Galveston, a great find - Steve. Date of travel: Feb 2008
Galveston is a town and area of contrasts. It is not the most beautiful beach city in the world but you must remember that it is a real city. It is a real port and has real industry. The beaches are good and get better the further west you go. The farthest west part of the island is called San Luis Pass and there is a bridge that goes to the mainland. That area is a little dangerous for swimming due to currents and is best known for great fishing. Galveston Bay is known for great fishing - Sea trout, flounder and redfish are the main targets. You should get a guide and fish by boat if you do not have one or are not familiar with the area. Bay fishing is a little pricy, but you can catch a deep sea party boat for a lot less. You can wade fish in the surf and have a lot of success depending on the conditions. Don't forget your license. There is grand architecture to see and a lot of fun around the old city (The Strand Area). It is an old town with a lot of character and was the entry point of a lot of Irish, German and even Italian immigrants. It is a Catholic town and there are truly some beautiful buildings there. I like to go there in the Fall, October is a great month. The water is still warm, the heat of the summer is fading and the crowds are smaller. The seafood is a little better as the water cools. I find the summers to be a bit warm and humid but when you are near the water it is not too bad. Winter months and spring months can be rewarding as well although it can get a little chilly and the water is too cold to swim. It is a much better place than it gets credit for. The water is not blue, it appears a little brown but that mainly has to do with silt deposits from the many rivers that run down to the Texas Coast. The blue water is just a mile or so out there. The beaches are nice and sandy a little more so to the west and great for swimming. I still love to eat at Guaidos. It is better in the fall and winter when you might get lucky and they have the broiled flouder. Trust me, it is truly one of the best dishes I have ever had and I eat seafood all over the U.S. and Europe. I put their broiled fish right up there with dishes on the San Sebastion, Spain warf, Cassis, France, Coillure, France Porte Ecole, Italy. (Some places I have been lately). The fried seafood, there is a lot of that, is tasty but a little boring except the fried oysters. There is a great, and I mean great pizza place there and I forgot the name of it but just ask because everyone knows it. There are several good places around the Strand as well. STAY AWAY FROM ALL CHAIN RESTAURANTS. It is all fried and all bad and not fresh. That means stay away from Kemmah, a town close to Galveston that used to be known for it's great seafood but is now a boardwalk of chains. Back in the old days, it was authentic and funky and good but no now. Galveston is a great place go there but be a smart traveller and do your research. This should help.