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Published in the La Vernia News on July 2, 2015

A Little More Time on the Island

Galveston Offers so Much to See and Do

     Last week, we shared with you the history of Galveston, the beaches and several family-fun activities. One attraction no visitor can ignore is the seawall, the longest continuous sidewalk in the United States (just over 10 miles). It is the “place to be”. It is a wide walkway, room for the crowds of people, either strolling, biking or peddling a surrey for two or four. There are many bike and surrey rentals along Seawall Blvd. Bikes rent for around $10 per hour and surreys for $20. There are many rental places along the seawall; if it is a slow day, you will probably get a bargain.

   Enjoy a real, old fashioned chocolate malt at the lunch counter and soda fountain of the Star        Drug Store in Galveston. Poplar lunch fare includes the store's burger and Reuben sandwich.

FREE FAMILY FUN

      A fun thing to do is take the ferry to Bolivar Island. The island is mainly residential, but the ride over and back is beautiful; dolphins can often be seen swimming along side of the ferry. The ferry is free, as it is part of the TXDot highway system. This ferry is the only lifeline for the residents and visitors to Bolivar Island. Hint:  If you are just going for the ride, as you approach the ferry landing, stay in the far right lane marked “walk on”. Park your car in the area provided. When the next ferry docks, you can simply walk on. When you get to the island, stay on the ferry and ride back. It takes about 20 minutes each way, plus the loading and unloading time. As you leave, be sure to wave to all those folks still sitting in their cars, waiting.

    Another adventure, more like a treasure hunt, is to locate and view the Tree Sculptures. When Hurricane Ike hit in 2008, many large trees were badly damaged, but instead of cutting them down, several artists carved beautiful art pieces from the stumps that remained in the ground. There are 21 of these beauties, scattered in a five-square block area between Broadway and Postoffice Roads. Stop at the Visitors Center at 2528 Broadway (Avenue J) and pick up a free map to guide you. You can drive, bike or walk the area. Many are on private property, but we spoke with several of the residents and they really don’t mind people stopping to look and take pictures.

ART, MUSEUMS AND HISTORICAL HOMES

     So much to see- the Moody Mansion, the Bishop’s Palace, the Railroad Museum, the oldest German-Catholic Church in Texas, Ashton Villa (an ante-bellum mansion built in 1859), the Menard Home (the oldest in Galveston built in 1838), and the Grand Opera House on the Strand.

      If art is your passion, there are 19 art galleries on the island. For the last 25 years, the Galveston Art Center has presented ArtWalk on Saturday nights in the heart of the historic district. Upcoming Artwalk dates are July 11, August 22, October 10 and November 28.

THE STRAND

      Walk the Strand Historic District and enjoy one of the magnificent collections of historic buildings in the U.S. There are Victorian and early 20th century buildings, streetcars, horse-drawn carriages, unique shops, art galleries, candy stores, a wonderful array of restaurants, a fabulous coffeehouse named the MOD, and our favorite, the Star Drug Store.

      We stopped at the Star to get a real, authentic chocolate malt and got a great history lesson with it. Originally constructed of wood in 1886, the Star survived the Great Storm of 1900. It was converted to an all brick building in 1909 and the soda fountain & lunch counter were added in 1917. It was destroyed by fire in 1998 and rebuilt; and in 2008, Hurricane Ike dumped over 6 feet of water inside the store; but, as in the past, it survived. If you visit, be sure to notice the large Coca Cola sign on the exterior. It is one of the oldest porcelain neon Coke signs in existence. The Reuben sandwich and the hamburger are the most ordered meals.

      You may be surprised to see how close the Strand is to the cruise terminal. On any given day, you can see these giant ships docked a block away. The first weekend of December the Strand really comes alive for Dickens on the Stand, reliving Dickens’ London including performers, parades and even a skating rink.

ISLAND PASS (DISCOUNT ENTRY FEES)

       If you plan to visit at least four attractions where entry fees are charged, you might want to explore the Island Pass. It is online; you can review all the participating attractions, see the discounts and purchase and print your tickets. Or, you can go to the Visitors Center at 2328 Broadway (Avenue J) and let the very knowledgeable folks there help you. They have a computer set up for visitors to use for purchasing and printing their discounted tickets. Discounts vary, but most attractions/tours offer a 40% discount when purchased through Island Pass. 

Play, relax, enjoy. Your on island time !