Galveston
The island, about an hour away
Houston's beach town: 32 miles of Gulf beaches, the Victorian Strand district, Moody Gardens' pyramids, Pleasure Pier, and the best Mardi Gras in Texas. Doable as a day trip, better as a night.
Vibe: beach, historic, family. Best for: beach days, weekend escapes, cruise departures.
Things to do
What to do in Galveston
1.Moody Gardens
$$Three glass pyramids on Galveston Island: a 10-story rainforest, an aquarium with penguins, and a 3D theater. Plus a paddlewheel boat and a small beach. A full day for families.
Galveston · Indoor · Kids
2.Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier
$$A 1,130-foot amusement pier over the Gulf with 16 rides, midway games, and a Bubba Gump. Best at sunset when the Ferris wheel lights up over the water.
Galveston · Kids
3.The Strand Historic District
FreeFive blocks of iron-front Victorian buildings, once the 'Wall Street of the Southwest.' Shops, old-fashioned candy stores, the 1877 tall ship Elissa, and the Galveston Railroad Museum.
Galveston
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