Galveston, Texas-A Senior Weekend Escape

USA Today recommends Galveston as a great place for senior citizens to plant your feet for an excellent summer weekend escape. More than 30 miles of beaches plus a wealth of cultural and historic institutions make this island a Gulf of Mexico vacation hot spot.

Galveston, located on Galveston Island, with a population that runs right at 60,000, is 2 1/2 miles wide and has several old Victorian buildings. In the late 1700s the bay, and later the city, was named for Bernardo de Gálvez, governor of Louisiana, later viceroy of Mexico. I found it of interest that modern Galveston dates from a settlement established on site in 1817 by the famed pirate Jean Laffite.

The town is linked with the mainland by causeways and a bridge. As a major seaport, Galveston Bay is the state’s chief cotton port; sulfur, grain, and petroleum are also shipped. The city is a commercial fishing center and a popular vacation spot, with many Victorian buildings and long stretches of beach nearby.

Many senior tourists enjoy nature at the Galveston Island State Park, a 2,000-acre site that features fishing, hiking, mountain bike riding and swimming. Former senior servicemen enjoy the Lone Star Flight Museum that preserves Texas aviation history and includes many historic aircraft.

When you come for a visit, don’t forget your walking shoes. With 14 museums and 20 art galleries, plus several historic homes and mansions, there’s a lot of ground to cover. Don’t care to walk? Bicycles are available for rent for those who want to leisurely tour the area. The four wheel bikes are highly popular for getting around and get some exercise at the same time.

Senior Birders Attracted to Galveston

Attention senior birders: The FeatherFest is big in Galveston. An attendance record-setting 651 birders and photographers of all ages attended Galveston’s FeatherFest Birding and Nature Photography Festival held April 10-13, 2014. As many as 224 species of resident, seasonal and migrating birds were spotted over the four-day festival.

Summer shows abound at The Grand 1894 Opera House that features top notch entertainment. Programs range from William Shatner one-man show to the Hank Williams story to Three Texas Tenors.

The Historic Pleasure Pier is a $60 million dollar attraction offering 16 rides, a 100-foot-tall Ferris wheel and a 200-foot-tall swing tower offering panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico. Galveston is famed as well for the hurricane that struck the city in 1900 and an estimated 10,000 people lost their lives. Ike also did lots of damage in September of 2008.

It’s all fixed now, so come on down… enjoy Glen Campbell and enjoy the entire area. jeb