Weekend GetAways: Galveston Island

Can you believe we’re already in mid-July?!?  Even though summer is flying by, it’s not too late to take the family on a weekend getaway!  As natives of the area, we grew up visiting our coastal neighbors:  Surfside…Jamaica Beach…and of course, Galveston Island.  Over the years we’ve seen some old friends shut down.  Gone are the days of Sea-A-Rama Marine Park, and a few of our favorites (like Fullen’s Waterwall) were taken out by Hurricane Ike in 2008.  But even as “The Island” works to rebuild following the beating it received from Ike, it remains one of our favorite nearby family getaways.

I’m always surprised by how little some folks around the Katy Area know about Galveston.  In the past 2 weeks, I’ve had this conversation twice!  So why not put it out there for everyone?  The Island is a lot more than beaches!  So if you’re looking for a quick day trip or mini-vacation, here are some Galveston classics you won’t want to miss!

Cafe Michael Burger.  Sitting on the West end, a little past the end of the Seawall, Cafe Michael Burger features awesome gourmet burgers and German food.  It’s an interesting menu combo and it works!

La King’s Confectionary.  Stepping into La King’s is like stepping back in time to the 1920′s.  They make their own candy using century old equipment…very cool.  And their ice cream is phenomenal!!  Located in the historic Strand.  We never miss a stop at La King’s! 

Magic Carpet Mini Golf.  On your way out to Cafe Michael Burger, check out Magic Carpet Mini Golf on the Seawall.  2 18-hole courses with some of the neatest obstacles we’ve ever seen on a putt-putt course!  Outsmart an ostrich, shoot through a cannon…we usually have so much fun here we play both courses. 

Texas Seaport Museum & the 1877 tall ship Elissa.  Next to the Strand, in the shadow of the cruise ships sits the Elissa.  This, my friends, is NOT a replica…she is the real thing built in 1877 and open to tours.  Parts of the museum are still being restored, but rates are discounted.

Seawolf Park.  A favorite from my childhood (we 1st visited shortly after the arrival of the vessels)…Seawolf Park offers tours of a World War II Submarine (the USS CAVALLA) and the USS STEWART…one of only 3 WWII destroyer escorts still in existence. 

Still Rebuilding After Hurricane Ike:  We are anxiously awaiting the reopenings of the Galveston Island Railroad Museum (“the largest railroad museum in the southwest”) and the Galveston Rail Trolleys.  Watch their sites for restoration information.  These are GREAT family activities!

The fun doesn’t stop there!  Galveston has Duck Tours, the Lone Star Flight Museum, the Grand 1894 Opera House, the Moody Mansion, Schlitterbahn, Moody Gardens, and “the oldest continually operating library in Texas”: Rosenberg Library.  And if you’d like to take a longer vacation, Carnival Cruises and Royal Caribbean sail out of Galveston!  In fact, it was on one of those cruises a few years back that we met Debra, the owner of Cafe Michael Burger…and fittingly enough, we met her when we were assigned to the same table for dinner!

For more info on things to do and places to stay in Galveston, visit Galveston.com and the Galveston Historical Foundation.  So, now you know our favorites?  What are yours?