Galveston Monthly - Exploring Your Island Paradise

This Month

Sunset Refillery

Driven by a deep reverence for the island’s natural beauty and a desire to safeguard its symbiotic biodiversity, Danielle Colombo established her business, Sunset Refillery. This environmentally friendly shop is dedicated to reducing the amount of single-use packaging that ends up in landfills or as litter that desecrates the natural beauty of the island.

An Architectural Gem

One of the oldest surviving brick homes on the Island is the Shaw Mansion at 1428 Ball Avenue. It was built for Michael William Shaw, Jr. (1833-1923) and completed in August 1900, just one month before the Great Storm would decimate the island. The house proudly displays a Storm Survivor plaque beside the front door. The grand home was a reward ...

Power To Cocktail Hour

Longer days, warmer weather and a relaxed island vibe are all part of a Galveston summer. And there’s just something about the summer season that makes a unique cocktail feel right. Maybe you’re looking for an air-conditioned respite from the sweltering summer heat with a front-row seat to the Gulf of Mexico. Perhaps you’re a sidewalk sipper who prefers ...

Bee Friendly

Bees are four-winged, flower-feeding insects with enlarged hind feet, branched or feathered body hairs, and generally a stinger. Honey bees and bumble bees are the most common with the bumble bee being larger and stronger.

Perfect Wine Pairings

It is summertime in Texas, and the heat is coming on strong. One of the best ways to cool down is with a nicely chilled glass of white wine with your meal. White wines pair well with many types of food including vegetarian dishes, seafood, poultry, and pork.

Sharks & Daisies

Have you ever sat at a bar and discovered, simply by engaging in conversation, that the person sitting next to you has lived an extraordinary life? If not, you have a chance to “eavesdrop” on such a conversation through George Cavallo’s memoir, ...

What's New in Galveston

Galveston’s got a bustling downtown shopping and restaurant district and GM has added a new column to keep its readers up to date on what’s new and cool in G-town. Whether you are looking for a sassy boutique or a bite to eat, be sure to check What’s New before planning your day downtown.

Doc Holliday's Roadhouse
Giddy up Galveston, there’s a new western-themed bar and restaurant in town. Our interest was piqued from the moment the herd of buffalo settled on the Seawall several weeks ago. After extensive renovations to the old Tortuga’s Mexican Kitchen location, the final décor of Doc Holliday’s Roadhouse is very unique - think wild west meets the beach. Read More

Thursday Night Lights

The Story of Black High School Football in Texas Brought To Life In A New Dynamic Exhibit Open at the Bryan Museum Through July 2

The Bryan Museum is proud to present a new exhibition, “Thursday Night Lights: The Story of Black High School Football in Texas." The exhibition will be on view at the Bryan Museum through July 2, 2023.

This exhibit brings the story of segregated high school football in Texas to life. Players from this segregated league went on to help break the color barrier in professional sports and many have been inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame.

Recollections from the teams, individual players, coaches, and fans who participated in this era of Texas history paired with personal belongings and trophies immerses viewers into the tribulations and triumphs of these brave athletes.

Thursday Night Lights does more than just tell the story of the Prairie View Interscholastic League. It connects visitors to the personal side of this important time in the story of Texas.

The exhibit also shows the league’s social relevance, its place in Texas Black history, and its social impact across communities both black and white during a racially repressive time.

Based on the book by historian and former sportswriter Michael Hurd, “Thursday Night Lights, the Story of Black High School Football In Texas,” (published by the University of Texas Press in 2017) this compelling history is brought to life in a dynamic exhibit at the museum, both introducing and remembering the African American men and boys who coached and played organized football at segregated schools in Texas for half a socially dark century. Mr. Hurd also serves as co-curator on this exhibit.

The Bryan Museum is located at 1315 21st Street. The museum is open Wednesday thru Sunday from 10am-5pm and on Thursdays the museum is open until 7pm. For more details call 409.632.7685 or visit www.thebryanmuseum.org.

Dining In Style

New exhibit featuring railroad porcelain china and silver is now open at the Galveston Railroad Museum

America’s romance with rail travel spanned a century and a half, during which time enjoying a meal in the dining car as the scenery rushed by was the epitome of luxury travel. Many elements made that experience special - food that compared with the finest restaurants and hotels, service without peer, and, not in the least, the elegant table settings that made every traveler feel like royalty.

The elaborate and finely crafted silver service that graced the tables, virtually unknown by today’s traveler, was an essential ingredient found on dining cars throughout the nation. The fundamental characteristics of quality manufacture and design endured until the end of privately owned rail passenger service. Housing one of the largest collections of railroad china and silver in the nation, the Galveston Railroad Museum has exquisitely set table settings that reflect the elegance of dining on a railcar in the 20th century. Complete with furnishings, the collection is from several railroad companies now on exhibit in the newly restored exhibit hall.

Imagine traveling across American on the Burlington, Santa Fe, or Amtrak railways, dining with the countryside providing the backdrop for a memorable experience. A living history museum, the Galveston Railroad Museum offers an abundance of interactive activities where visitors are invited to board trains to immerse themselves in days gone by dining options.

A fun educational venue, visitors may enjoy seeing a model train under construction, watch a railroad video in the mini auditorium, or learn about the history of the railroad through one of the informative exhibits – many located in railcars.

Located downtown at 2602 Santa Fe Place, the Galveston Railroad Museum offers interactive activities, train car tours, educational programs, exhibits, and the state’s only rail hotel.

The museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm. For more details call 409.765.5700 or visit www.galvestonrrmusuem.org.

East Beach Free Activities

Sandcastle Building Lessons

This free, family friendly event series helps beachgoers create spectacular sandcastles with tips. Every Saturday from 10am-4pm, visitors to East Beach can receive free sandcastle building lessons from a professional sandcastle builder. The lessons continue until September 2, 2023.

Each event begins with an instructor building a sandcastle followed by lessons at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. Participants are encouraged to bring their own sandcastle building materials like buckets and shovels.

Lessons are held on the beach near the water’s edge, in front of the East Beach Pavilion. Registration is not required.

The sandcastle building lessons are held on the far east end of the island at East Beach, 1923 Boddeker Drive

Free Interpretive Beach Tours

Join the Bucket Brigade in exploring the creatures and features that make Galveston beaches unique. Tours are educational and fun for ocean lovers of all ages. Hands-on activities investigate topics such as Galveston’s turbid water, marine debris, sargassum landings, and more.

The beach tours are offered at East Beach on Saturdays and Sundays through September 3, 2023, and they last approximately 45 minutes. Tour times are 11-11:45am, 12-12:45pm, 2-2:45pm and 3-3:45pm. Each tour is limited to 15 people and registration is required.

The Bucket Brigade tours are held at East Beach, 1923 Boddeker Drive. Parking is $15 per car. For more details call 409.632.0388. To register for the tours, visit www.artistboat.org/bucket-brigade.

Arts & Culture

Beaches aren't all Galveston has to offer. Local theater productions, contemporary art exhibits and other family events that always inspires.