoyed some restaurants and a lot of time in the sun. The next time that I visit will be for a longer duration. Thanks for having us Galveston.
