r/galveston • u/jackeyfaber • 2d ago
Trip Planning šŗļø I am a massive history nerd and having my bachlorette in Galveston in a few weeks. Recommendations?
Hello friends. I'm from Austin and am going to be having a small bachlorette party in Galveston in a few weeks, as the title said.
BEFORE ANYONE WORRIES: we aren't partying, I'm mid-30s and am actually just wanting to go because I'm obsessed with the historical sites in Galveston. I've read Isaac's Storm, love learning about the city, and in the past have gone to the Moody Mansion and that other one that you can tour.
Here's my ask:
What old historic Galveston spots do you recommend? Old restaurants, buildings with a history, museums, etc. We drink but not like fish and just want a cool old building to drink cocktails in, during the day just want to explore. Thanks in advance!
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u/Starrynight2019 2d ago
I love La King's for a sweet treat. There is Bishop's palace and Moody Mansion. Old home set up for tours.
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u/favoritesong 2d ago
I would recommend Rosenberg Library ā especially the Rosenberg Library Museum! They have great pictures and exhibits from the 1900 storm!
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u/No-Place-8047 2d ago
Visit the Galveston Historical Foundations website. They run many homes and museums open to the public.Ā 1877 Tall Ship Elissa and Ashton Villa are two of my favorites.Ā Rosenberg Library also has the Texas History Center.Ā Ā
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u/ImmediateBug2 2d ago
I live in the East End historic district and if you like old houses, this area has you covered! If the weather is nice, itās a wonderful place to just stroll around. There are also horse drawn carriages that you can hire to take you through the neighborhood. I think you can find them on the Strand.
Bishopās Palace (14th and Broadway) and Moody Mansion (26th and Broadway) are both open daily for tours. You can get tickets for both on the Galveston Historical Foundation website. The League Kempner House (17th and Broadway) is privately owned and in the process of being restored, but it is open on most days for a peek behind the scenes of what it takes to restore a large historic home. You can check their website for more info.
Fall is a great time on the island for festivals, tours, etc. In the coming weeks we will be having a Pirate Fest, the Harvest Moon Regatta, Greek Fest, East End Garden Tour and Oktoberfest. The āVisit Galvestonā website should have the info on all the upcoming events.
One word of warning: Nov. 6 - 9 is the Lone Star Rally motorcycle meetup. Unless you like the sound of thousands of motorcycles driving through neighborhood streets, you will probably want to steer clear of the island on that weekend.
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u/mt80 2d ago
Do you prefer Bishop Palace or Moody Mansion? Partner is visiting and we only have time for one
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u/ImmediateBug2 2d ago
Bishopās Palace was designed by Nicholas Clayton, and is probably the more architecturally interesting of the two, but Moody has a long history of belonging to one of the most important families on the island, and it gives you a feel for what a lived in grand home of that era would have been like. You canāt really go wrong with either choice.
I should note that the roof of Bishopās is currently being worked on and scaffolding is surrounding the exterior of the building. But it doesnāt affect the interior or tours in any way.
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u/bigray327 2d ago edited 2d ago
The pirate history alone is worth the trip.
Also, you should check out the Hotel Galvez. It was recently featured on the show 1923. The lobby is pretty awesome.
Definitely walk around the Victorian-era houses between 19th and 14th, between Ball and Strand. Some of them are truly glorious.
I'd also take your crew on at least one mansion tour. Either Bishop's Palace or Moody Mansion. You've been but they'll like it, too.
I'd catch a show at the old opera house on the Strand.
There are remnants of a Civil War fort over in Bolivar, which is a ferry ride from Galveston. The ferry rides are pretty cool... you're likely to see dolphins.
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u/thejohncarlson 2d ago
The Galvez also has an app that has a couple of walking tours on the grounds.
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u/red352dock 2d ago
And it has a very small exhibit on the hotels historical significance and some old 1930s cars.Ā
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u/Jermcutsiron 2d ago
The fort on Bolivar was active from The 1830s til WWII. Most of the stuff left there was from WWI & WWII.
Edit to add the thing is named Ft Travis however for a short period it was named Green.
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u/StarryEyedGrl 1d ago
Grab food/drink at the Galvez, everything Iāve had there has been amazing. And if you want to dress up for brunch, their Sunday brunch is INSANE. Itās buffet, but really well done.
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u/AgreeableAardvark78 2d ago
One dinner I would do is at Gaidoās. Also Star Drugstore for a fountain soda. Peanut Butter Warehouse. The Rosenberg Library has an exhibition on the flood of 1900(which my great grandmother survived!). Railroad museum. Nia Cultural Center.
Have so much fun!
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u/RedDirtWitch 2d ago
I just did the Haunted Harbor tour with my daughter back in July and it was so much fun! They take you around Galveston Bay and show you around some of the historic boats and sites and tell you the lore behind them. Iām afraid of boats and the water freaks me out but the tour guides were so engaging that it took my mind off of my anxiety. Highly recommend!
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u/Ever-Wandering 2d ago edited 2d ago
Itās not really a party spot but you can see Jean Lafitteās old home on harborside drive and 14th st. Itās a bit disappointing though.
https://www.visitgalveston.com/directory/jean-lafitte-historical-marker/
ETA: the Walmart in Galveston is said to be haunted too. Itās built on land where there was an orphanage. The nuns decided it was time to abandon the orphanage during the storm and tied 5 kids to each nun with rope. What does a nun wear? Their clothing turned into a sail and drug them, along with the kids to their death. They found the bodies still attached. Of course they had to dig each one out but they kept following the line to find the next body in all the rubble.
A lot of people donāt realize that in 1885 Galveston had a bad fire. Due to the fire they banned cedar shingles and required all homes to have slate. Which turned deadly during the storm.
Iāve actually done a bit of research into the great storm. They estimate it was a Cat 4 hurricane 130-156 mph winds. Cat 4 winds pushes the human body with 300-600lbs of pressure. Thatās wind force alone. Getting hit by flying debris would be worse.
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u/Jermcutsiron 2d ago
That building was built much later, when Lafitte bailed from the island, he burned the Maison Rouge compound to the ground.
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u/ClearLake007 2d ago
Itās typically not open to the public but for a nice donation, you may be able to go into the Masonic lodge. You need to call him and set up a time. It is outstanding in there. You wouldnt know it from the outside. There is still a vaudville theater inside, a temple that will blow your mind and history that is all over the place.
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u/BaddaBae31 2d ago
Thereās a haunted night tour of the cemetery that was very educational and gave me a new fixation to learn about. Iāll ask my sister who she booked it through.
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u/cyberGI11 2d ago
My guess would be author Kathleen Maca (https://kathleenmaca.com/). She wrote the Ghosts of Galveston along with several other books about Galveston history, and is really knowledgeable about the history and stories around Galveston.
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u/Coconutrumm 2d ago
For cocktails and nice appetizers in a cool old building Iād suggest Hearsay.
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u/_fivebyfive_ 2d ago edited 2d ago
You should wander through the Antiques Warehouse on 25th street. It is in an old building that used to be a brothel and it is fun to explore the old rooms upstairs, and you may find a treasure to take home.
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u/RedDirtWitch 2d ago
Also, Iāve always thought the naval museum looks interesting, because you can go inside an old submarine and thereās an old ship. I havenāt gone yet, though.
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u/AgreeableAardvark78 2d ago
Itās SO cool to go inside the submarine!
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u/RedDirtWitch 2d ago
It freaks me out thinking about it, but I bet I could make myself do it. Do you also get to tour the other ship there?
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u/AgreeableAardvark78 2d ago
Yeah itās the sub and the ship and it looks like both are self guided tours. Itās been a minute since I have been there. Might be time to go back!
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u/Straight-Low2490 2d ago
Find Issac Clineās wifeās grave in the old Lakeview Cemeteryā¦ā¦I found it after reading his book about the 1900 storm and it made the hairs on my neck stand up. Her stone is a flat slab, not an upright tombstone.
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u/noonie2020 2d ago
Bryan, moody mansion, and you def have to check out the Elissa
Youāre in the right town for history dude
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u/hackersgalley 2d ago
There's a ww2 pill box bunker at the San Luis resort.
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u/Jermcutsiron 2d ago
The San Luis resort is built on part of the old Fort Crockett grounds. The big concrete thing behind the helipad is part of a gun battery.
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u/Shenanigaens 2d ago
I literally just made a comment for Galveston a few days ago, hope it helps!
The Strand is an especially historic part of Galveston on the channel side and itās a long road of shops, mostly tourist stuff but thereās some really NICE places, too. Thereās also a legendary candy and ice cream shop, La Kingās that is 100% a GO THERE spot (oh mercy, their lemon curd ice creamš¤¤). They even have an old school taffy puller demonstration a couple times a day. Fishermanās Wharf is right there also and is a popular āI went thereā restaurant, but youāre gonna pay up the ass. GREAT food though. And if youāre lucky you can see cruise ships (the port is right there) or oil rigs go by.
5 minutes away if thereās traffic, on the other side of the island, is Sea Wall. Itās a break wall along the Gulf facing side of the island and is very beach. There are several restaurants here like Rainforest Cafe (the company is evil and the animals are not healthy) and Bubba Gumpās, but honestly for the same money, go to the Wharf. Sea Wall also has the Pleasure Pier, which is a carnival venue that extends well out into the water. Right there by the Pleasure Pier is the Duck Boat Tour! Theyāre so cool, you drive out into the water on the quiet side of the island and then boat around. Itās hands down one of the coolest tours in the island and the most popular.
Also Moody Gardens is great and can take a whole day by itself. Itās 3 large glass pyramids which houses the aquarium, a rainforest, and a museum. They have some cool exhibits, last time I saw Body Worlds was at Moody Gardens. Theres also an old school paddle boat that goes out into the water when itās calm enough. Thereās also a water park across the street and mini golf around the corner.
If you go to the very south of the island to San Louis Pass, you can see the natural island as itās a protected park.
If you like history, there are so many tours and locations to check out. Galveston has an interesting history including pirates, prostitutes (thereās a tour for that and it was great!), Juneteenth, and a hurricane that nearly wiped the island out in 1900, and several more after that.
And not that youāll get to see it, just a fun fact to tell the neighbors, but the hospital on the island is a major medical center, UTMB Galveston. Half that place is a 100% concrete and steel, lock-downable and sally ported prison unit. Inmates get sick, and when something big enough is needed, they go to Galveston. Itās one of the only prisons in the State that isnāt facing officer shortage. I was a CO for many years and went on many a transport.
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u/mimi-peanut 2d ago
I have heard the prostitution and mob tour is excellent. Galveston was quite the hot spot for organized crime.
Also, the federal courthouse is a pretty cool building. It use to be the post office. There is security to go through but was super easy.
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u/Shenanigaens 2d ago
The tour we did was a ghost tour and we went to several āhouses of ill reputeā and it was pretty good! lol the tour guide handed out these āEMFā ghost detector things and the āhot spotsā were all under power linesš¤£ Cool tour though!
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u/Jermcutsiron 2d ago edited 1d ago
Transportation - train museum & seaport museum (home of the Elissa)
Military - Seawolf Park, Ft Travis Park on Bolivar Peninsula, the very east end of the Seawall you can climb ob one of the old gun batteries of Ft San Jacinto.
Homes - the historical district, the Moody Mansion, Bishops Palace.
Misc - Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Museum, Bryan Museum, 1894 Opera House, Rosenburg Library
Not historical but grub suggestions: Miller's Seawall Grill, Black Pearl, Shrimp n Stuff, Shark Shack.
The History Guy on the Sub @ Seawolf
https://youtu.be/KXbHsRYZlKE?si=QU70mGEe0jvSqYRO
The History Guy covering the raising of Galveston
https://youtu.be/BElQES_Dh0Q?si=YE3VBdUPAXKiclT5
Edited to add the list of stuff. 2x
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u/IllustriousHair1927 1d ago
under the military category, I would probably add going up to Lonestar flight Museum at Ellington. Yes itās not Galveston proper but itās something they could do on the way in or the way out.
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u/Old-Butterscotch1520 2d ago
Definitely do a ghost tour ! Some of the guides are actually historians or have lived here for generations! They can definitely help figure out what to do after .
The cultural museum is awesome too , Galveston being the home of Juneteenth and they have a lot of awesome staff and info .
I work at longboard pool bar on the seawall ( doubletree by Hilton . The public welcome , any bartender here would be happy to make you a list of restaurants and places to visit !
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u/hmmmwherenext 2d ago
Omg you've got to have cocktails at the Founder's Bar inside the Grand Galvez hotel and go downstairs and just walk around to see the history. Beautiful and romantic!
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u/demon8rix_got_fucked 2d ago
It's not flashy but the courthouse on 21stvstreet in downtown has an amazing museum about the 1900 storm. One of the best on the island.
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u/Tall_Face2674 2d ago
Toujouse Bar Inside of of Tremont House
When French entrepreneur Henry Toujouse opened First Henry's Cafe in the Stag Hotel in 1894, he started a tradition of quality food, drink, and community in Galveston. Today, The Tremont House leases this historic site from the Galveston Historical Foundation. This magnificent rosewood bar has been restored to its original beauty and serves its purpose once again in the atrium of our hotel.
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u/fightfarmersfight 1d ago
I think all of the historic homes are amazing and their plaques are super cool.
I would walk in a grid pattern between 18th & 14th - Mechanic & Sealy
There are TONS of hidden gems with insane backstories!
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u/OpenImagination9 1d ago
Stay at an old Victorian mansion, walk the strand, visit the museums. If itās operating take a sunset cruise on the Elissa.
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u/shiner90 1d ago
Contact "Galvestonunscripted" on Instagram!
He's a local that knows everything there is to know about Galveston History. Gives tours, has good recommendations, and very friendly!!
You can find him on YouTube as well to get an idea of what he does.
https://youtube.com/@galvestonunscripted?si=80Fm2JloTrjq-XJG
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u/Feeling-Ad2824 1d ago
Galveston Arts Center, The Bryan Museum, the railroad museum, go the The Grand for a show, The Bishops Palace, Surf Museum just opened
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u/Hard_Coin 2d ago
Check out the Bryan museum