Is Galveston, TX a good vacation spot?

[mermaidwannabe]

BTW, thank you so much for posting your pics!

 

[sk!mom]

Is Galveston, TX a good vacation spot?

Just wondered if anyone here has stayed in Galveston in July? I have a vacation planned already driving from Montana to DL and then San Diego, but for the same amount of money, we (me, DH, 3 DDs) can fly to Houston, stay at an oceanfront condo in Galveston, rent a car and go to Schlitterbahn. A relaxing beach vacation sounds so good. The DL/San Diego vacation is very action-packed and would be fun, but the driving will probably be a nightmare.

Anyone have an opinion?? TIA!

A good vacation spot? No! Maybe if you live nearby and can drive for a weekend but definitly not worth airfare. The water in the Gulf is filthy! DH contracted a bacterial ear infection 8 years ago that took months to get over and led to permanent hearing loss. The Doctors told him that they see these type of bacterial infections daily in that area because of the nastiness of the Gulf water.

Moving on to Schlitterbahn- It's fun but overrated. Years ago, it was great but ever since the travel channel started rating it one of the world's best- the crowds are unbelievable. Bottom line it's a waterpark- nothing more. There's no themeing like you get at Disney- just a water park.

I understand your dilemma, I'm unlikely to drive from Montana to CA. But seriously, Galveston doesn't belong in the same sentence with San Diego.

 

[sk!mom]

Wow!! Sorry for the bad advice I guess I look at Galveston in a different way then others.

#1 I live in dead dry west texas....after it rains I think the puddles are beautiful

#2 Living no where near any large amount of water...unless the local lake that's usually dried up counts , we are not beach/water people ... so while we stay on the seawall and do walk along the beach for about 20-30 minutes..that is all we do that is actually beach related...and we would never dream of getting in the water, but i was even scared to do that in the beautiful clear water in the Caribbean

Here are some pictures just for grins:

View from my room at the Galvez

This is what we do on the beach

A restaurant/bar I like to go to.

In years on th Dis, yours is the first post I've read where I think you must live near me. Your description of home is very familiar. We differ on Galveston though- I hate it!

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Moving on to Schlitterbahn- It's fun but overrated. Years ago, it was great but ever since the travel channel started rating it one of the world's best- the crowds are unbelievable. Bottom line it's a waterpark- nothing more. There's no themeing like you get at Disney- just a water park.

I understand your dilemma, I'm unlikely to drive from Montana to CA. But seriously, Galveston doesn't belong in the same sentence with San Diego.

I don't think you can compare the Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels to the one in Galveston. I believe that's the one that the Travel Channel was rating. From the last I heard, the one in Galveston was opening in phases and it was only partially complete.

 

[sk!mom]

I don't think you can compare the Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels to the one in Galveston. I believe that's the one that the Travel Channel was rating. From the last I heard, the one in Galveston was opening in phases and it was only partially complete.

Your're correct. I didn't read carefully- I was thinking that the OP intended to drive to New Braunfels to visit the "famous" Schlitterbahn. My review was for New Braunfels Schlitterbahn as I have not visited Galveston in years.

 

[M 'n C]

I have lived in Texas now for 3 years and I have yet to step foot in Galveston. It is just not worth the drive for me to make down there. I agree the beach is brown and ugly. There are also always tiger sharks down there in mid-to-late summer that are not worth fooling with. There are nice things to do in the area in general but it is not the beach vacation that you are thinking of.

I drive to Destin Florida when I want a relaxing beach vacation. The beaches over there are white sands and blue water.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I have lived in Texas now for 3 years and I have yet to step foot in Galveston. It is just not worth the drive for me to make down there. I agree the beach is brown and ugly. There are also always tiger sharks down there in mid-to-late summer that are not worth fooling with. There are nice things to do in the area in general but it is not the beach vacation that you are thinking of.

I drive to Destin Florida when I want a relaxing beach vacation. The beaches over there are white sands and blue water.

I used to live in Sandestin, and it was years before I went to Galveston after I moved back to Texas. I couldn't stomach seeing it, after living a block from the beautiful beaches of Destin.

SE Texas certainly got the short end of the Gulf of Mexico stick.

I'm sorry - my definition of a good beach is: I want to be able to see the sharks in the water, so I can get the heck out of it.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Your're correct. I didn't read carefully- I was thinking that the OP intended to drive to New Braunfels to visit the "famous" Schlitterbahn. My review was for New Braunfels Schlitterbahn as I have not visited Galveston in years.

LOL... then that makes me incorrect too, because I thought you were talking about the one in Galveston being not as nice as the one in New Braunfels.

I've never been to either, so I guess I should hush.

 

[Zane_Anthony]

In years on th Dis, yours is the first post I've read where I think you must live near me. Your description of home is very familiar. We differ on Galveston though- I hate it!

Where do you live? I am in Abilene.

 

[ELLE-TN]

We visited there a couple of summers ago and it was just nasty. The beach was so nasty that we didn't even go to the beach and we drove with three kids all the way from Tennessee just for the beach. Thanks goodness for Moody Gardens it saved our trip. If I ever go back to Galveston it will be to revisit Moody and nothing else. My advice go somewhere else!

 

[sk!mom]

Where do you live? I am in Abilene.

San Angelo- I think that means, I win- If the contest is who lives in a hotter, drier, browner part of Texas. Unless someone on here lives in Midland/Odessa.

 

[Zane_Anthony]

You got the Midland/Odessa thing right!

 

[mermaidwannabe]

OP here...we think we'll just survive the drive by letting my DDs take their Nintendo DSs which we usually limit. We just went skiing today and after that drive, which is only 30 minutes, my DH and I are wondering how so much together time will be in the car after the girls were nitpicking about something. LOL...we have a Suburban, so we'll just spread them out and deal with it. After asking the girls what they thought (before all the comments here!), they were definitely more geared towards DL, SW and the Zoo.

Thanks everyone!