Little did we know when we ventured to Galveston that we’d come face-to-face with a giant sloth inside Moody Gardens, one of the island’s top attractions. We met him inside the Rain Forest exhibit where he’s allowed to room free with monkeys and birds. Just beware, the upper portion of this exhibit clocked in at 130-degrees Fareinheit and 86% humidity the day of our visit. It is the rainforest, but come on!
As for Moody Gardens as a whole, the giant complex features a water park, probably the best aquariums in Texas, 4-D movies, a hotel, restaurants, and much more. We only had a few hours, but it’s easy to see how a whole weekend could be lost among the majesty and beauty of everything this park has to offer.
For a little bit of Galveston’s history, the short film, The Storm at the Pier 21 theater is well worth the price of admission. The harrowing tale of the devastating 1900 hurricane is heartbreaking, but inspirational. These people weren’t going to let a little major destruction keep them from rebuilding.
Over at Bishop’s Palace (right), experience Galveston’s most famous home. It survived the 1900 hurricane and eventually was sold to the Catholic church as a residence for the Bishop. Call ahead to find out when they offer the behind-the-scenes tour that takes you to parts that most groups never see. It’s a step back in time and a fascinating look at wealth from another era. We’re pretty sure there are ghosts here, too, just like our hotel. Why can’t we ever see them?
The beaches along the south shore can be pretty crowded and full of screaming children—so not our scene. So we drove as far east as we could without dropping into the ocean. Although according to the Map on our iPhone (left), we had dropped into the ocean. East Beach is a great spot for wonderful views of the open sea to the south and the bustling ship traffic to the east. It costs about eight bucks to park (or park for free if you want to walk a short distance), but the beach is far less crowded. There weren’t any rentals when we visited, so make sure to bring your own chairs and umbrella. Port-a-potties on site, too, so you don’t have to poop in the water.
Best of all, there are lifeguards out here, so you don’t have to worry about venturing out for a little swim.
There’s so much more to do in Galveston, but if you visit a beach town and don’t actually hang out on the beach, well, that’s just wrong.
Photos by Rod Orta
