Last night, my friend and I wanted to see the full moon over the gulf. It’s the kind of thing one can easily take for granted when living on an island, but it’s also the kind of experience one can choose to prioritize. It just so happened we made a whole evening of it. The moon really is the best show in town, but we also didn’t have our act together and basically had no clue what time the moon would rise. Oh, well. Our work for the day was done, and we had nothing better to do. We loitered around bantering and waiting for the stifling hot evening to give way to a gentle breeze and for the full Strawberry moon to finally rise. I admit we were a bit impatient and at some point consulted various online sources and discussed the option of abandoning the whole thing and going home in a huff. But by then we were comfortably parked on a bench on the Seawall, the breeze was blowing strong, the air smelled salty, the sky had started turning vaguely crimson, and there was a very friendly puppy that wanted to play with us. And although we realized we had shown up way early and had a good forty five minutes left to wait, it was, in a way, the perfect Galveston moment. Someone was drawing a giant labyrinth in the sand. A sweet couple were hugging in the bed of a truck parked on the Seawall. We assumed they were waiting for the moon too. The puppy we made friends with drove away in a backpack on his owner’s back on a motorcycle. We migrated from one bench to another. The breeze picked up and we felt comfortable. When the moon finally showed, it was rather underwhelming. Small and pink, barely noticeable, easy to confuse with a cloud, it seemed to mock our patience.
“Perhaps this will be a disappointing moon cycle,” my friend said. The whole vast ocean seemed tinged with disappointment. But we stayed put, and the moon transformed. It grew big. It turned orange, then a rich yellow hue. It cast a beautiful reflection on the water. It lit up the night sky.
By the time we headed home, we felt relaxed and happy. We also were both firmly convinced that the adventure had been worth it, that spending a whole evening trying to see the moon was a great use of our free time (after all, we didn’t feel like eating out, we don’t really drink, there are no movies out we want to see, and we couldn’t think of anything else), and that there is, in fact, no such thing as a disappointing moon cycle. As we walked home, the moon accompanied us peeking in between houses and then above roofs.
Our belated moon joy gave me the idea for writing this blog post about how some of the best things to do here on Galveston Island are actually free. Here’s my list of completely free Galveston activities I highly recommend (and a few things $5 and under you might consider too). Please note that as driving does, in fact, cost money, these are all activities that can be accomplished by walking or biking around.
The Best Show in Town
The moon and the sun provide the best shows in town. I’m not much of a sunrise person as that particular event occurs before I like to wake up, but beach sunrises are beautiful. If you don’t want to wake up early, try to catch the sunset instead, and, as an added bonus, if the moon is doing something cool, aim for the moonrise too.
While sun and moon observation is a good place to start, these are just a fraction of the natural phenomena you can enjoy here on the Island. The more fine tuned your observation skills become, the more free fun you will have. On the beach or off it, you can take in so many birds, plants, and other interesting things. People watching can be quite entertaining as well. Which brings me to my next point.
The Benches on the Seawall
There are cute benches with tiles painted to reflect several Island themes all along the Seawall. You can learn things about oysters, shrimp, the tides, the Great Storm of 1900, and so much more by reading the information on these benches. Though, frankly, my favorite thing is to just sit on them and watch the water, the people, the dogs, and everything else that might present itself.
Of course, there are other free places where you can get information about the Island and its history, which brings me to my next suggestion.
Free Museums on Galveston Island
My favorite free museum on Galveston Island is the Galveston County Museum. It’s housed inside the Courthouse building and therefore very easy to walk to from downtown. This is a small museum but it’s very attractively set up. You can learn about Galveston’s era of economic affluence before the Great Storm of 1900, about the Great Storm, about the history of Mardi Gras on Galveston Island (you can even see some colorful Mardi Gras costumes!) as well as about the history of local businesses. I love the part of the museum that is set up like a corner store from days gone by.
Another free museum I highly recommend is housed inside the Rosenberg Library. The building itself is worth a visit, but if you go upstairs, you will be able to see an impressive exhibit about the Great Storm of 1900. Upstairs you can also visit the archives and look up information about historic houses you might be curious about. Which brings me to my next item on this list of free things to do in Galveston.
Fall in Love with the Victorian Architecture in Galveston’s Historic East End
Galveston has one of the largest still preserved Victorian neighborhoods in the country, the East End Historic District. Considering the Island’s history, which is punctuated by calamities (the Great Fire, several devastating hurricanes), the fact that the charming Victorian homes still stand is something to marvel at. Sadly, the Island’s trees didn’t fare as well. You will notice the scarcity of shade, but if you pay attention you will also discover that many of the trees felled by Hurricane Ike in 2008 have been transformed into works of art. We have sculptor James Phillips to thank for that. You can see some of his work at Renée Wiley Gallery on Postoffice Street, but it is especially fun to discover his tree sculptures as you walk or bike around the beautiful East End Historic District admiring the colorful historic homes and lush greenery. I would also recommend stopping at Darragh Park, sitting on ine of the wrought iron benches, and watching butterflies feast on seasonal flowers.
Find the Horse Fountains
When he passed away in 1893, Henry Rosenberg, one of the richest Galvestonians (also the man the library is named after), left money in his will to build a series of fountains “for man, dog, and horse.” Several of these are still around and you can find them in the East End Historic District. Looking for the fountains can be fun, and stopping to admire them is a good opportunity to imagine the Galveston of days gone by. Bonus point if you spot a carriage horse. Though they don’t actually drink out of the horse fountains nowadays, but rather get served iced water out of special coolers which the carriage operators bring for them.
Go See the Pelicans
Perhaps my favorite free thing to do in Galveston is to walk to the little marina off Pier 19 (right behind Katie’s Seafood) and see the pelicans and other sea birds lounge on the rocks nearby. This place is one of my favorites on the whole Island. It’s delightfully salty, offers an up-close look at the beautiful birds, and if you walk to the end of the marina you will see ships and even the Port Bolivar ferry travel across the bay. You might actually spot dolphins. Which brings me to the most exciting free activity I will suggest. This activity will require more time and effort than the others and might not suit your plans depending on when you are visiting but, if it’s possible for you, I highly recommend it.
Ride the Bolivar Ferry
The ferry ride to the Bolivar peninsula takes about 30 minutes and is completely free. You can drive on or walk on. This is an excellent way to enjoy a short journey at sea, see the big oil tankers up close, and most of the time you will be lucky enough to see dolphins. Lots of dolphins! The boat also tends to rock you gently, which is really nice.
While the journey itself is short and you can turn around and just ride back (or explore Bolivar if you’re in a car), in high season wait times for the ferry can be very long, so it’s recommended that you check ahead and plan accordingly. In low season, there should be little to no wait.
…and a Few Things to Do in Galveston that Cost $5 or less
Ride the trolley! It’s a charming experience and will take you from downtown to the water.
Get an ice cream cone at La King’s on the Strand. This candy shop with a history will delight you.
Buy something inexpensive at Hendley Market on the Strand. Housed in one of Galveston’s oldest buildings, this is a gift shop like no other. Have fun browsing, and you will find many things under $5. You could get a tiny piece of French soap or a very realistic plastic roach. We won’t judge!
Download the ebook version of Storms of Malhado, a historical novel set in Galveston, or any other of my Galveston novels.
Get some incense at The Witchery on Postoffice Street.
