The wife and I are planning a trip with our motorhome to Houston Texas around the end of April first part of May. Probably going to tour the space center and then drive on down to Galveston and spend some time there. Any recommendations on RV places to stay at ether place? Things to do in Galveston, places to eat good sea food? Anybody know what the crowds might be like that time of year there? We're hoping they won't be too bad yet with most schools not quite out yet. Thanks for your replies/help

Where do you plan to stay. Do you have relatives in Houston or is Galveston area your destination. There are RV parks all around. Galveston has several parks. Galveston county park stays booked it is close to the gulf has limited hook ups. Kemah,Texas has A real nice rv park right off of Clear Lake not far from Nasa, it is in the heart of things to see and eat in that area. The Board Walk is extremely popular. There are more RV parks in San Leon but that area is not a tourist mecca. Then you can head on down to Galveston you can even park on the Sea Wall with your RV but it is right next to the the road , but people do it all the time. But you cannot put any slides out. If you head down to about 75 th street you can park for free. Theres a lot to see in Galveston, Pleasure pier , there's a fishing pier ,the historical district The Strand. tall sailing ship Elissa at 21st street restaurants galore. Ok Galveston water is not crystal clear blue we are on the current side of the Mississippi river and the water here is full of silt and is Brown in color it can clear up and look bluish at times but the gulf stream currents bring all that silt this direction also the sand is not sugar white it is brown as well. Hope this gets you started. We live in La Porte close to Nasa ,Kemah and go to Galveston all the time.IF you come from Houston to Nasa you will probably use I 45 south . Most of the sights I am talking about are in state hwy 146 Nasa pkwy connects to these two roads.

We stay at woodlands lakes RV in the Woodlands. It is north of where you might want to be. We then do day trips from there. Drove the motor home through Houston coming from San Antonio last august. Have done this many times over the years, but will not do so again. Most traffic I have ever seen there and it was pretty much a white knuckle experience. Son lives in the Woodlands and north Houston is building up very rapidly.

Houston traffic can be intimidating, take your time drive careful try to avoid rush hour times. You will do just fine. There are about 3 Loops around Houston. 99 (toll) not completely finished goes to surrounding towns still under construction in areas do not recommend. Beltway 8 (toll) . 610 Loop loop inside city of Houston, no toll.

my first couple of trips to galveston I stayed at the Delenara (SP?) on the gulf side. after dish being blown over, having to retract slide/toppers due to excessive wind, I moved over to the bay side just to the right as you come into town. nice restaurant close by, quiet water, much nicer than Delenara. google earth shows sign in front Bayou shores.bumpy

Houston is a sprawling metropolitan area, time of year does not seem to make a difference how crowded any part of the area may be, or how much traffic you might have to deal with. At least that's my experience visiting regularly at all times of the year over the past 35 years. All that has really changed is that the suburbs keep sprawling further out along each of the expressways, but what has remained constant is that traffic growth has stayed well ahead of expressway expansion. There may be a Spring Break crowd at Galveston, but Spring Break is pretty much over at the end of April. Summer vacation starts in May in the South, but that doesn't much matter for travel to Houston.Restaurants? Houston has dozens of great restaurants, hundreds of good ones (including some local chains), and there are thousands in the area when you start including national chains. I always let the people I was visiting (friends or business associates) take me to one of their favorite places, seldom went to the same place twice in maybe a hundred meals. But you don't have that advantage.One of the exceptions has been Ninfa's, that one is good enough that I keep going back. That cuisine is Mexican, and Houston has a lot of good Mexican restaurants, including the popular Pappasito's chain.For seafood, I like the Pappadeux Seafood Kitchen, which has grown to eight locations in the Houston area and branched out to Dallas and San Antonio, maybe also Austin. That's another repeat for me, not always the same location because I may be visiting different parts of the city on different trips, and I've found the food consistent at the locations I've visited. But for atmosphere as well as food, I recommend the Landry's Seafood on the boardwalk at Kemah. Landry's (now a national chain with 500 locations and at least a dozen different brands) started with a Seafood House in Katy, and we still go there when visiting friends in Katy, but the one in Kemah is special, worth the drive if already on the SE side of Houston or in Galveston.If looking for steaks, one of the Brenner's locations (another Landry's brand gone national), or one of the South American beef restaurants like Chama Gaucha or Fogo de Chao. I've been to Brazilian steakhouses only as a guest of someone with a bigger entertainment budget than mine, the meals are quite expensive.For Texas barbeque, I can recommend the Goode Company on Kirby, have been there several times for lunch, although when our office was in Bellaire we would more often go to little neighborhood place just as good a short walk from the office on Bissonnet. It may no longer be there, that neighborhood has changed greatly, all the houses torn down to build gated enclaves. Similarly, my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in a strip mall on Richmond is gone, the strip mall is gone.Things to do in Galveston? I think you can fish in the surf without a license, although it may cost something to use one of the fishing piers. Fishing is the main reason my Houston friends go the Galveston, as the beach is sometimes kind of nasty, depending on what is in the water and what the wind direction has been recently. I like to revisit the Lone Star Flight Museum. Other attractions include the Ocean Star drilling rig museum, tall ship Elissa and Moody Gardens. Kids like to go to the Schlitterbahn waterpark. Not too far from Galveston is the Kemah Boardwalk.

Houston I have a question | Good Sam Community

PatRenee
Explorer
Feb 20, 2016
if you drink you must go to Bolivar/Crystal beach side.... no booze on beaches in Galveston.... big ticket....
booty51
Explorer
Feb 20, 2016
Seabrook has public fish markets, Exit the north side of the Kemah bridge on Hwy 146 go down to the water front and is it fresh fresh fresh seafood whatever you may like. Also it's crawfish season if you like em! On the south side of the bridge is the Kemah Boardwalk , all the cooked seafood you could want, things to see and do with the kids as well.This is all down the street from Manned Space Craft Center . Bay Area Meat Market on Kirby. off of Nasa Parkway (used to be called NASA Road 1) . Has one of the best meat markets you have ever seen, also has BBQ Ribs/ brisket. Closed Sunday/Monday .This place is all about the meat! Hope you enjoy your trip to the Galveston area.
PatRenee
Explorer
Feb 20, 2016
you can get RV spots on Crystal beach for $400 a month,which is better than Galveston beaches...unless u want to be in middle of tourist....
Veebyes
Explorer II
Feb 20, 2016
A few years ago we stayed at Destination Luna down towards Galveston. Lots of oil workers but as great bunch of people. Took us in like family for the few days we were there. Did a big BBQ.

CG is nothing special but served the purpose. A run up to see the USS Texas was not difficult & we did the oil rig museum in Galveston.
Executive45
Explorer III
Feb 19, 2016
1. The ferries are owned by the State and are free. They accommodate all sizes of motor homes/RVs.
2. Three campgrounds worth noting. A) Sandpiper Ugh! if you have a big rig they put you right on the hwy. Smaller rigs can go inside the park if you're lucky. @ $80/night forgettaboutit! B) Delanara Nice park, expect wind wind and more wind along with sand sand and more sand. Right on the beach though. C) Jamaica Beach Just outside of town and the hustle/bustle. Nice park and our favorite. There are more scattered about but we previewed/stayed at these three.....Dennis
Rwake901
Explorer
Feb 19, 2016
Thank you all..
Fordlover
Explorer
Feb 19, 2016
NASA will be busy all the time, so go early to avoid crowd. Lots to see there. Plan all driving through Houston after 9:30AM but before 3:00PM and your traffic woes should be few.

In my experience, coming to Galveston on the ferry in the morning from 87 the crowd isn't bad at all. Going the other way? Expect an extended wait.
booty51
Explorer
Feb 19, 2016
The ferry wait can be a long long time on weekends during the middle of the week between rush hour people from Bolivar trying to get to and from work. Weekends forget about it!!!! You will miss Houston traffic coming that way(124to87) Then leaving the Island, to get to Nasa ,I 45 North or Hwy 146 north You have to see Seabrook/ Kemah, largest boating area between east coast and west coast. Good Mexican food at La Brisas near Kemah on 146
TxTwoSome
Explorer
Feb 19, 2016
Rwake901 wrote:
Wow thanks for all the info. We will be coming in on I-10. Thinking about coming into Galveston on route 124 to 87 and taking the ferry over to Galveston if that's possible. That way we can maybe dodge some Houston traffic.

If you come in across the ferry from bolivar there are a couple RV parks on bolivar also. Bolivar RV PARK 409-684-0939 (www.bolivarpeninsularvpark.com)

And the beaches on bolivar are less crowded. Then make day trip across to Galveston.

AVOID the ferry on Sunday afternoon at all cost!!!

Good restaurant on bolivar called Singarees right on the Inter coastal waterway watch barges go by while eating dinner.
ken56
Explorer
Feb 18, 2016
We stayed on the Bolivar Peninsula/Crystal Beach at Bolivar RV park. Decent place with good sized sites and FHU. It is wide open with lots of maneuvering room. The ferry will accommodate trailers and semi trucks so no issue with going across. Free too. We thought it was a whole lot quieter than staying right in Galveston. I will caution you to bring provisions for ant control around you rig. Its Texas, they have lots of bugs....and ants. I think I brought home a whole colony with me.

We traveled into Galveston when we wanted to quite easily and never had to wait all that long for the ferry. The best place we ate at was Gaidos Seafood Restaurant. Fabulous. Have the bread pudding for desert. To die for.

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