The Pleasure Pier reaching into the Gulf from the Seawall
Things to do

Things to do in Galveston

Prices and hours for eleven attractions, from their own websites. Some close between November and February, and several are free.

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Pick by who's with you
Checked October 29, 202611 attractionsPrices and hours

Pleasure Pier, Seawall east · Photo: Michael Barera / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits

The short answer

Match the trip to the people with you

  • Rides for the kidsGalveston Island Historic Pleasure PierA roller coaster and more on a pier over the Gulf.$30.99 all-day ride pass
  • Something for a rainy dayMoody GardensThe aquarium and rainforest are indoors, under glass.Value Pass, price online
  • Seeing dolphinsHistoric Harbor Tour and Dolphin WatchAn hour on the boat around the harbor.$25 adults
  • A free boat rideGalveston–Port Bolivar FerryThe round trip takes about an hour on board, plus getting there and any wait at the landing.Free
  • A walk that costs nothingThe StrandDowntown's Victorian streets and shops, and the harbor.Free, parking $2.25/hour
  • Inside a Victorian house1892 Bishop's PalaceGalveston's showpiece mansion on Broadway. It closes on some days in November and December.$15 adults
  • Going inside a submarineGalveston Naval MuseumTwo WWII ships at Seawolf Park. Hard going if your mobility is limited.$10 to $14
  • TrainsGalveston Railroad MuseumYou can climb into railcars at the 1932 station.$14 adults
  • An evening for twoSunset harbor cruiseAn hour on the harbor, sold as adult-oriented, with the sunset if the clouds allow.From $48.55
  • Sitting down the whole wayDuck tourAn hour on the Seawall, then into Offatts Bayou in a WWII amphibious truck.$30 adults

Visiting November to February? Schlitterbahn is closed for the season, Bishop's Palace shuts on a few dates and the caboose rides pause until January 1. The ferry runs 24 hours a day, all year, though severe weather can cut back or stop service.

What's open in winter
Show me:
With kids

A rollercoaster, glass pyramids and a waterpark

Ages, kids' prices and beach safety in one place: Galveston with kids.

The entrance arch of the Pleasure Pier on Seawall Boulevard
Photo: Matthew T Rader / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
2501 Seawall Blvd, at 25th Street

Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier

Rides and midway games on a pier over the Gulf, including a roller coaster and a swing ride. You need a pass to step onto the pier at all, rides or not.

Cost
Rides all day: $30.99 if you're 48 in or taller, $24.99 if shorter. Pier entry without rides: $12.50 (48 in and taller), $11.50 (under 48 in), $10.50 for seniors with ID
Hours
Set week by week on the pier's calendar
Best for
Kids and teens after rides

Leave pets, coolers, outside food and bottled water behind. Parking in the pier's lot across the street is $15 in peak season.

Pleasure Pier tickets, rides by height and hours

Sources: Pleasure Pier tickets, Pleasure Pier FAQ

The glass Rainforest Pyramid at Moody Gardens
Photo: Supportstorm / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
1 Hope Blvd, by Offatts Bayou

Moody Gardens

An aquarium, a rainforest and a discovery museum, each in its own glass pyramid, with 3D and 4D theaters and a ropes course next door. One Value Pass gets you into all of it, plus Palm Beach in season.

Cost
The Value Pass is $85–90 for adults and $75–80 for ages 4–12 and 65+ at the gate price. Buy online before your visit day and it costs less. Ages 3 and under go free
Hours
Published each Friday for the coming week
Best for
Kids on a rainy day

Bring a card: cash isn't taken. Outside food, drinks and pets stay out of the attractions. Upstairs in the Discovery Pyramid, the Galveston Children's Museum opened on November 1, 2026, and your ticket covers it. Palm Beach reopens in summer 2027.

Moody Gardens tickets and tips

Sources: Moody Gardens tickets, Moody Gardens hours

Closed for the season
Slides and towers of Schlitterbahn Galveston, seen in the off-season
Photo: Larry D. Moore / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
2109 Gene Lucas Blvd

Schlitterbahn Galveston

Galveston's waterpark. Rivers carry you between its three sections, and Enchanted Parks runs it now.

Cost
2027 season passes start at $99.99. Day tickets for 2027 haven't been priced yet
Hours
Closed for the season, with no 2027 opening dates yet
Best for
Water slides on a summer day

Before you go: The park's calendar has it closed through the autumn. Look there for 2027 dates before you build a trip around it.

Schlitterbahn: tickets and slides by height

Sources: Schlitterbahn Galveston, Calendar and hours

History

Two mansions, three museums and a tall ship

The stone facade of the 1892 Bishop's Palace on Broadway
Photo: Michael Barera / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
1402 Broadway

1892 Bishop's Palace

You walk through this stone Victorian mansion at your own pace. Architectural historians count it among the most significant Victorian homes in the country.

Cost
$15 for adults, $12 for ages 6 to 18, free for 5 and under
Hours
Open daily 10 am to 5 pm; the last ticket is sold at 4 pm. Closed November 17, December 5 to 8 and December 24 and 25
Best for
Fans of Victorian architecture

Source: Galveston Historical Foundation: Bishop's Palace

The red-brick Moody Mansion on Broadway
Photo: Michael Barera / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
2618 Broadway

Moody Mansion

The Moodys' four-story, 28,000-square-foot home looks as it did around 1900, and an audio guide takes you through it. Headphones help, so bring a pair. Go to Bishop's Palace for the architecture and here for the life of a wealthy family.

Cost
The audio tour is $20 for 18+, $15 for ages 6 to 17 and free for 5 and under
Hours
Open daily 10 am to 5 pm, last ticket at 4 pm. Shut on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
How long
Around 1 hour
Best for
Seeing how one family lived, with an audio guide

The small historic elevator isn't ADA compliant. A standard wheelchair or walker fits; a large power chair doesn't. Call (409) 762-7668 with questions.

Sources: Moody Mansion, Moody Mansion FAQ, Audio tour booking

The 1877 tall ship Elissa under sail
Photo: i_am_jim / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Pier 22, 2200 Harborside Dr

Galveston Historic Seaport and Tall Ship Elissa

You go aboard the Elissa, a tall ship built in 1877. The same ticket covers the museum on Galveston's immigrants, where a database lets you look up ancestors.

Cost
$18 for adults, $12 for ages 6 to 18, free for 5 and under
Hours
Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5:30 pm; last entry at 4:30 pm
Best for
Tall ships and immigration history

Closed November 5, 6 and 26, December 24 and 25 and January 1. On November 24 it opens at 1 pm.

Source: Galveston Historical Foundation: Elissa

A red and yellow Santa Fe locomotive at the Galveston Railroad Museum
Photo: Cody McLain / Unsplash
2602 Santa Fe Place, downtown

Galveston Railroad Museum

You can climb aboard railcars spread over five acres around the restored 1932 Union Station.

Cost
$14 for adults, $10 for 65+, $8 for ages 3 to 12; free for 2 and under and military. Parking is $5
Hours
Daily 10 am to 5 pm
Best for
Kids who are into trains

A caboose ride is $8 extra. It runs most weekends from late spring through summer if the weather allows, with a break from November 1 through January 1.

Sources: Railroad Museum: plan your visit, Harborside Express caboose rides

The Ocean Star drilling rig museum at Pier 19
Photo: Larry D. Moore / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
2002 Wharf Rd, on the harbor by Pier 19

Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig & Museum

This retired jack-up drilling rig is now a museum. Real drilling equipment stands on the rig floor and pipe deck, and the exhibits explain how offshore wells are found and drilled.

Cost
$15 for adults, $12 for seniors and military, $10 for ages 7 to 12, free for 6 and under
Hours
Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm, with last tickets at 4 pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday
How long
Around 1.5 hours
Best for
Learning how offshore oil and gas drilling works

Wheelchair users can cross the access bridge from the pier, take the elevator inside and get around the rig floor and pipe deck.

Source: Ocean Star Museum

On the water

Out on the harbor and the bay

Offshore rigs and vessels in the harbor across from downtown Galveston
Photo: Secret Travel Guide / Unsplash
Pier 22, next to the Elissa

Historic Harbor Tour and Dolphin Watch

For one hour the boat circles the harbor past big ships, and you may see dolphins and seabirds on the way. Sit under cover on the lower deck or in the open on top.

Cost
$25 for adults, $18 for ages 6 to 18, free for 5 and under
Hours
Tuesday to Sunday, leaving at 10:15 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, 2:45 pm and 4 pm
How long
1 hour
Best for
A narrated boat trip with a chance of dolphins

The boat stays in during lightning, thunderstorms, sustained winds of 25 knots or more, or a Small Craft Advisory.

Source: Galveston Historical Foundation: harbor tour

The ferry Robert H. Dedman crossing to Bolivar
Photo: J.R. Ramos / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
1000 Ferry Rd, east end of the island

Galveston–Port Bolivar Ferry

Texas runs this ferry to the Bolivar Peninsula. Watch from the deck for dolphins and pelicans, the warships at Seawolf Park, the wreck of the concrete ship Selma and the Bolivar lighthouse.

Cost
Free, and parking is free too if you board on foot
Hours
Around the clock, 24 hours a day
How long
Around 20 minutes each way, or about an hour for the round trip
Best for
A boat ride that costs nothing

Pets have to stay in the car. If you feed the seagulls, do it from the back of the ferry.

Ferry schedule, wait times and rules

Source: TxDOT: Galveston–Port Bolivar Ferry

Visiting in winter

What shuts from November to February

Schlitterbahn has closed for the season, and its 2027 dates aren't out yet. At Moody Gardens, Palm Beach stays shut until summer 2027; upstairs in the Discovery Pyramid, the Galveston Children's Museum opens on November 1, 2026. Bishop's Palace closes on November 17, December 5 to 8 and December 24 and 25. The Pleasure Pier sets its hours a week at a time, so look at its calendar first.

From November 1 the railroad museum stops its caboose rides until January 1, and the Naval Museum closes an hour earlier. The rail trolley runs only on Fridays and Saturdays until the end of February; details are in getting around without a car.

In December, Dickens on The Strand, the Polar Express and the Moody Gardens lights are on; see Christmas in Galveston.

In late January, Mardi Gras 2027 brings parades on two weekends between January 29 and February 9.

Weather, water temperature and events month by month are in the best time to visit Galveston.

The historic houses stay open all year apart from some holidays and special dates. The Elissa and the harbor tour usually run Tuesday to Sunday, and their cards above list the November closures. The ferry runs 24 hours a day; only severe weather cuts back or stops service.

Book ahead

Tickets and tours worth booking before you go

Tickets for the Pleasure Pier, Moody Gardens, Bishop's Palace and the Elissa are sold on their own sites. These tours and tickets can be booked online, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before; the terms are on each booking page. Viator prices and ratings as shown on November 3, 2026.

The Historic Galveston Ghost Tour
Photo: Historic Galveston Ghost Tours via Viator
All ages

Historic Galveston Ghost Tours

4.8 (1,846 reviews on Viator)

The Historic Galveston Ghost Tour

90 minutes · 6, 8 and 10 pm

Night settles over Broadway, the old mansions go quiet, and your guide starts talking. Ashton Villa, the Adams League Mansion, the Mansard House: every house has a story, and some have residents who never checked out.

This is the ghost tour to start with. Spooky enough for goosebumps, easy enough for the whole family, and over before anyone gets tired.

  • Six historic houses in 90 minutes
  • Fine for wheelchairs and strollers
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

From $33 on Viator

Check Prices & Availability Also on Expedia, from $33
Good to know
  • Meets: The gazebo at 24th and Sealy, opposite Rosenberg Library
  • Young children may find the stories scary
  • Up to 35 people
  • Bring bug spray in the warm months
Baywatch dolphin cruise
Photo: Baywatch Dolphin Tours via Viator
Dogs welcome

Baywatch Dolphin Tours

4.9 (2,631 reviews on Viator)

Baywatch dolphin cruise

45 minutes · Every half hour in season

A fin breaks the surface, then another, and the whole boat points at once. Bottlenose dolphins are often seen in the Galveston Channel, and this cruise takes you right out to where they're spotted.

Kids glued to the rail, the breeze in your face, and the Strand two blocks away when you're back. The easiest hour of fun on the island.

  • Departures every half hour in season
  • Leashed dogs welcome
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

From $34.86 on Viator

Check Prices & Availability Also on Expedia, from $35
Good to know
  • Meets: Pier 21, 2100 Harborside Dr, in front of Harbor House
  • Check in 30 minutes before
  • Shaded seats and a restroom on board
  • Dolphins are wild, so sightings can't be promised
  • Manual wheelchairs if you call ahead (832-859-4557)
Secrets of the Strand walking tour
Photo: Galveston Tour Co. via Viator

Galveston Tour Co.

4.9 (61 reviews on Viator)

Secrets of the Strand walking tour

90 minutes · Daytime

Cotton merchants, bankers and a few scoundrels made the Strand the Wall Street of the Southwest. Hear who got rich, what they built and which scandals they'd rather you forgot.

Walk off lunch with a guide who makes the old storefronts talk.

  • Eight stops, about a mile
  • Small groups of up to 20
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

From $27.06 on Viator

Check Prices & Availability Also on Expedia, from $27
Good to know
  • Meets: Compass bench in Saengerfest Park, Strand and 23rd St
  • Wheelchair and stroller accessible
Island e-bike tour
Photo: Zipp E-Bikes via Viator

Zipp E-Bikes

4.9 (168 reviews on Viator)

Island e-bike tour

About 2 hours

Feel the Gulf breeze as you cruise the Seawall, then roll past Ashton Villa and the Pleasure Pier without breaking a sweat. The motor does the work, you get the views.

Your guide stops for the stories and the wildlife along the way. A fun way to see a lot of Galveston in one morning.

  • Private ride for your group
  • E-bike and helmet included
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

From $85 on Viator

Check Prices & Availability
Good to know
  • Meets: 2315 Mechanic St, across from the Tremont House
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Ends back at the start, a block from the Strand
Bryan Museum ticket
Photo: The Bryan Museum via Viator

The Bryan Museum

4.7 (68 reviews on Viator)

Bryan Museum ticket

About 2 hours · Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm

Texas and Southwest history fills the grand old Galveston Orphans' Home, one of the island's most striking buildings.

Escape the heat or the rain and lose yourself in the collection at your own pace, then step outside into the garden.

  • Butterfly garden included
  • Mobile ticket
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

From $15 on Viator

Check Prices & Availability
Good to know
  • Meets: 1315 21st St, in the old Galveston Orphans' Home
  • Closed Monday and Tuesday
  • Wheelchair accessible

More in our guides to ghost tours, dolphin tours and all Galveston tours.

More to do

Kemah, the Bryan Museum, rides and flights

More places people ask about. The Lone Star Flight Museum is listed because many people still look for it in Galveston.

  • Kemah Boardwalk

    What it isRides, restaurants and the Boardwalk Bullet wooden coaster on the bayCost and hoursFree to walk in; rides cost extra. Hours change with the season, and parking is by card, free on weekdays in some lotsWhere26 miles from downtown Galveston, about 40 minutes by car

  • The Bryan Museum

    What it is: A history museum in the old Galveston Orphans' Home, with a 90-minute tour of the building and a film on the 1900 storm (Wednesday to Saturday, 10:30 am and 1:30 pm)

    Cost and hoursWednesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm. Prices appear only in the booking form; tickets can't be refundedWhere1315 21st St, a short drive from the Strand

  • Segway, e-bike and Model-T tours

    What it isThe Seawall and the historic districts without a long walkCost and hoursFrom $59 a personWhereMost start downtown

  • Duck tour, helicopters and biplane

    What it isThe island from the water or the airCost and hours$30 for the duck tour; flights from $50 a personWhereAll in our tours guide

  • Moody Gardens Golf Course

    What it isGalveston's only public course, 18 holes by Offatts BayouCost and hoursGreen fees by phone or online bookingWhereNext to the pyramids

  • Lone Star Flight Museum

    What it is: No longer in Galveston. After Hurricane Ike damaged it in 2008, the museum moved to Ellington Airport in Houston and reopened there in September 2017

    Cost and hours–WhereAbout 12 miles past Kemah, so it pairs with a Kemah day

Sources, read on October 31, 2026: Kemah Boardwalk: know before you go, Bryan Museum tickets, Lone Star Flight Museum. Driving distance routed with OpenStreetMap.

Planning a day

One day in Galveston, and what's near what

With one day, spend the morning downtown: the Elissa, the harbor tour and a walk on the Strand are a few blocks apart. In the afternoon, drive to Moody Gardens or take the free ferry, and end on the Seawall at sunset. With two days, give one to downtown, with the Elissa, the harbor tour and a walk on the Strand, and the other to Moody Gardens and the beach, or the Pleasure Pier if its calendar has it open. No car? Read getting around without a car.

  • Downtown and the harbor

    What's thereThe Strand, the Elissa and Seaport, the harbor tour, the railroad museumGetting betweenA few blocks apart, easy on foot

  • Broadway

    What's thereBishop's Palace, Moody MansionGetting between1 to 1.5 miles south of the Strand

  • Seawall

    What's therePleasure Pier, the beachesGetting betweenA short drive from downtown, or take the Seawall trolley

  • Mid-island

    What's thereMoody Gardens, SchlitterbahnGetting betweenSide by side, about 6 miles from the Strand

  • Further out

    What's thereNaval Museum on Pelican Island, the Bolivar ferryGetting betweenEach is its own trip by car; the ferry leaves from the east end
Free or almost

A day out for a few dollars

The ferry

It costs nothing, day or night. Leave the car at the landing and walk on; you spend about an hour on board for the round trip, plus any wait.

The Strand

You only pay for parking to walk the Victorian downtown. Our hour on the Strand lists the stops, and the Freedom Walk adds five Juneteenth sites close by.

The beach and the Seawall

The beach below the Seawall is free. Parking on the boulevard is $2 an hour, with some free stretches. Fees for each beach are in Galveston beaches compared.

Fishing

In Galveston Island State Park you can fish from shore without a Texas license. The Seawall piers charge $14 to $16. More in fishing in Galveston.

Birding

Watching birds from the Seawall or the ferry is free, and the state park charges $5. Seasons and spots are in birding in Galveston.

Dickens on The Strand

From December 4 to 6, 2026, the Galveston Historical Foundation fills downtown with its Victorian holiday festival. Friday evening is free (Fezziwig's Friday, 5 to 9 pm). Saturday and Sunday need a ticket: $20 for adults and $13 for ages 7 to 12 until November 20, then $5 more, and free for 6 and under. Dickens in detail.

Where to stay

Stay near what you'll do

Downtown puts you close to the museums, the Elissa and the harbor tours; the east end of the Seawall to the Pleasure Pier and the beach; Moody Gardens has its own hotel next door. Each of these is our pick in best hotels in Galveston, with parking, pets and fees.

The Tremont House on Mechanic Street with its marquee sign
Photo: Expedia

Downtown: the Strand, the Elissa, the harbor tours and the railroad museum

The Tremont House

Step out of an 1879 landmark straight into the Strand's shops, oyster bars and live music, then end the night with a drink on the rooftop over downtown.

Check prices on Expedia
The historic facade of the Grand Galvez Resort
Photo: Expedia

East Seawall: the Pleasure Pier and the beach, a short ride from downtown

Grand Galvez Resort

The grand old lady of the Seawall since 1911: a spa, a swim-up pool bar and Gulf views from a historic landmark. The one to book for an anniversary or a special weekend.

Check prices on Expedia
Pool with palm trees and umbrellas at Moody Gardens Hotel, with the pyramids behind
Photo: Expedia

Mid-island: next to the pyramids, Schlitterbahn and the golf course

Moody Gardens Hotel

Walk from your room to the Aquarium and Rainforest pyramids, then cool off at the swim-up bar or in the indoor pool. The pick for families who came for Moody Gardens.

Check prices on Expedia