My first visit to Galveston Island in September 2016 was inspired by my first ever Carnival Cruise which began in Texas. I knew I was ready for some Island Time! A few rain drops did not deter my determination to see as much of the historic area as I could. I began my journey from the Four Points by Sheraton on the Sea Wall.
Watch my video from my day of exploring this quaint area, you can see where I went in the map above. This island was known as the Wall Street of the South before the Great Storm which is why there are so many million dollar mansions with imported stained glass.
VIDEO: My Best Stops in Historic Galveston: It’s island time (Video 1: Caribbean Sailing)
What were my best stops in Historic Galveston?
- I saw the outside of the 1859 Aston Villa next door to the fantastic Visitor’s Center at 2328 Broadway Avenue J, Galveston, TX 77550. Definitely stop by for maps and information to get the most out of your time in town.
- Moody Mansion was impressive and has a choice of audio tours to add to your experience. I loved talking to the people that work at the Mansion they are so knowledgeable about the history of the house.
- Bishop’s Palace or Gresham’s Castle 1892 was also beautiful and I enjoyed learning about the layers of its history and how its use changed over the years. They also have a great gift shop.
- I found the Maud Moller House from the 1890s and loved the ceramic flowers made from plates and cups in the yard.
There are many houses of religion in Galveston. I found Congregation Beth Jacob, Sacred Heart Catholic Church and St. Mary’s Catholic Basilica from 1847 during my wandering. Everyone is welcome to participate here!
I saw the outside of the Grand 1894 Opera House. There are tours but as there was a performance the day I was there I could not take video inside. Maybe next time!
After strolling through the Strand Historic District, I went to Pier 21 and boarded the Seagull II for a fantastic harbor tour where we saw many dolphins. The Captain charmed us with his tales and I recommend spending part of your time onboard with them. Find them right next to the 1877 tall Ship ELISSA which you can also visit during your day but you can also sail with them on a voyage!
One of my most favorite things was visiting the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum. I had been diving under an oil rig platform before but I had never been on an actual platform. While I was reading all the information, there was also a visitor who worked on rigs and was explaining it all to his family. It was really fascinated to learn about life on a rig.
I really enjoyed my day exploring the history of this area and it was a great beginning for me as the next day I made personal history and boarded my first ever Carnival Cruise. After seven years of sailing with Princess Cruises, Renaissance Cruises and Royal Caribbean International, I was so curious to try out a FUN SHIP!
See all of my 600 travel videos and ten from my Carnival Sailing on my channels at Youtube, Roku and Amazon Fire TV! Happy Travels. Lisa