Galveston is a coastal resort city, island, and port (cargo and pleasure) less than 50 miles southeast of Houston. The mid-1870s to the mid-1890s was the apex of Galveston’s prosperity and importance as a city. The downtown area became the Wall Street of the Southwest. But everything was devastated by a 15-foot storm surge during the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 that flooded the City. It was rebuilt and, thankfully, some of the historic homes still stand to tell the story of what once was. Galveston is a great place to fly down for the day or the weekend, all year round. My mom Maria-Angel, my sister Yanira, my niece Luna and I recently took a “girls' trip” down to Galveston for the day. We flew to Scholes International Airport at Galveston (KGLS) by way of NASA Johnson Space Center and Kemah for some aerial sightseeing. The water was particularly blue and beautiful that day, which was nice to see. The air was crisp and smooth. My little copilot was happier at the controls but understood when it was time for me to take over. Luna is 4 years old and, therefore, still required to sit in a car seat when in a car. We did not bring one with us; therefore, taking the FBO’s courtesy car or calling an Uber was not an option but walking or catching a ride in the FBO’s golf cart was. The FBO was gracious enough to take us to Moody Gardens in their golf cart (which added to my niece’s adventure) and then we simply walked back. It’s only a half a mile away. I guess Moody Gardens can be considered a theme park; it has an aquarium, a rainforest, a museum, 3D and 4D theaters, a paddlewheel boat, a spa, a golf course, and a waterpark. It also has restaurants (we ate outside by the water), a hotel, and a convention center. During the Christmas holidays, it also offers a festival of lights. It’s just a great spot to spend the day with kids. (Yes, Luna is wearing airplane leggings and has clothing with helicopters, rockets, and other aeronautics/space related items as well. <3) In addition to Moody Gardens’ waterpark, the famous (at least “Texas famous”) Schlitterbahn franchise has a bigger waterpark between the Airport and the Gardens as well. Another obvious activity one can do while in Galveston is go to the beach. There is beach access down 83rd St, about a mile away. Easy! Several restaurants and hotels can also be found up and down the seawall. If you take the courtesy car, rent a car, or hitch a ride, many more possibilities open up. The Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier is an amusement park on a boardwalk, over the ocean. The Strand, as Galveston’s downtown area is called, has several restaurants and shops, some art galleries, the Texas Seaport Museum (where the Elissa sailboat resides), and the Grand 1894 Opera House, among other things. One can also watch cruise ships, ferries, and big ships come and go through the Galveston Channel near The Strand. The nearby Naval Museum is also interesting. Additionally, there are companies that offer walking tours of historic mansions, ghost/haunted tours, Segway or ebike tours, duck boat tours, fishing charters, and dolphin watching tours. Everybody enjoyed the day trip but it's possible I enjoyed it the most. Sharing my passion for flying/aviation with "my girls" is special. This was also Luna’s first cross country (we’ve been building up to it during a few previous flights) but she’s ready for another one. So, it’s in the works. Who do you enjoy sharing flying with?
Fly safe, fly often!
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BLOGS ON THIS PAGE- Biking from Stinson Airport
- The Queen City of the Gulf - Galveston, TX - That Old Frio River - The Texas Air Trail - Visiting the Lone Star State! - Combining Flight Training with Tourism... a Trip to the Big Bend Area in Texas - Ox Hunting Ranch in the Texas Hill Country - The $100 Hamburger Run: A Plane Ride With the Works AuthorYasmina Platt. Archives
May 2022
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