# In Galveston for two days, what to do, what to do? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 10, 2023, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-galveston-for-two-days-what-to-do-what-to-do/994391 "2023-12-10T23:53:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-galveston-for-two-days-what-to-do-what-to-do/994391/1 "2023-12-10T23:53:40Z")
Thinking about touring a mansion or two (Moody, Bishop’s Palace), walking along the beach, maybe Galveston Island State Park, maybe the Strand district? This all comes from just poking around on the World Wide Web. I’d love to hear pesonal opinions and experiences. Open to most anything. Thanks! mmm ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-galveston-for-two-days-what-to-do-what-to-do/994391/2 "2023-12-11T00:24:21Z")
If you start singing **that song** , everyone within earshot will be joining in – like Pee Wee Herman at the Alamo. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-galveston-for-two-days-what-to-do-what-to-do/994391/3 "2023-12-11T00:28:33Z")
If you’re interested in WWII-era ships, you can check out the submarine [USS _Cavalla_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Cavalla_(SS-244)) and destroyer escort [USS _Stewart_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Stewart_(DE-238)) at [Seawolf Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seawolf_Park). ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-galveston-for-two-days-what-to-do-what-to-do/994391/4 "2023-12-11T00:54:09Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > If you start singing **that song…** By the Time I Get To Phoenix? mmm ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-galveston-for-two-days-what-to-do-what-to-do/994391/5 "2023-12-11T02:47:40Z")
When we lived near Houston, we visited Galveston a few times, mostly to get in beach time, once I think for “Dickens on the Strand”, a holiday event in the first week of December. If you’re going this time of year, I suppose there are decent places to eat (I don’t recall much that was memorable) and shop. But Galveston in mid to late December can be dreary if the weather doesn’t cooperate - expect mid-60s at best with downright chilly nights, colder if you’re unlucky. > [@](#): > > If you start singing **that song** “It Must Have Been A Mighty Storm”, or “Blowin’ Like A Bandit”? Yes, Galveston has fishing charters. _There’s an ill wind a blowin’_ _You better get back to your moorin’_ _If you dare take that boat out to sea_ _You better take a weather warnin’_ _Or you’ll be shark bait in the mornin’_ _If you dare take that boat out to sea_ ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-galveston-for-two-days-what-to-do-what-to-do/994391/6 "2023-12-11T03:17:10Z")
Seconding the recommendation for Seawolf Park. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-galveston-for-two-days-what-to-do-what-to-do/994391/7 "2023-12-11T04:01:23Z")
> **[Moody Gardens Theme Park | Penguin Exhibits | 3D & 4D Theaters | Aquarium...](https://www.moodygardens.com/attractions/)** > > Island fun awaits in the Aquarium Pyramid®, Rainforest Pyramid®, IMAX® 3D Theater, 4D Special FX Theater®, Palm Beach, Discovery Pyramid®, Ridefilm Theater and Colonel Paddlewheel Boat. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-galveston-for-two-days-what-to-do-what-to-do/994391/8 "2023-12-11T04:08:18Z")
Yeah, Galveston’s a Spring/Summer/Fall sort of city. The fishing isn’t terrific in the winter, and nor is the beach stuff either. I’d check out Seawolf Park, Moody Gardens and at least see the beaches. The Bolivar Ferry is always a good and cheap thing to see, and if you’re at Seawolf Park, you can see the astounding amount of shipping going through from the Port of Houston. Space Center Houston and Johnson Space Center is a half-hour away, so that’s always an option. You can get into the Rocket Park and see the Saturn V without paying anything- you just go in the main gate and tell the guard that you’re there to see the Rocket Park. The Kemah Boardwalk is nearby as well- closer to the JSC/SCH, and is more of a year-round venue with restaurants, a ferris wheel, etc… There’s also some sort of Pleasure Pier in Galveston where the Flagship Hotel used to be (it was cool; a humongous hotel built several hundred yards out over the water). The Pleasure Pier seems to be similar to the Kemah Boardwalk, but I’ve never been. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-galveston-for-two-days-what-to-do-what-to-do/994391/9 "2023-12-11T05:27:00Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Space Center Houston and Johnson Space Center is a half-hour away I was going to recommend this, particularly if the weather isn’t good for the beach or parks. Just pay the money to get in, or if you’re a member of a museum at home, admission might be free. If you do go, Do all of the tours from the museum onto the actual JSC campus. If the weather is poor, and you plan to do the tours, dress appropriately. The golf cart trains used for the tours are open air. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-galveston-for-two-days-what-to-do-what-to-do/994391/10 "2023-12-11T18:01:53Z")
I was in Galveston and found myself in the mood for gefilte fish, and there was a place with a “Delicatessen” sign, so I went in and asked if they had any. They said they didn’t know what that was. So I said it was a kind of Kosher food, and then they said they didn’t know what that was, either. So you might find restaurant choices are not broad. But then this was 43 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-galveston-for-two-days-what-to-do-what-to-do/994391/11 "2023-12-11T18:21:26Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > But Galveston in mid to late December can be dreary if the weather doesn’t cooperate - expect mid-60s at best with downright chilly nights, colder if you’re unlucky. Can be but the weather is pretty good right now. It was actually cold this morning (got just below freezing at the house due to a front) but other than Friday/Saturday (rain) it’ll be clear and upper 60s/low 70s during the days and 40s/50s over night for the next week or so. I guess that counts as chilly for around here but nothing a jacket or sweater can’t fix. > [@echoreply](#): > > If you do go, Do all of the tours from the museum onto the actual JSC campus. You can/should pay in advance. There’s still a ticket booth but they’re encouraging app usage now. For parking as well, which they do via some kind of license plate scanning, so all you have to do is drive in/out. For the Control Center tour, you still need to check in, but that’s inside the building itself. ---
**Author:** ![txtumbleweed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@txtumbleweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txtumbleweed)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2023, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-galveston-for-two-days-what-to-do-what-to-do/994391/12 "2023-12-12T01:47:03Z")
The _USS Texas_ is still in drydock at Gulf Copper. If there on a Sunday, you can get a drydock tour of the last dreadnought class battleship. You can also see her from the Pier 20/21 area which is home for the tall ship _Elissa_ and right by the cruise terminal and some good restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2023, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-galveston-for-two-days-what-to-do-what-to-do/994391/13 "2023-12-13T04:38:40Z")
Eat a meal at [Gaido’s restaurant](https://www.gaidos.com/). You’ll know it by the VW bug-sized blue crab on the front of the building. My father was from Galveston and my grandparents would take us to Gaido’s whenever we would visit them. If you like historic ships, the tall ship Elissa is docked at the port on the side of the island opposite the seawall. She’s right by a little restaurant that serves a great po’boy. I forget the name but it shouldn’t be hard to find.