Our trip to Galveston, TX last week was a total hit! The kids loved every second of it, even the antiquing (my bucket list item, of course) and we definitely indulged in far too many good foods. I'm excited to finally share some details with you all! I'll break it down by day, but be warned, this is a photo-heavy post!
DAY ONE
Our first day in Galveston was really relaxing. We took it easy and spent the day casually exploring the area. We had read that The Strand was a popular shopping area, filled with lots of small shops and eateries and we were not disappointed! We made sure to pack our stroller, expecting the kids to break down along the way, but it turned out that almost every shop on The Strand was two-stories and relatively inaccessible by stroller (leaving me to wonder how on earth a wheelchair might manage), so we were disappointed that we had taken the trouble to tote our large double stroller in our tiny rental car. As for the walking, the kids did surprisingly well! It didn't hurt that they scored some fresh saltwater taffy to munch on along the way thanks to La King's Confectionery.
They pull the taffy live on an old 19th century taffy pulling machine and offer a few fun facts during the process. At the end they toss out delicious samples of warm, fresh taffy to the crowd in whatever flavor is being pulled at the time. Ours was bubblegum!
After some exploration, we popped into Shrimp N Stuff for a lunch break. I was expecting basic fried shrimp, but this turned out to be my favorite food stop of the entire trip! THE best fried shrimp I've ever had and quite a generous portion. Preston opted for the seafood stuffed shrimp...basically a crab cake with a shrimp in the center. It, too, was incredibly delicious! The kids enjoyed pasta and popcorn shrimp, which I sampled, and it was great. The prices were great for the portions offered.
After a little more exploring, we headed back to Preston's uncle's house in League City, where we were staying for the week. It was really nice to have a central location between Houston and Galveston so we could explore both areas a little. The free accommodations didn't hurt, either. Thanks Uncle Bob! Once we'd washed up a little--and dipped our toes in the pool, of course--we headed out to a lovely dinner with the family at The Flying Dutchman, located at the Kemah Boardwalk.
Being Mother's Day, the place was a little busy so service was less than stellar, but we were in good company with a lovely view of the water, so we didn't mind. I was a little disappointed that the shrimp on my otherwise delicious dinner had not been deveined--a byproduct of a busy kitchen, I hope. The kids each ordered mac n cheese, but it was surprisingly tasty. When they got tired of the wait, there was a playground nearby for them to romp on (I recommend having an adult go with them, especially if there's a crowd).
DAY TWO
Day two was pleasantly uneventful, as we spent the majority of it poolside! We lunched at home and then cleaned up for dinner with Preston's grandma (we visited her often on our Kentucky trips until she moved to Texas recently, so it was nice to spend some time with her)!
After dinner, we took a short drive up to the Galveston Seawall. Unlike The Strand, much of Seawall Blvd is stretched out over the 10 mile expanse of the actual seawall, so a casual stroll along the shops isn't exactly ideal. We were glad to have chosen a drive, especially since the breeze made things a bit chilly in the evening, and enjoyed seeing the colorful homes and beautiful sunset against the crashing waves.
After dinner, we took a short drive up to the Galveston Seawall. Unlike The Strand, much of Seawall Blvd is stretched out over the 10 mile expanse of the actual seawall, so a casual stroll along the shops isn't exactly ideal. We were glad to have chosen a drive, especially since the breeze made things a bit chilly in the evening, and enjoyed seeing the colorful homes and beautiful sunset against the crashing waves.
DAY THREE
After two days of moderate relaxation, it was time for some fun! We kicked off the day with another trip to The Strand, this time to embark on a dolphin tour!
We chose Baywatch Dolphin Tours and it was absolutely the best! Our tour guide, Mike, was witty and knowledgeable, offering facts about the area and the dolphins as we rode. We left on the 11 o'clock trip and saw dolphins immediately out of the gate! Whenever one of us spotted a fin, Mike was kind enough to head in that direction. We ended up spotting several different groups of dolphins, including a mother and baby that had only been born a week or so prior! As we disembarked, the kids asked Mike if there were any mermaids in the ocean, to which he responded that he had seen "at least 6"--talk about making a 4 year old girl's entire day!
After our little cruise, we headed back to Kemah for a quick lunch at a Texas favorite, Whataburger, before an afternoon full of fun at the Kemah Boardwalk! I was graciously offered tickets in exchange for my review here, however all opinions are my own. There are other boardwalks in the Galveston area, most notably Pleasure Pier (pictured in the seawall photos above), but upon further research, we decided Kemah was the ultimate playground for kids and adults alike, harboring much more toddler-friendly rides as well as activities, shopping, and lots of food! When we arrived, we were lucky enough to have very few crowds, it being a weekday afternoon with school still in session. We did have to wait here and there to board a ride, since the staff was rotating between rides rather than having a staff member on every ride at all times, but it wasn't a big deal to us. It just meant having to be a little more strategic about which ride to board next.
I think the kids had a difficult time picking a favorite activity, but I think they enjoyed the train almost as much as any ride! It was a nice reprieve from the heat and walking from ride to ride. We didn't realize there was a splash pad at Kemah Boardwalk, so be sure to pack a dry outfit or wear a swimsuit if you'd like a chance to really cool off! Thank you to Kemah Boardwalk for hosting us!
When we'd had our fill of fairground fun, we took Parker to Rocket Park to view the rocketships. We also met some friendly longhorns along the way. It was really incredible to see these massive machines in person and reflect upon the fact that we were even capable of such marvelous feats 50 years ago. Can you imagine the wonder when man first landed on the moon? It's still such an incredible feat, but I think we take such technological advances for granted these days.
We still had one more stop to complete our rather full day of exploration: The Houston Aquarium. It was a really unique experience, with lots of interesting designs within its walls, including one large section that played host to a large white tiger! To be honest, though, the whole experience was a bit of a letdown. The entire aquarium took us maybe 10 minutes to stroll through from start to finish at a leisurely pace. I didn't find any of the animals in captivity to be all that unique or outlandish, white tiger notwithstanding. The aquarium is included if you opt for an all day adventure pass, which includes a few rides and stingray reef. We were told stingray reef was included in our aquarium exhibit only tickets, but their website says otherwise. I'm not sure if the employee was mistaken or if we just lucked out, but the stingray experience was by far the most exciting part of the whole aquarium. We had one particularly friendly stingray who really enjoyed getting petted by Preston!
After two days of moderate relaxation, it was time for some fun! We kicked off the day with another trip to The Strand, this time to embark on a dolphin tour!
We chose Baywatch Dolphin Tours and it was absolutely the best! Our tour guide, Mike, was witty and knowledgeable, offering facts about the area and the dolphins as we rode. We left on the 11 o'clock trip and saw dolphins immediately out of the gate! Whenever one of us spotted a fin, Mike was kind enough to head in that direction. We ended up spotting several different groups of dolphins, including a mother and baby that had only been born a week or so prior! As we disembarked, the kids asked Mike if there were any mermaids in the ocean, to which he responded that he had seen "at least 6"--talk about making a 4 year old girl's entire day!
After our little cruise, we headed back to Kemah for a quick lunch at a Texas favorite, Whataburger, before an afternoon full of fun at the Kemah Boardwalk! I was graciously offered tickets in exchange for my review here, however all opinions are my own. There are other boardwalks in the Galveston area, most notably Pleasure Pier (pictured in the seawall photos above), but upon further research, we decided Kemah was the ultimate playground for kids and adults alike, harboring much more toddler-friendly rides as well as activities, shopping, and lots of food! When we arrived, we were lucky enough to have very few crowds, it being a weekday afternoon with school still in session. We did have to wait here and there to board a ride, since the staff was rotating between rides rather than having a staff member on every ride at all times, but it wasn't a big deal to us. It just meant having to be a little more strategic about which ride to board next.
I think the kids had a difficult time picking a favorite activity, but I think they enjoyed the train almost as much as any ride! It was a nice reprieve from the heat and walking from ride to ride. We didn't realize there was a splash pad at Kemah Boardwalk, so be sure to pack a dry outfit or wear a swimsuit if you'd like a chance to really cool off! Thank you to Kemah Boardwalk for hosting us!
When we'd had our fill of fairground fun, we took Parker to Rocket Park to view the rocketships. We also met some friendly longhorns along the way. It was really incredible to see these massive machines in person and reflect upon the fact that we were even capable of such marvelous feats 50 years ago. Can you imagine the wonder when man first landed on the moon? It's still such an incredible feat, but I think we take such technological advances for granted these days.
We still had one more stop to complete our rather full day of exploration: The Houston Aquarium. It was a really unique experience, with lots of interesting designs within its walls, including one large section that played host to a large white tiger! To be honest, though, the whole experience was a bit of a letdown. The entire aquarium took us maybe 10 minutes to stroll through from start to finish at a leisurely pace. I didn't find any of the animals in captivity to be all that unique or outlandish, white tiger notwithstanding. The aquarium is included if you opt for an all day adventure pass, which includes a few rides and stingray reef. We were told stingray reef was included in our aquarium exhibit only tickets, but their website says otherwise. I'm not sure if the employee was mistaken or if we just lucked out, but the stingray experience was by far the most exciting part of the whole aquarium. We had one particularly friendly stingray who really enjoyed getting petted by Preston!
DAY FOUR
After yesterday's epic adventures, we were ready to slow back down. This meant a trip to Houston for some antiquing and window-shopping. First on my list was AG Antiques, but we stopped into a few little shops on our walk there. The first was a small Mexican folk-art gallery, Casa Ramirez, filled to the brim with beautiful handmade clothing, artwork, and bric-a-brac. The kids came out with a pair of maracas each, to their delight. Lucy also picked up this pretty tissue paper flower since it matched her dress. We also took a peek inside Big Blue Whale--the cutest little toy store you ever did see! Finally, we were on to AG Antiques: a huge, flea market style antique store packed with vintage goods from all eras, as well as handmade items and various other accouterments. We didn't come away with much (just a set of replacement fondue forks for our currently hodge-podge set), but we saw lots of pretty antiques + got to pet the resident dog, a rather fat, old King Charles spaniel with a friendly disposition.
We were all starting to get a little peckish, so lunch time at the infamous Torchy's Tacos was in order! We loved the tacos and the local fountain drinks, but the queso was the highlight of the meal. SO good! After lunch, we were off to cross one item off my own bucket list: Retropolis, and it did NOT disappoint! By far one of the biggest, best vintage clothing spots I've ever had the opportunity to peruse. Of course, there were a lot of duds to look past, but the digging is always one the best parts of any hunt, right? I could have come home with an entirely new wardrobe if my budget (and rental car) would allow, but I did score a lovely 1960's frock (coming to the blog soon!) and the most beautiful cashmere + fur peacoat! I can't wait to share that one with you all this fall!
After a full afternoon of shopping, we ended the day with kayaking at the local park. Preston's uncle is a bit of an adventurer, so we were lucky to have our own personal guide on our maiden voyage. The kids really loved the kayak and I enjoyed it much more than I expected to. There were fish jumping out of the water left and right, too! It was a peaceful end to a busy day--along with pizza and ice cream at home!
We were all starting to get a little peckish, so lunch time at the infamous Torchy's Tacos was in order! We loved the tacos and the local fountain drinks, but the queso was the highlight of the meal. SO good! After lunch, we were off to cross one item off my own bucket list: Retropolis, and it did NOT disappoint! By far one of the biggest, best vintage clothing spots I've ever had the opportunity to peruse. Of course, there were a lot of duds to look past, but the digging is always one the best parts of any hunt, right? I could have come home with an entirely new wardrobe if my budget (and rental car) would allow, but I did score a lovely 1960's frock (coming to the blog soon!) and the most beautiful cashmere + fur peacoat! I can't wait to share that one with you all this fall!
After a full afternoon of shopping, we ended the day with kayaking at the local park. Preston's uncle is a bit of an adventurer, so we were lucky to have our own personal guide on our maiden voyage. The kids really loved the kayak and I enjoyed it much more than I expected to. There were fish jumping out of the water left and right, too! It was a peaceful end to a busy day--along with pizza and ice cream at home!
DAY FIVE
Our final day was for the beach! I'm so glad we set aside a whole day for sun and sand. We originally were supposed to take a horseback ride along the beach, but it got cancelled due to flooding along the beach it operated on. It was disappointing, but everything worked out and we had a wonderful time splashing in the waves, building sand castles, and fighting off seagulls eager to share our picnic lunch! On our way home we had to make a pitstop at the huge Buc-ee's Convenience Store on the Interstate. Only in Texas would you find a gas station store so large you need a shopping cart! We ended the night with a trip to Red River BBQ. I had the pulled pork and breaded mushrooms. Preston's uncle also introduced us to Texas Hushpuppies: "chopped brisket, BBQ sauce, & pepper jack cheese rolled into a ball and fried". Yep, delicious.
After 5 full days in Galveston, it was time to head back home. I had planned to make a detour along the way to visit The Pioneer Woman Mercantile and stay the night nearby. It broke up the long trip home and gave us an excuse to explore another area and I'm so glad we did!
DAY SIX
Lucy is actually quite a fan of The Pioneer Woman, having a few of her children's books and watching the show with me often. As we pulled into the parking lot, we actually saw Ree's father-in-law, Chuck, greeting a few customers outside the shop. No other celebrity sightings happened while we were there, but there was plenty of good food! After perusing the goodies in The Mercantile (I came home with a tea towel + a magnet, though I could have come home with one of everything. I collect magnets from all of our vacations, so that was a must!), we walked over to P.Town Pizza for some infamous Not Knots + a pepperoni pizza. It was absolutely delicious! I could have filled up on the Not Knots alone.
Lucky for us, Ree cut the ribbon on her brand new ice cream shop, Charlie's Sweet Shop, just a week before we arrived so we had the opportunity to check that out, too! Charlie the Ranch Dog is Lucy's favorite so she was extra excited. The town of Pawhuska is quaint and adorable, filled with small local shops and beautiful scenery. It was a welcome detour to our trip home and a bucket list item for me that I was happy to get to cross off.
We had a wonderful time visiting Texas and can't wait to get back! It was our kids' first time at the beach and I know they're not likely to forget it. Vacationing looks a lot different when you travel with children, but it sure does make for some wonderful memories!
After 5 full days in Galveston, it was time to head back home. I had planned to make a detour along the way to visit The Pioneer Woman Mercantile and stay the night nearby. It broke up the long trip home and gave us an excuse to explore another area and I'm so glad we did!
DAY SIX
Lucy is actually quite a fan of The Pioneer Woman, having a few of her children's books and watching the show with me often. As we pulled into the parking lot, we actually saw Ree's father-in-law, Chuck, greeting a few customers outside the shop. No other celebrity sightings happened while we were there, but there was plenty of good food! After perusing the goodies in The Mercantile (I came home with a tea towel + a magnet, though I could have come home with one of everything. I collect magnets from all of our vacations, so that was a must!), we walked over to P.Town Pizza for some infamous Not Knots + a pepperoni pizza. It was absolutely delicious! I could have filled up on the Not Knots alone.
Lucky for us, Ree cut the ribbon on her brand new ice cream shop, Charlie's Sweet Shop, just a week before we arrived so we had the opportunity to check that out, too! Charlie the Ranch Dog is Lucy's favorite so she was extra excited. The town of Pawhuska is quaint and adorable, filled with small local shops and beautiful scenery. It was a welcome detour to our trip home and a bucket list item for me that I was happy to get to cross off.
We had a wonderful time visiting Texas and can't wait to get back! It was our kids' first time at the beach and I know they're not likely to forget it. Vacationing looks a lot different when you travel with children, but it sure does make for some wonderful memories!
