Updated: Nov 1, 2020
If you plan on visiting Houston, or taking a cruise out of Galveston, then you need to plan on spending at least a few days on “The Strand”. Why? Let me explain. There is more to Galveston than the beach. Let’s be honest, the water isn’t that great. However, there is so much to do and see.
Here are some suggestions for an Adult weekend in Galveston.
I’ve stayed at ALOT of hotels in Galveston, and the Tremont Hotel is my favorite when I plan on hanging out on “The Strand.”
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you anything, they will help me to keep this site up and running! Also, this helps keep those annoying ads off my site. Thank you so much!
The Tremont House A Wyndham Grand Hotel
2300 Ships Mechanic Row, Galveston, TX, 77550, US
Is a pet friendly hotel (I’ve never actually seen a pet in the hotel). Free Wi-Fi and a coffee maker are included in each room, but they do not have microwaves or fridges. Also, there is no pool.
What makes this hotel so great? Let’s just say, we left our car in the parking garage for 3 days and roamed the streets. You are located in downtown Galveston, and almost everything is within walking distance! Keep in mind, you are in downtown Galveston and you are NOT by the beach. If you plan on hanging out on the beach for a few days, then this is not the hotel for you. If you plan on attending Mardi Gras, then you are right in the middle of everything, and this is the place for you.
The Tremont Hotel is a famed Victorian style building in the historic district of Galveston. It’s one of the most haunted hotels in Texas (creepy). This hotel is elegant and on the pricy side. They have a Jazz band in the lobby on Friday and Saturday (fancy). Also, they have the famous Rooftop Bar.
You can valet park for $18 a night or you can park on the street for free. They do not offer airport transportation. If you plan on taking a cruise contact the front desk, because they offer shuttles to the port.
Their rooms are eloquent and beautiful. (see comments below video)
I paid extra for an upgraded room with a view of the outside. Big mistake. The room was really small! I feel like they put us on the top floor in the very back in a small little room, then called it an upgrade because we could see the cruise ship (eyeroll).
The previous time, I booked the cheapest room available and it was massive with high ceilings! (Picture below is the room we had the previous trip).
Also, if you want a suite, then book a basic room and wait a few days. They will send you several emails asking you to upgrade your room to a suite for $35 a day.
Our first night, we headed on foot to Sky Bar Steak & Sushi.
2105 Post Office Street, Galveston, TX 77550
The restaurant has great prices and great food. Everyone was happy with their meal, which is impressive considering my husband doesn’t eat sushi and I hate seafood. Our daughter is obsessed with sushi and she gave it 5 stars. I had the avocado roll and my husband had fried shrimp. Yummy!
Seriously, the Gummy Bear Martini is so delicious and strong. I had a buzz after one martini.
Afterwards, you can roam the streets. Please note, at no point did I feel scared. As long as you stay around the strand you should be fine.
We were in the mood for dessert, so we headed on foot to
La King’s Confectionery
2323 Strand Street
Galveston, TX 77550
This place has something for everyone. When you first open the door, you will be in shock. This is no optical illusion! This store has a massive selection.
The other side even has ice cream and shakes. The staff wears 1920’s ice cream parlor outfits.
They even have some fun Harry Potter candy for those Harry Potter fans. If you haven’t been to Universal Studios, then here is your chance to drink Butter Beer.
My daughter had never seen cigarette candy, so I bought her a pack. It was only .75 cents. It took me down memory lane remembering when I would receive these in my Halloween basket every year. Oh, the 1980s when pretending to smoke as a child was acceptable. lol.
The next day, we walked to the Sunflower Bakery for breakfast.
On the way you will see this awesome Mardi Gras mural! It was great for Instagram.
The Sunflower Bakery & Cafe
512 14th Street, Galveston, TX 77550
The breakfast isn’t amazing, but it is good. It was cheaper than the hotel breakfast, and the same quality. I suggest staying away from the scrambled eggs, because they reminded me of fast food eggs. The Bread Pudding French Toast looked amazing, but sadly not on my diet.
On the walk back to “The Strand,” you will see a ton of amazing historic houses. If you love exploring, then now is your time.
We also stopped at an incredible coffee bar on “The Strand.” It has an Austin feel to it. The coffee was delish.
Mod Coffee House
2126 Post Office Street
Galveston, TX 77550
There are so many shops on “The Strand.” My daughter spent the entire day antique shopping. If you go into any store, they will give you a map that lists all the stores on “The Strand” and around it. That map is very important and a must, if you plan on shopping around “The Strand.” My husband and I spent about 2 hours in a Holistic Solutions store. We are always looking for ways to improve our health. They carry hemp oil, which my husband and I have yet to try. We heard it tastes like sand, but is really good for you.
My favorite souvenir store is Nautical Store Antiques, because it’s cheap . I was able to get this great quality Mardi Gras mask for $12!
Hearsay on the Strand
2410 Strand Street
Galveston, TX 77550
Ok, this food is fantastic! If you are in Galveston, PLEASE eat at this place! The prices are right and the food is mouth watering good. The restaurant is, also, super hip with waiters in overalls dawning cool mustaches.
If you love Instagram, then after lunch, stroll right down the street and you can take pictures of the Galveston Sign.
As we were walking down “The Strand,” my daughter decided to get her ears pierced at the tattoo parlor. Yes, we are rebels. lol.
Dinner at Rudy and Paco’s
2028 Postoffice Street
Galveston, TX 77550
I had to make reservations two months before we went to Galveston. This place is reservations only and books up fast. If a celebrity comes to Galveston, this is where they eat. The front door is very VIP looking with it’s solid black door with no glass. You feel like you need a passcode to enter. The place is super fancy, like as in so fancy that you’re not surrounded by normal looking people. Honestly, my husband and I have eaten in some of Beverly Hills finest restaurants, and the people at Rudy and Paco’s were more dapper than Beverly Hills. Sadly, the food was horrible. All 3 of us didn’t care for our food, which sucked because our tab was $200. I really wanted to like this place, because Paco (the owner) is on the floor putting 100% towards everyone’s experience. It was nice to see an owner of an established restaurant loving what he does. I just wished the food was better tasting.
If you want to stay and party on The Strand, then feel free because you can walk back to your hotel. We aren’t much partiers, so we went back to the room to sleep. I stayed up watching ghost stories on TV since I was in a haunted hotel. Spooky. We stayed on the 3rd floor, which was supposed to be haunted by a gambler who was killed in the hallway for his winnings. Supposedly, you can hear him walking down the hallway knocking on the doors for help. Sadly, I stayed up late waiting for someone to knock on the door and nothing happened. I was born with a little 6th sense and I didn’t feel anything in the room or hallway. Sorry, to my ghost enthusiasts! I tried!
Breakfast
The Star Drug Store, which is a short walk from the hotel
510 23rd Street
Galveston, TX 77550
Galveston’s historic Star Drug Store,”the Oldest Drug Store in Texas”, serves Breakfast, lunch, weekend brunch, & authentic soda fountain drinks, plus unique gifts and collectibles too!
The breakfast is good, but not amazing. It’s hotel quality without the price tag. The scrambled eggs are so much better at this restaurant than Sunflower Bakery. I heard they have really good milkshakes. Sadly, we did not get to try one.
My Valentine’s Day gift to my amazing husband was a romantic kayak tour in Galveston. It turned out to be on an extremely foggy day! However, we still had a fantastic time! ❤ Check Groupon before you book. I scored a 2 hour personal tour for $50! They did such a great job, so we tipped them well. The regular price is $50 per person and it is WORTH it. One mistake I made was wearing tennis shoes. Bring you rainboots so you can get on and off the kayak with no worries.
Beach Town Tours
1524 8 Mile Road
Galveston, TX 77554 832-630-2440
You have two choices to kayak: a) views of some beautiful homes or b) nature canals. Of course, we chose nature. You have a private guide who talks to you about Galveston history, and animals, along with the birds native to this region of Texas. It’s a very VIP experience. They have a daylight and a sunset tour. They even have a fireworks & Christmas lights tour which sounds awesome!
My husband’s favorite part was the bird watching. We had so much fun sneaking up on the birds and just enjoying their beauty. I love the fish that would just jump out of the water right in front of the kayak.
We were able to stop at an oyster bar and pick some oysters, which they will open up at the end of the tour. Yes, you get to enjoy some free fresh RAW oysters (Yuck). Another bonus to the kayak tour is, you can eat whatever you want afterwards because you burned a lot of calories. It’s definitely a hobby for the fit. My arms were sore the next day.
If you do not like to party at night on “The Strand,” then you can do a Galveston Ghost Tour. You can find some great deals on Groupon.
Galveston Graveyard Tours
Broadway and 43rd Street
Galveston, TX 77550
They had several tours to choose from. We did a cemetery tour at night, which was more educational than scary. It was still a lot of fun! We got to explore the oldest and most historic graveyard in Galveston, “The Broadway Cemetery”. The tour lasted about an hour. We learned so much about Galveston, and it’s beloved citizens who have passed on.
Looking for more travel ideas then follow me on Instagram here.
This is the perfect blog for everyone who hopes to understand this
topic. You know a whole lot its almost tough to argue with you (not that I personally will need
to?HaHa). You certainly put a new spin on a subject which has been discussed for a long time.
Excellent stuff, just excellent!
Very nice article, totally what I wanted to find.
This is very attention-grabbing, You are an excessively professional blogger.
I have joined your feed and look forward to looking for more of your
wonderful post. Additionally, I’ve shared
your site in my social networks