Galveston 2017

 As summer becomes more of a memory every day, I figured I'd post a few pictures from a trip I took at the end of July.  I've blogged about Galveston a ton in the past....because it's one of my favorite places on planet earth.  I love the story she tells both personally and historically.  You won't get the clear waters of Caribbean, but Galveston has much to offer when it comes to personality.

 My great grandmother took my grandmother who took my Mom and aunt who took us.  You drive over the bay to the island, and a few minutes later you spot the gulf for the first time.  It's the same first look I've been getting my entire life, but it never disappoints.  There is nothing more I love than sitting and starring at the sea. A few years back I discovered a new old favorite pier called Jimmy's with a great view, fun vibe, and a pier that extends well past the restaurant for fishing.

 Galveston also does a great job of adding sand every few years as time and weather washes it away.  They also have put in a lot of natural features to help prevent storm damage...including these great piles of rocks and sand along the sea wall....complete with flowers.

 This little spot holds a lot of history-Murdoch's is probably my number one spot, it was totally swept away during Hurricane Ike, but they rebuilt even better than before.

 I've taken a lot of pictures on this spot through the years.  It's a little seaside shop that extends over the water, but they added a great deck out back where you can sit and watch the water from a rocking chair with a drink in hand.

 BUT one of my favorite places is on the bay a few minutes from the ocean-the Strand.  It's near the cruise terminal and filled with adorable souvenir shops, boutiques and antique stores.

 There is also a really great ice cream parlor called La King's I love swinging through and getting a scoop of ice cream and a bag of taffy....or in my world, lunch.  They pull taffy on site, and if you are luck you get to see it happen.

 For me, no trip is complete without a visit to the strand.  A little hint-some of the antique stores in town are closed (Monday) Tuesday and Wednesday.

 Every year, no matter how many years and trips came before I always find something new to explore....next up I need to actually make it past the front of the Pleasure Pier.  It cost to walk out, and I've always had too full of a schedule....those swims and sits aren't going to take themselves, but....I'll leave this here as a reminder of what's on my list next time.  It's a relatively new addition to replace the Flagship Hotel that was destroyed during the hurricane....which replaced a pleasure pier that first sat here once upon a beach town.

Galveston 2015

 Over Labor Day I went to the beach with my Mom, cousin, and aunt.  We do this every few years.  We love to go to Galveston Island.  I've blogged about Galveston a lot.  It's about six hours from my house.  We spent some time on the harbor near the Strand.

 My cousin loves sea life, so we took a dolphin cruise one morning...and you couldn't NOT see dolphins if your eyes were open.

 I'm sure all the shrimp boats fishing here help.

 A few years ago the island was devastated by a hurricane.  A lot of my favorite shops closed, but....I was excited to see them opening again.  In the end, some of the places are even better than before, definitely a beauty from ashes story.

 My favorite place to spend the afternoon is on the strand.  Once upon a time this was a bustling place thanks to the port, many well to do families settled and shopped here.  It's next to the cruise ports, so cute shops and fun restaurants remain.  I always hunt down cute things for the house...and an ice cream.

 Back on the sea wall they've built a pier with rides and restaurants where a hotel stood before the hurricane....but before that hotel...an amusement park.  Full circle.

 Sea gulls.  Hard to miss.

 We spent one morning at Stewart Beach.  I was stung by a man o' war here once upon a teenage years.  I now do more wading at the edge.

 We also tried out two relatively new restaurants.  Jimmy's is built on a pier over the water.  The atmosphere was fun, the big wooden seats were neat, and I watch the Baylor game and met fellow alumni.  Just a word of warning, at times the mosquitoes dig this area, so...bring your spray, but...when we were there the wind kept them away.  It was a friend who later went who told me about the bugs.  They came in with the rain b/c I found them the next day too in other spots.  We also ate at a little historic home in the middle of the island called the Mosquito Grill.  The food was excellent.  The line waiting outside can attest to their quality.  It was worth the (relatively short) wait.

We also took the ferry across to the Bolivar Peninsula.  We also got stuck in a 4 hour traffic jam....ooops.  But....I got to see the light house.  I'm a fan of light houses, windmills, and church steeples, so....at least this was that greeting us once we got off the ferry.
It was a relaxing weekend.  I've written about Galveston a few dozen times, but....I'm sure I've got a few dozen more in me before it gets old, and I love that I still get to discover new things in familiar places.