So. Got any ideas of the stuff I should be doin’?
I got a really great deal on a hotel there for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night. So I am going to be there in the area from Friday night through Monday. What should I do that isn’t totally sucky?
Thanks in advance.
You definitely need to check out The Strand, it’s the historical area of Glaveston, kind of like the French Quarter, but not anywhere near as exciting. There is a place called The Emporium there that makes all kinds of chocolates and ice cream, you can smell it from a block away. There is a big area called Moody Gardens that has an aquarium, and a rainforest, but it’s kind of ridiculously expensive for what it is. Usually coupons are easy to come across, though. Schlitterbahn built a new waterpark down there next to Moody Gardens, and it should be warm and pretty this weekend anyway. Oh, and there is a Flight Museum right in that same area, and it appears that they are having a big festival there this weekend.
My favorite thing to take people to see is the ghost face on the side of the University of Texas medical building. Apparently someone died and is buried under there, and their face is up on the wall and even when people have tried to wash it off it won’t come off. Probably a bunch of horseshit, and it kind of just looks like water damage in the shape of a face, but still! A girl has to believe! Unfortunately, I couldn’t tell you how to get there, I just kind of know, but I bet if you asked around someone would know. It also might be illegal, you have to go through a hole in a fence, unless they torn that down.
Another fun thing to do is rent bikes or these four people cart things and ride along the seawall. The seawall is nice, and there are some hokey souvenir places built onto piers that can be fun in a tacky way.
Lastly, check out www.b4-u-eat.com. It’s a Houston based website that is really extensive, where people send in their reviews. Just pull down the Galveston locations, and it will mention every restaraunt there, and what people thought of it. Have fun! I’ll be riding my bike on the Seawall if weather permits!
Head up to Houston, you’ll have more fun.
Since you’re stuck in Galveston the few suggestions I can quickly come up with.
Wander along the Strand and check out the shops.
Take a drive along the beach and if you’re daring take a quick dip.
Go to Moody Gardens.
Check out Bishop’s Palace or some of the other historic homes.
Maybe head up to Kemah .
This site may have some more ideas. Galveston
Oh, and hope and pray that it isn’t Kappa Weekend this weekend. Otherwise, all you will do is sit in traffic, and most of the businesses shut down. I think it was last weekend, so you are probably safe.
Kappa as in Kappa Alpha Psi? What do you mean?
Thanks for the responses. 
Has anyone been to Leon’s BarBQ at 55th and Broadway? A friend recommended it, but I have not been there.
Check out the night life at the Balinese Room on the seawall, immortalized in the ZZ Top song “Balinese.” I haven’t been, but I’ve heard it’s nice.
Hey, it’s even got it’s own Wikipedia entry!
Official website: http://www.balineseroom.net/
Stay at the San Luis, and spend all of your free time going back and forth between the beach and the pool bar, like I did last August. 
We never even made it to the Strand this year.
(I’m from Houston, and used to live in Galveston, and my extended family are all still down there.)
glad your visit is before hurricane season. if you are into history…
the historic homes are cool, and they survived the hurricane. the library and historic society have good exhibits on the 1900 hurricane.
as you go around town check the houses, for the 100th anniversity of the hurricane they had plaques placed on the houses that made it through.
if you haven’t read it try to fit in “isaac’s storm” by larson, really gives you a feel for how it was.
Others have already suggested the Strand, Moody Gardens, and the Bishop’s Palace.
I also liked touring the WWII submarine and destroyer escort at Seawolf Park.
If you go outside of the city, you should see Johnson Space Center.
My favorite restaurant in Galveston is Gaido’s. Order the bisque.
Yes, it’s an interesting book. I’ve wanted to visit Galveston ever since I read it.
I’ll third Isaac’s Storm and second Gaido’s bisque. Also, Fish Tales is not a bad place to eat.
If you looking for a quiter beach spot, the State Park about 7 miles down the coast is a great facility. The beach isn’t the best, but it won’t be as crowded as the one in town.
For a cheap (read free) thrill, you can ride the ferry over to Boliver. There’s not much to do there, but the ferry ride is cool.
My favorite Galveston activity is to go to the fish market and buy a few pounds of shrimp right off the boat and go back to the campground and have a big ol’ shrimp boil with new potatoes, corn on the cob, andouille, and Zatarains. The waves and the salt spray make the perfect atmosphere for that meal.
Gaido’s is indeed fantastic. My family has been going there for over 40 years (which is less than half the time that it’s been open.)
If you want to save some money, go to Casey’s Seafood Cafe next door. Casey’s and Gaido’s are owned by the same family and share the same kitchen. The only real difference is that Casey’s is more casual, and the menu is a bit more limited.
The Spot (on Seawall, probably about 30th, I’d guess) has a mighty tasty hamburger.
The Rosenburg Library has a lot of really interesting stuff on immigration to Texas and early Texas history.
Sonny’s (19th and O) is a dive, but it has good burgers, and some odd ambience.
Fish Tales isn’t bad either, although I’m more partial to the Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant. (doesn’t hurt that my grandfather loaned the owner the money to start the place)
Colonel Bubbie’s is one of the biggest and most well stocked military surplus stores around. It’s at 2202 Strand.
The Railroad museum (Port Industrial @ 25th) is pretty cool, if you’re into trains.
The Texas Seaport Museum (with tall ship Elissa) is neat also.
I was just going to add that there is a tall ship (Elissa) that you can go on that was pretty cool if you’re into that kind of thing but I see I’ve been bested by bump. We stayed in Houston and visited Galveston and I would have ben happier to stay in Galveston. Houston was just another big city to me.
I never thought much of Gaido’s, although it’s probably the best on that part of the island. I’d suggest Clary’s.
My parents grew up in Galveston and I’m BOI (Born on the Island) myself. Besides hitting the beach, there are three things that I almost insist on doing when I visit Galveston:
Drive down Broadway and look at the architecture. Ashton Villa and the Bishop’s Palace have tours that are worth the hour or so, but there are also so many private homes that it’s worth stopping and just walking on the sidewalk (especially around 14th Street.)
Hit Benno’s for the pepper shrimp. There’s a lot of fried fish on the menu, but the prices are ok. They have a deck that overlooks the Gulf and is great for sunsets.
Take the ferry to Bolivar peninsula and back. It’s a part of State Highway 87, making it the cheapest two hour cruise anywhere. Go at the end of the day so that you can enjoy the sunset on the way over (and maybe see a dolphin or two.) Drive by the Bolivar lighthouse if you want, and don’t forget to bring crackers to feed the gulls from the stern, or stand at the bow and let the waves crash over you.
For fine dining, I’ll second (third? fifth?) Gaido’s. Family story: Gaido’s used to be closed on Mondays (they’re open seven days a week now.) Back in the 1940s, an aunt of mine made a running joke of asking her brother when he would take her to Gaido’s. He would reply, “Oh, how about Monday?” This went on for five years or more until a hurrican blew through over a weekend. To make up revenue, Gaido’s stayed open the next Monday, and Aunt Evelyn got her dinner.
Go to the Strand, but don’t spend a lot of time in the shops. Instead, hit:
The Galveston Historical Foundation. The last time that I checked, they had a good exhibit about life in Galveston when it was the major seaport for Texas. Of course, they also have exhibits and a movie about the 1900 Storm (You may also want to check out www.1900storm.com.)
I volunteered on Elsissa when she had just been restored. She’s worth checking out. There’s also a small museum there, and the pier doubles as a not-quite historical reenactment site since most maintenance is done there (though they probably cut back on the weekend work these days.)
Colonel Bubbie’s is a pretty cool place to rummage through, though I haven’t found anything that I needed there. I understand that the owner made a killing selling uniforms for Saving Private Ryan.
There is also a flight museum at Scholes Field. I’ve never been there, but it’s associated with the Commemorative Air Force would probably be worth the visit.
Any beach is a good one, but I like the pocket parks west of town and far east Stewart Beach when it isn’t too crowded. You can also drive down the beach in Brazoria County and they’re almost empty at night, but that’s the better half of an hour away over San Luis Pass.
oooohhh, yeah, the train museum. very cool. i really wanted my own pullman after going there.