Giddy-Up to Galveston, TX

While Texas beaches may not often be mentioned in the top 5 beachfront areas across the nation, or boast the pounding Atlantic or even gentle lap of Pacific waves against our Gulf coast, Texans have long found a visit to Texas beaches well worth the trip.

Galveston, is a mere thirty-six miles south of Houston (well, Pasadena, which is South Houston). Houston Hobby is the closer airport if you’re planning on flying to the area. A taxi ride (Uber & Lyft would probably be comparable) is $75.00 to $100 one-way. For those on a budget: Galveston Island Transit operates a connecting bus service around the island and between Houston & Galveston.

Side-note: if you’re planning a cruise from Galveston (now, the second busiest cruise post in the nation), there are loads of ways from getting between Bush Intercontinental (IAH) or Houston Hobby (HOU) and the port. For more information, go to: 6 Easy Houston to Galveston Cruise Transport Options.

Also, if you need to stay overnight prior to your cruise, or after returning to port, check out this article on where to stay on Best Galveston Cruise Port Hotels.

However, if Galveston is your destination, what is there to do?

Let’s take a look.


If you have a group – family of varying ages – consider your budget:

Moody Gardens Hotel, Spa and Convention Center


From restaurants that serve Texas shaped waffles to the Palm Beach Waterpark (now, open daily until August 18, 2018)

TO Colonel Paddlewheel Boat

TO the Zip-line course

OR an evening spent on the beach with Bands on the Sand . . . Moody Gardens has a great deal for families of all ages.

If your hotel destination requires easy walking distance to most area attractions & right on the beach, consider Hotel Galvez (A bit more economically priced than Moody Gardens, but still loads of luxury and onsite things to entertain.

Consider:

The Commodore on the Beach (2-Star) Featuring an outdoor pool with waterfall; all rooms have a Gulf view; some rooms with poolside patios; other rooms with private balconies; WiFi throughout property; USB charging stations.





Best Western Galveston West Beach Hotel (2-Star) On the seawall . . . beaches are within a few steps. High-speed Internet connections available; complimentary continental breakfast; outdoor pool; exercise facility; and inside corridors if that's a requirement.


Beachfront Palms Hotel located on the Seawall, a stone's throw from the beach. Rooms feature WiFI. Price includes BREAKFAST, but only the morning meal. When it's time to fuel again, take a step outside and stroll down The Strand for loads of variety. Pool with seaside deck and free parking.

or The Tremont House (4-star Historical) One of the most historic hotels in Galveston, Texas, featuring three separate dining experiences; rooms equipped with Wi-Fi, HDTV, Wolfgang Puck coffee, bathrobes; rooftop (beachfront) bar experiences, and more. Oh, and there's valet parking for your convenience as well.

Now that you know how to hit Galveston city limits, and you’ve options on where to stay in Galveston . . . what are you going to do?????



Want to see a dolphin swim beside the boat? Check out BayWatch Dolphin Tours




Are sweets your idea of afternoon joy? Then plan a visit to: La King’s Confectionery (Demonstration schedules change. Make certain to consult website.)

For a true ole-fashioned dining experience, visit: The Star Drug Store

And what trip to a coast could be complete without a lighthouse or sailing ship thrown into the visit?
Point Bolivar Lighthouse (you’ll take a ferry for this one.)


1877 Tall Ship Elissa

And if you’re interested in more lighthouses and additional Galveston history, check out: Galveston History

No matter how you fill your days and nights . . . make certain to leave time to stroll the beaches.

From my Pinterest saves, I linked several great blogs to help you navigate Texas beaches.

Here’s one family's account of a Great Seashell Beach in Galveston
And another for a Day at the Beach
And finally, The Best Galveston Beaches

Special thanks to these travel bloggers who offered thoughtful information and details to aid in Galveston travels. Be sure to visit each of these bloggers for more great travel sites.

Summer Time Fun in Fort Worth -- 5 TEXAS bars Worth The Stop!

Travelling to Texas this summer?

Then stroll in for a cool (TALL) drink at any of these bars.

The heat may bake Texas asphalt, but the sippin' is easy when you know where to belly up to the bar.

Much is touted about the large tourists’ bars and Historic stockyard bars in Fort Worth, Texas. Certainly, if you’ve never strolled down old brick streets, smelled lingering scents of longhorn cattle, meandered among tall cowboy hats and towering Texas hair, you need to visit the Historic edge of Fort Worth.

However, there is a great deal more to Fort Worth – not the cosmopolitan feel of Dallas, not the Jazz beat of Denton, or even the rolling hills, eclectic sense of Austin – no, Fort Worth is sleek, high-rise towers, tucked among historic revitalized brick buildings (even a few brick streets as well), stunning city parks, a square with dancing water, and a thriving downtown area -- simply put: Fort Worth is more than your average Honky-Tonk.

If you find yourself visiting Cowtown, but not looking for the standard tourist stops, then consider cooling your parched throat at one of these watering holes.

The Library – 611 Houston Street, Fort Worth, Texas. On the perimeter of Sundance Square and along the Molly the Trolley route, this wooden floor, leather-couched bar is open and welcoming. Meshed against towering 20 foot walls, and well above patrons’ heads, are book-lined shelves. There are a few shelves within reaching distance for those who’d like to have a quiet drink and a contemplative read. A small patio area is available and with the surrounding buildings shade can be found in spite of late afternoon sun. The four-sided bar makes easy access for those who want to place their own order or the multiple couches are ready for the weary of strolling. There is a ‘bar’ menu, but we didn’t check out the offerings. Happy hour is an afternoon treat here.

Thompson’s Bookstore – 900 Houston St, Fort Worth, Texas. From the front entrance across hardwood floors, lush sitting areas are staged for the enjoyment of the aficionado of fine cocktails. The ‘house’ rules alone make this a bar stop worth the visit. The bartenders should be termed ‘mixologist’ as the subtle flavors and nuance of cocktails are their specialty. No matter your favorite liquor or brand (bottom shelf to top) this subtlety elegant bar is a lovely respite from Texas heat. Not to worry if you’re strolling in your shorts and t-shirt, casual attire is welcome, but an inside voice is encouraged. If wild and raucous is on your menu, then there are plenty of other Fort Worth bars more to your style. Now, as an update -- your quiet voice works well during the week, but I've been inside these walls on the weekend and it's a hopping & joyful place. A great enticement to visit Thursday through Saturday is the downstairs 'speak-easy'. No fooling, pardner. Buy a drink at the upstairs bar and on the bottom of your receipt will be the 'secret code' to gain access to the tucked-away, downstairs hide-out. It's a cool throw back to the 20s and well worth the price of admission.

Scatz Jazz Lounge – 111 W 4th, Ste 11, Fort Worth, Texas. A little crazy, a little spicy, and a lot of speakeasy edge best describes the Scatz Jazz Lounge. Heed the Google directions as this getaway is tucked down an alley. Descend in the elevator and enter a jazz environment to make your toes tap and hips sway. Cover required on some nights, not on others; so check their schedule. Excellent talent fills their stage – and sometimes marches around the room with a little New Orleans flavor – bartenders know their drinks and the clientele are there to enjoy excellent music.

Whiskey & Rye, 1300 Houston St, Omni Hotel, Fort Worth, Texas. For those who want a bit more cultured environment, stop by the Omni – doesn’t that say it all – and enjoy a cocktail while snuggled in deep leather seats. Prompt wait staff, still with that Texas ‘howdy’ welcome; the occasional entertainer on their small stage; the quiet click of pool balls on the expensive carved tables and valet service right out the front door.

Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar – 621 Houston St. Fort Worth, Texas. For those who want to group-date, celebrate a graduation or upcoming wedded bliss, or just spend several hours rubbing elbows with their fellow humans in a lively musical stop – this is the place. Expect great music – loud at times; happy, hollering folks – also loud at times; and a good evening. Not for the boot-scooting, Stetson-sporting, bronco-belt buckle type, but if you love a rowdy crowd with a backdrop of ivory-tickling, hammer-pounding musicians then visit Pete’s.

Howdy, and Welcome to Fort Worth.

Other great Texas spots to visit!

Travelling Texas BackRoads

7 Tips for Travelling the Texas back roads -- weekend road trip!

We in Texas are arrogant folks who believe that spring or summer is ALWAYS just around the corner. We hold this belief with solid evidence to back us up . . . well, at least most of the time.

This past weekend found me travelling on an East Texas backroads trip for a bit of birthday celebration. Hubby didn’t want a big fuss for his BD, didn’t want entertaining, just some quiet time for the two of us.

He had fond memories of a lovely drive through the Davy Crockett National Forest and into Lufkin, TX. (for map clarification, this is East Texas.)

Of course, these memories came from one of his trucking runs, which meant it was mainly made in the dead of night. Lots of things look great in the dead of night. I don’t need to go further with that explanation.

Before we embarked on our journey, I engaged in my usual Internet research. If I’m headed out to a destination, I WILL load up on area sites of interest, restaurants to enjoy and to AVOID, hotel reviews, and perhaps more importantly, off the beaten path points of interest.


I don’t always get it right. And what would be the fun of a vacation without one horror story, but we generally find unique stops and undiscovered gems in eateries.


So, what did I learn from this excursion?

1) Do not go to East Texas in the dead of winter for the scenery. When it’s been fairly cold, when Texas has actually suffered through a hard freeze or two . . . the trees will be bare and bereft of leaves. Please, don’t misunderstand me. There are times that barren landscapes feed my soul. But when I’m after a cozy getaway—not so much. Consider that if you’re headed into an area or part of the country that’s known for its GREEN, don’t go during the dead of winter. That much barrenness simply becomes bleak.

2) Be cautious about museums that sport only a handful of ‘open’ hours per week. Also, if you are completely unfamiliar with an area, call in advance to confirm address and hours. Our excursion hunting the Houston County Museum in Crockett, TX turned out to be an exercise in futility. Either the address (from 3 references) was woefully incorrect or my GPS lost its mind. We drove down poorly maintained roads, drove in circles, drove for waaay too long, and still couldn’t discover the missing museum. A call to the location netted their answering machine (quaint accent, but not a live person) and a Google search for the exact museum name from the answering machine listed a location 112 miles away. Um . . . I don’t think so. We did explore Goliad Avenue. Several times. We found the local DQ and shared their last Dilly Bar. And we found our way out of town.

3) Enjoy the unexpected. The DQ visit netted a couple of good ole cowboys, one complete with spurs. No chaps, but boots, jeans, hat and . . . the spurs. In Texas pickup trucks rule the roads. Freeways, city streets, country roads will all sport a plethora of brand spanking-new to old enough to be held together by rust, duct tape, and memories. Dusty windshields, grimy bumpers, mud-crusted wheels, the working pickup trucks dotted the Crocket DQ parking lot. Hubby & I figured – which is what you do when in Texas – that the cowboys belonged to one of the pickup trucks. We figured right. They climbed into a King cab, complete with animal trailer and one serious-looking bull then were off in a cloud of Dairy Queen parking lot dust. Small Texas towns provide their own eclectic version of everyday folks and for those of us who watch the world, loads of moment-by-moment entertainment.

4) If the area that you visit delivers any type of local newspaper or glad rag, pick it up. A great meal was found at the Clear Spring Café in Nacogdoches, TX. That locale didn’t show up on my Google searches or my Yelp request. I can’t answer why as once I researched the specific name, Yelp loaded scads of happy Texans reviews. Their webpage loaded easily and had all the things that tick the boxes for me. It was a win. The freshly prepped onion rings are worth the stop, and this close to the Louisiana border, the Cajun influence could be found.

5) Talk to the hotel front desk. I will warn you . . . this can provide hit-or-miss results. If the desk clerk responds to your area questions, with a blank look – don’t pursue it. They often struggle to be helpful and you end up with less than sterling results. If, however, the clerk offers ready suggestions and knows details, then you’ve found a mining source for your stay.

6) State & National Parks can add to the adventure. We have now purchased a National Geographic book and are hoping for better results on our future impromptu road trips. A National or State park always seems like a good excursion, but driving through the Davy Crockett National Forest did disappoint. The posted speed limit is 70. Do you know what scenery looks like @ 70? A blur. We saw several upcoming historical marker signs, but never actually saw the memorial. Again, at 70, and below – we were in the right-hand lane – who knows what all we missed.

7) Historic downtowns – a sure score for Nacogdoches, which is billed as the oldest town in Texas. Old brick streets, buildings with the well-worn wooden floors – creaky and sloped, twenty foot ceilings, even a few with original lead glass. Historic Nacogdoches didn’t disappoint. Most clerks in the stores were the actual owners. Loads of great stories and folks who’d spent their lives in the area. We discovered an Artesian Stained-glass window & door builder (his shop is part of the store); antique stores (some set-up with the booths for browsing), but one was a shotgun building no more than fifteen feet wide, filled with widgets and gadgets from the former century and that musty, dusty scent you can only find in truly dated buildings; the last store find was filled with a barrel-chested fiddle maker with his pot-bellied red hot stove and his trusty banjo companions strumming away in one warm corner. It was fabulous.

No matter where we go, coming home is always wonderful. Perhaps the outside scenery wasn’t all we could have hoped for . . . but life is about the journey and this weekend getaway will always hold precious memories.

Other Texas Spots to VISIT:

5 Fabulous Fort Worth Bars -- not your standard honky-tonk!

To War - fighting back from Hurricane Harvey

Weather is a constant, and 'whether' it's you, a family member, the dearest friend, or the most distant neighbor --
ALL of us have experienced terrible storms and their aftermaths.

Texan proud - I have lived in Texas all my life and like so many fellow Texans, I feel overwhelmed by the devastation that I see left behind from Hurricane Harvey, and I am completely humbled by the outpouring of day-to-day heroes.

In a world where anger is so often the proclaimed answer; where violence seems to be the norm; and words slash with deadly accuracy ---- I say, enough.

Stop for a moment, look around you right now. There is something of beauty in front of you; something that will provide you joy; and something that YOU can do for another.

The smallest acts are often the most valuable.

My challenge:

not one whiny word for the day, not one accusation, not one UNNECESSARY frown.

Stay in the moment, look inside, and find joy.

I'll let the pictures speak. The words are LOUD & CLEAR, if you'll simply listen.

Harvey blows ashore.

UNDERWATER.

Rides come in all shapes & sizes, but the rescuers are all Heaven-sent.

Carried to safety!

Heroes save EVERYONE!

Even our Texas dogs are 'doers'. Sometimes, you have to save yourself.