About Galveston
Explore Texas
Overview
Galveston, Texas lies about as close to the Gulf of Mexico as you can get without going for a swim. An old-fashioned pleasure pier stretches along the southern shores of this bewitching island city. From bird watching at the 2,000-acre Galveston State Park to browsing the colorful shops and cafes housed in quaint 19th-century buildings in the Strand Historic District, Galveston offers an array of entertaining diversions. The renowned 1894 Grand Opera House currently offers intriguing theatrical performances, while Moody Gardens provides a peek in to the wondrous wildlife of the planet, presented within giant pyramids of glass.
The city’s ongoing festivities include tasty shrimp festivals and citywide ArtWalks with live music and performances amid some of the country’s most well preserved Victorian architecture in the downtown Cultural Arts District. The convenient red and green electric Galveston Trolley takes locals and vacationers along the seawall and downtown area, a custom that dates back to the mid-1800s.
What To Do
Visit Bishop’s Palace, an expansive Victorian-style house. Tour Gresham’s Castle in the East End Historic District and the 31-room Willis-Moody Mansion, both constructed at the end of the 19th century.
Learn more about the earth’s spectacular nature and wildlife from the ocean to the rainforest as you stroll through the immersive giant pyramids at Moody Gardens.
Take an exhilarating water ride at the Schlitterbahn Galveston waterpark.
Discover why Galveston Island State Park is clearly for the birds, and those who love them. Try your luck in games of chance along the boardwalk at the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier.
When to Go
Spring and fall are great months to travel to Galveston. Winters are mild, when temperatures can range between 40 F to 50 F; while summer is warm, around 90 F, in this subtropical climate.
Fast Facts
Gail Borden invented condensed milk during the 19th century in Galveston. The state’s first telephone was installed in Galveston in 1878.
Galveston is known as the Oleander City in honor of the fragrant buds that bloom throughout town. The city’s first European settler was actually the infamous pirate, Jean Lafitte.
Travel Tips & Tools
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