Spending time at the beach can be so rejuvenating; whether that is inherent with vacation or it comes with fresh sea air and the constant white noise. Every time we visit the ocean it recharges our systems and prepares us for the next adventure. This past weekend we were lucky enough to join the family for a quick trip to Galveston Island, Texas. Our days were filled with beach visits, family board games and a fun trip to The Strand. One of my favorite places on the island.

Galveston Island

For those of you that don’t know, Galveston Island is located south-east from Houston in the Gulf Of Mexico. From Dallas, it takes about four and a half hours (five with your token stop at Buc’cee’s Convenience Store 😜).  Galveston is the closest beach option for us in Dallas. If you are lucky enough to live in south Texas there are other proximal options such as Corpus Christi and South Padre Island. 

On the northern end, bay side of the island you will find the port (that services many cargo ships, oil rigs and even Carnival Cruise Lines).  Along the water, you will find many local businesses, delicious restaurants and informational museums. This business district is known as The Strand and is my favorite place to visit when in Galveston.  

The Strand

Although there are many businesses that are located outside of the main strip, The Strand is primarily located on Strand Street and spans five city blocks. This district includes uniques shops such as Hendley Market, Gracies and The Admiralty (to name a few of my favorites). As well as many souvenir shops; lined with bright colored t-shirts, novelty shot glasses and fridge magnets – you’ll be sure to find the perfect gift for that special someone you left behind. 😉

MOD Coffeehouse

This past weekend our main motivation for visiting The Strand was starting our day off with a great – fresh brewed cup of coffee. For this we visited MOD Coffeehouse we arrived about 10:00 on Sunday morning to find tables filling up quickly, both inside and on their outside patio. Our group (of 9) ordered a variety of drinks from brewed coffee, to smoothies to their signature “Just Trust Me” latte. 🤔 Everything was reasonably priced, made quickly and came out piping hot! The coffeehouse was filled with beautiful art to look at while you were there – so many gorgeous pieces! Overall we were very pleased with our visit and will be sure to return next time we are in town.

Galveston Island, Texas

LaKings Confectionary

Next stop on The Strand stroll is LaKings Confectionary. LaKings Confectionary is a wonderful candy store – soda fountain and ice cream parlor – where many of their treats are made onsite using 19th-century formulas and methods passed down thru the King family.  A visit to LaKings will surely take you on a trip down memory lane. The variety can be overwhelming but the flavors are always satisfying! On this trip, we opted just for candy allowing each child in our group to pick their own bag of treats. As we walked out of the store the kids swapped flavors chatting about the experience and of course who’s candy was the best. 😜

Tips to Remember

👟 Wear good walking shoes, strolling The Strand can take as long as you want it too!

🍔 Come ready to enjoy a bite, there are many delicious local restaurants to choose from!

💦 Stay hydrated – Texas summer can be brutal!

🍻 (If of age) it is fun to note that when on The Strand you are legally allowed to carry an open container! So grab a cold one and continue your visit! 🍺

🛍 Remember most (if not all) of these shops are locally owned. Shopping small is so important to communities such as this one!

Have y’all ever visited Galveston? What was your favorite spot?

Let me know in the comments – I’d love to get some more ideas for our next trip!

xo,

Carolyn

 

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