Things to Do in Galveston, Texas - Visit Galveston | Visit Galveston (2024)

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Is Galveston, Texas worth visiting? ›

Galveston, Texas, Is a Beach Destination Packed With Culture and History — How to Visit. From museums and haunted hotels to beaches and unique local eats, this Gulf Coast island has it all. For decades, Galveston has been attracting tourists with its beaches, historical treasures, and fresh coastal cuisine.

Explore Galveston, TX's rich history and culture through the city's museums, art galleries, performance venues, murals, historical sites, and more. Make your trip to Galveston, TX fun for the whole family with beaches, waterparks, museums, aquariums, and more activities perfect for kids.

Galveston is the third most walkable city in the state. Particularly walkable areas in Galveston include The Strand and Seawall Boulevard. These places are home to amenities like Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, Gaido's Seafood Restaurant, and Bishop's Palace.

Is it free to go to Galveston beach? Yes, visiting Galveston beach is completely free. While you may need to pay for parking on the Seawall, enjoying a beautiful sunrise or sunset from any of the beaches won't cost anything. Various beaches in the area offer a fantastic experience without breaking your wallet.

Galveston Island (/ˈɡælvɪstən/ GAL-vis-tən) is a barrier island on the Texas Gulf Coast in the United States, about 50 miles (80.5 km) southeast of Houston. The entire island, with the exception of Jamaica Beach, is within the city limits of the City of Galveston in Galveston County.

Known as the “Playground of the South” in the late 1800s, Galveston remains an important leisure area today, with Schlitterbahn Waterpark, the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, and Moody Gardens.

Carnival and midway games like Ring Toss and Basketball line the boardwalk, as do coin-operated High Power Telescopes, allowing you to see clearly far across the Gulf and down the Seawall. Comfortable seating is available at almost every turn, as are shaded picnic tables and benches.

According to C2ER (the Council for Community and Economic Research), the cost of living in Galveston is estimated to be 93.9% of the national average making it an average US city.

With a cost of living index score of 95.8, according to BestPlaces, Galveston is 4.2 percent cheaper than the average cost of living across the United States.

Presented every 6-8 weeks in partnership with downtown galleries, artist studios, nonprofits, and local businesses, ArtWalk takes place from 6-9 pm inside existing art spaces.

Do you have to pay to go to the beach in Galveston? ›

Alcohol is prohibited, but vehicle access to the beach is entirely free and reaches all the way to the water's edge. The Galveston side of San Luis Pass is a public beach located at the far western tip of the Island.

Parking in the City of Galveston varies depending on the area of town that you are in. There is hourly, or annually, paid parking in two areas - Downtown and the Seawall.