Galveston Fun Facts: |
Galveston's climate is semi-tropical; averaging 87 degrees in summer and 47 degrees in winter and has an average yearly temperature of 69 degrees. |
The Lightning Whelk is the official state seashell. |
| The first Texas real estate company opened in Galveston in 1857. |
| The Flagship Hotel on Seawall Boulevard is the only hotel in North America built entirely over water. |
| The Bolivar Peninsula-Galveston Island Ferry is a free service that opened in 1930 that runs between Galveston Island and Port Bolivar, located on the mainland east of Galveston. The cruise is 13 minutes each way and you just may see dolphins during the 3-mile crossing. Look to the left on your way to Bolivar and see the remains of the concrete ship, the Selma , which was built as an experimental vessel during World War I but sank in 1922. |
Famous Galvestonians: |
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| On September 8, 1900, a hurricane with winds of 120 mph hit Galveston Island resulting in 8000 deaths. To guard against future hurricanes, the city built a seawall seven miles long and 17 feet high which still stands today, protecting an entire third of Galveston's waterfront. |
The Galveston Seawall runs from 9th to 89th Streets along the Gulf, approximately 10 miles. You can walk, jog, rollerblade, bike or pedal a surrey. |
Galveston has 32 miles of beaches, including family-oriented Stewart Beach with eateries, amusements, showers and changing facilities to the quiet, peaceful west-end beaches where you even rent horses to ride in the surf. |
Galveston 's first recorded Mardi Gras celebration was in 1867. In the years that followed, the parades and balls grew more elaborate, glittering with pomp and splendor and attracting attention throughout the state. Galveston Mardi Gras once again features multiple stages on the streets of the Galveston Historic District where headliners and others will perform. If you love a good parade, you will have no less than ten from which to choose during the 12 days of Mardis Gras. |
The Annual A1A Sandcastle Competition is held at East Beach in June and features some incredible displays of sand constructed by locals, architects and designers. The Beach Concert Series also begins at East End beaches. |
The Lone Star Motorcycle Rally is held each November attracting more than 250,000 bikers and motorcycle enthusiasts. The rally is the largest of its kind in Texas and features plenty of entertainment, shows, contests and endless parades of motorcycles of all kinds throughout four fun-filled days. |
At Moody Gardens, you can explore the Aquarium Pyramid filled with exotic fish and marinelife, the Rainforest Pyramid with an amazing collection of tropical plants, exotic fish, birds and animals, or you can explore the world of science at the Discovery Pyramid. Watch a thrilling feature at the six-story IMAX 3-D Theater or you can just relax at the beautiful Palm Beach, home to Galveston's only white sand beach. |
The Bishop's Palace on Broadway, designed by architect, Nicholas Clayton, is built from native Texas granite, white limestone and red sandstone, all cut and shaped on the premises. The mantle in the front ballroom won first prize at the Philadelphia World's Fair in 1876. One of the most significant architectural designs in the plush interior is a ballroom fireplace mantle that was exhibited at the Philadelphia World's Fair in 1876, winning first prize for its elegant design. |
| The Moody Mansion, once home to W.L. Moody, one of Texas's wealthiest men, is a historic home made of limestone and brick totally restored to Victorian elegance with elegant period furnishings, wallcovering and intricate woodwork throughout the home. |
The Lone Star Flight Museum is located Most of the aircraft are kept inside a large air conditioned hanger and you're allowed walk among the aircraft at your own pace. There is an air show held during the year where several of the museum's planes are taken out and fly them for the crowds. |
The Galveston Duck Tour not only drives you across the island Seawall to the historic Strand area, but then goes into Galveston Bay to show you some of the sites in Offats Bayou, pointing out the general history of the island, facts about the beaches, attractions, places to eat. |
The NOAA Sea Turtle Facility, operated by the National Marine Fisheries Service, is the only place in the US where visitors can view the endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle hatchlings as they emerge and mature. You will learn all about the ridley and other types of sea turtles from the facility's knowledgeable tour guides and view more than 600 living turtles in their saltwater tanks. Interactive exhibits demonstrate how the turtles are tagged for tracking and recovery. |
The Railroad Museum has plenty of different trains, such as Pullman cars, dining cars, caboose, engines, a US Air Force train, a model train museum and an abundance of period memorabilia. The museum is located in the historic Strand district, near the cruise ship harbor and even boasts a child-sized train set to play in. |
The Galveston Island Schlitterbahn Waterpark is built on 15 acres and boasts 32 rides and attractions including water coasters, slides, kid's play areas, whitew ater rapids, wave pool, hot tubs, rafting and surf rides and their own lazy river. |
| The Grand 1894 Opera House survived the storms of 1900 and 1915 and Hurricanes Carla and Alicia, as well as years of neglect at various times throughout its history. The Grand is one of the few remaining theatres of its era in Texas and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In 1993, the 73rd Texas Legislature proclaimed The Grand "The Official Opera House of Texas." |
The following were actual Galveston laws (taken from DumbLaws.com): |
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