Houston?
 

We're taking a trip to Houston to visit family Aug 13-17. We're interested in driving down to the gulf coast beach, any recommended locations? Restaurants?

We're also considering the Galveston Schlitterbahn water park and would welcome info.

We took our kids (age 9 and 7) to Schlitterbahn Galveston last Saturday. It was a lot of fun, but I will never go on a Saturday in the summer again. It was mobbed with people. Overall, I would only recommend it for families with kids that are at least 7-8 years old, and strong swimmers. Get there early so you can stake out a spot, and bring a cooler full of water/juice/snacks, etc.

We stayed at the Moody Gardens hotel. You get free admission to Palm Beach, which is a man-made sand beach, water area that younger kids really enjoy. The water is never very deep, so it's safe for children that can't swim. The hotel also has a nice pool.

If you're looking to visit a beach on the Gulf Coast, Galveston is not the most picturesque one to visit. You'll find prettier beaches further south (South Padre is quite a drive, but it's much nice, IMO). There are fun things to do on Galveston with kids, but knowing their ages would help.

Another option is the Kemah boardwalk in Clear Lake. Lots of restaurants, it's on the water, etc.

Have a great time.

Thanks CSTone. No children at all on this trip, just H & me, visiting his sister & H. I really don't know if they are fans of either beaches or waterparks, which is the reason I'm asking here. H & I may go off on own for a day.

I agree with CStoneTX about the beach at Galveston not being the most picturesque. I would suggest going to Port Aransas instead. Visit Padre Island National Seashore while there, it was the prettiest beach in the area we thought. South Padre is supposed to be even prettier, but it will be a much longer drive.

Thanks for your reply travelerfromtx.

My SIL recommended we bring only a carryon, she'll provide us with toiletries. I appreciate her graciousness.

However, our last 2 family vacations have been tent camping in the Rockies, so I'm used to packing an SUV with a carrier top!

My SIL told us they wear shorts everywhere because of the heat. I'm used to 90+ degree days & 60 degree nights & wearing layers, so struggling with what exactly to pack light. In any case I know I need one long-sleeved shirt for the plane. Trying to persuade myself I will not need long pants....

I still consider taking one pair of pants. Lots of places keep the AC way too cold. Best are the pants that zip at the knee to make shorts. Also helps if you want to visit places like the Armand Bayou Nature Center in Clear Lake (which is really nice BTW) to ward off the bugs.

We like staying at the San Luis or at Moody Gardens - MG offers loads of great activities and the white sand beach which is nice.

We really like the Mosquito Cafe in Galveston and the Saltwater Grill - both have excellent food and a cute atmosphere. I've heard The Spot is good for casual food if you'd like a view of the water, but we haven't had the chance to eat there yet.

Thanks for the suggestions. We're back, and now I understand about the Galveston beach. My BIL didn't even understand why I would want to see it. I'm glad it wasn't the first time I saw the Gulf and would never guess it is the same Gulf as it is at Anna Maria Island FL.

We didn't go to the Schlitterbahn.

We enjoyed meals at Buca da Beppo in The Woodlands, Ichibon in Kemah, Kirin's in Houston.

"I'm glad it wasn't the first time I saw the Gulf and would never guess it is the same Gulf as it is at Anna Maria Island FL."

It's amazing what happens to a beach when there's offshore drilling nearby, huh?

I forgot to add :)

I know it's a shame it's so muddy looking; Galveston itself is a fun town, but we rarely spend our time there at the beach which is kind of a shame. My husband said it's like that from all the mud from the Mississippi river and that east of the river is where things start looking pretty.

Yes, offshore drilling has very little, if anything, to do with Galveston's beaches. Volcano's husband is correct - the currents in the Gulf run counterclockwise. So they pick up the "mud" from the Mississippi and it's carried west. That's why Corpus/N Padre is prettier than Galveston and S Padre is prettier than Corpus. And why FL and AL don't get any of it, so they're prettier still.

It is correct that the lack of clarity in the waters around Galveston is not due human pollution, but due to the muddy rivers/bayous of East Texas.

If the Mississippi has had any effect it is not new 'silt' that is being pushed with currents, but thousands of years of sediment. The current of the Gulf is clockwise.

If you find yourself in the Houston/Galveston area in the future and want to see clear water, look into booking a deep-sea fishing trip. They last half days and the water off the coast is as pretty as Florida's popular beaches.

"It's amazing what happens to a beach when there's offshore drilling nearby, huh?"

Another completely idiotic statement

I know it's a dead horse, but its the gulf stream carrying sediment from the MS, it has absolutely nothing to do with offshore drilling.

The only thing offshore drilling does is keep gas from being 5 dollars a gallon