New to the Island? If so, then first, get oriented with a trip to the Galveston Island Visitors Center. Operated by the Galveston Island Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Center offers a wealth of brochures, free maps of the Island, and friendly guides ready to point you in the direction of whatever fun you have in mind ... and maybe even some fun you didn't know existed.

Other than the beach, the top destination for Galveston visitors is the 242-acre Moody Gardens . Part theme park, part educational and rehabilitative facility, part pleasure garden, Moody Gardens is a vacation all by itself. Upon entering Moody Gardens, you are instantly wowed by the lush and other worldly environment created by the Moody family. Amidst the profusion of tropical plants gleam three glass pyramids – pink, blue and white – housing a 10-story rainforest, one of the world’s largest aquariums, and an educational Discovery Museum. One exhibit quotes a Senegalese conservationist: “In the end, we will conserve only what we love.” With 25 naturalists on staff, Moody Gardens lovingly conserves a vast wonderland for the knowledge-thirsty visitor. The complex includes an IMAX 3D, 4D Special FX theater and IMAX Ridefilm theaters; silky-smooth Palm Beach, with white sand and freshwater lagoons; the 19th century style Colonel Paddlewheeler, with onehour narrative cruises (a favorite with birders); the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; and a luxury hotel.

Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark is one of the Hottest, Coolest Times in Texas! The park features uphill water coasters, water slides, kid’s playgrounds, whitewater rapids, wave pool, hot tubs, plus the Boogie Bahn surf ride. And the exclusive Transportainment river system makes Schlitterbahn Galveston Island the ultimate family destination. The summer season offers more than 32 family-friendly attractions. The coolest way to have the hottest winter vacation is to slide into Schlitterbahn’s Wasserfest. The park offers a dozen heated attractions in a warm, tropical oasis featuring four enclosed tube slides, the Torrent Tidal Wave River, three speed slides, three water playgrounds and more.

Our newest attraction? The Galveston Island Historic Pleasue Pier! Landry's envisions the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier becoming a preferred family destination with the same greatness as Chicago's Navy Pier, Santa Monica Pier and Coney Island's Luna Park. Plans to revive and rename the property, the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, include developing a first-class, nostalgically themed amusement park, reminiscent of another historic landmark, Galveston's Electric Park. Traditional rides will include a 36-foot diameter, double-decker carousel and a 100-foot tall Ferris Wheel, and for the more adventurous, a steel roller coaster with a 100-foot vertical climb, 200-foot tall swing recognized as the highest ride in Texas and classic bumper cars for adults and children. Amusements as well as the restoration of the historical element of the Pier are anticipated to bring back memories of what the destination was known for in the late 1940s.

The best way to connect to Galveston's past is by an excursion through one of its historic districts, or a tour of one of the historic homes that are open to the public. Stroll through the 36-square-block area of downtown Galveston, exploring the enticing shops on The Strand, the waterfront district, and the docks for the cruise lines), and the trendy Postoffice Arts District. Pick up one of Galveston Historical Foundation's excellent brochures.

Museum's abound, whether you fancy land, sea, or air - from the art deco Railroad Museum at the foot of The Strand, to the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum on Pier 20, to the Lone Star Flight Museum (next to Moody Gardens), and the Texas Seaport Museum on Pier 21 featuring the Tall Ship Elissa round out the Island's collection.

Galveston has shopping for most everyone's tastes, whether you like upscale, artsy, or beach trendy. With a city this historically minded and individual in its tastes, expect to find wonderful antique and curio stores; look for treasures both downtown and on Broadway.

With all this touring, lucky you, you've worked up an appetite. Dining is a Galveston highpoint. The specialty is fresh-cooked, fresh caught Gulf Coast cuisine - available both in traditional and nouvelle settings - but you'll find restaurants for every mood and palate, from upscale continental, to hip fusion, to authentic Tex-Mex, to down-home barbecue.

From Blog.Galveston.com

Thu, 24 May 2012 05:07:55 +0000 Experience Galveston’s Natural Beauty at State Park I admit I am guilty of one of the worst habits people living on a beautiful island can have: Bemoaning the lack of places for outdoor activities in Galveston. This mild-mannered complaining usually follows seeing friends’ pictures of hiking in Colorado or schooners on the coast of Maine, or talk of those mild springs felt in other lands. I see these and hear conversations and think wow, to live in a place with so much outdoor enthusiasm and places so close to experience nature. Thu, 24 May 2012 01:44:38 +0000 DINING DIVA: The Waterman We'd been to Waterman several times before Ike and its closing after that storm was our loss. So we headed out there for dinner as soon as we learned it had reopened. The location is beautiful with a perfect sunset view over the water. Outdoor improvements are obviously coming along and indoors the place is in perfect shape. One would never know that several years have elapsed since the doors last admitted us. Wed, 23 May 2012 20:42:43 +0000 Pier 21 to Host New Suntime Watersports Jet Boat Who doesn’t have a waterjet boat ride on their bucket list? Suntime Watersports has set up shop at the popular Pier 21 located near downtown Galveston. Families, students, and anyone from ages 4 to 104 are welcomed to try out a new and exciting jet boat experience. Wed, 23 May 2012 19:27:33 +0000 Landry’s Announces Galveston Pleasure Pier Exclusive Sneak Peek The Pier is Back! Summer has arrived and so has the new Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, bringing a new standard of waterfront fun to the Gulf Coast. The $60 million destination boasts a theme park of family attractions, with rides, games of chance and skill, entertainment, great food venues and retail shops. 13 of the 16 rides will be operating during the exclusive sneak peek beginning Memorial Day Weekend. Tue, 22 May 2012 15:43:44 +0000 Out of this World The annual AIA Sandcastle Competition features amazing works of art crafted by teams of architects, designers and engineers.

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