The Best Beach You Didn’t Know About—Galveston, TX

So, you want to hop in the saddle and ride out for a chill beach vacation? There are a lot of great beaches in America you could ride to, from southern California to Florida or North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

But might I suggest pointing your front wheel toward Texas instead? Beachgoers often sleep on the Gulf Coast, but Galveston, TX, shows they really shouldn’t.

Located on the barrier islands of Galveston Island and Pelican Island, Galveston has 32 miles of beach for you to lounge on. Yet, even if lying down on hot sand doesn’t appeal to you, the city is a tourism and travel hub with plenty of historical sights and fun activities to offer both indoors and out.

Galveston wasn’t always that way, though. From its 1839 founding to the early 20th century, Galveston Seaport was a major trading and immigration port, rivaling Ellis and Angel islands in the latter regard.

That all changed in 1900, however, when Galveston experienced the downside of its location. The Galveston Hurricane wiped the city off the face of the Earth and killed up to 12,000 people, making it the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history.

Galveston never became a major trading port again, but the city instead went all in on tourism (and up to the 1950s, illegal gambling). They clearly made the right move as today, Galveston is jumping again—and it has a seawall to protect it from storms.

Beaches, History, Fishing; Oh My!

For things to do in Galveston, we should start with the beaches. With the aforementioned 32 miles of sand, beach bums can have their pick.

If you’re looking for a (relatively) quiet and relaxed sunbathing sessions, head over to the beaches of the Galveston Island State Park. The area also has nice hiking trails for working up a sweat before plunging in the ocean.

The Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, on the other hand, offers a more active and bustling beach experience. In addition to the sand, you’ll find carnival rides, games, food stands and restaurants, and much more to entertain you.