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Port Aransas, Texas
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Grapevine, Texas
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Roanoke, Texas

Galveston Island

Lone Star shores shimmer in Galveston

Sitting on off Texas’s Gulf Coast, Galveston Island is shrouded in history and legend. Native Americans journeyed here for fishing and hunting. Pirates coveted its locale, as did the Texas Navy, which used Galveston as a strategic harbor during the Texas revolution. Today, this barrier island is an angler’s dream, a boater’s mecca and a vacation paradise.

Buccaneers and Cargo Ships

Occupying the northeastern third of the island, the charming town of Galveston promises a delightful vacation escape for the whole family. Start at the Strand Historic District, which features historical exhibits, art galleries, shops and plenty of places to wind down. Nearby is the Tall Ship Elissa, a three-masted, iron-hulled freighter that carried cargo to Galveston in the heyday of sailing vessels. Docked on Pier 21, the ship is part of the Texas Seaport Museum and even sets sail on special occasions.

On the opposite side of the island is the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, with midway rides, games, shopping, entertainment and dining options. Nearby, the Bryan Museum gives its visitors a glimpse of a letter penned by pirate Jean Lafitte, who established a settlement on Galveston Island in 1817.

A ship from the 1800s moored on a dock.

Galveston Island CVB

Feeling Moody

On the town’s south end, Moody Gardens is a vast complex that includes a hotel, a beach, a golf course and pyramid-shaped structures that house South Atlantic penguins and other marine life, 3-D and 4-D theaters, and rainforest ecosystems from around the globe. Enjoy a leisurely stroll along walking paths and ponds filled with tropical fish. Take a dip at Moody Gardens’ Palm Beach, a waterpark with whirlpools, freshwater swimming lagoons and sand volleyball courts.

For more fun in the water, visit Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark, featuring waterslides, water coasters, a wave pool and other attractions. Ready for some serious beachcombing on pristine shores? Galveston Island beaches span dozens of miles of sandy coastline. Included is the Galveston Island State Park.

For More Information

Galveston Island Convention and Visitors Bureau

888-GAL-ISLE

www.galveston.com

Texas Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism

512-463-2000

www.traveltex.com