I always recommend getting to Galveston at least one day in advance of your cruise. You don’t want to risk a late flight on departure, and Galveston is an excellent vacation destination on its own. If you get there early, however, you will want something to do. We walked to the Galveston Pleasure Pier from our hotel. There probably isn’t enough there to pass an entire day. However, it is a great way to pass a beautiful Summer evening.
The Pleasure Pier is located on the Galveston seawall. This is the side of the island facing the Gulf of Mexico. We walked there from the Hotel Galvez, and it is conveniently located to many other hotels. One of the best reasons to visit this attraction is the views. When you get high up on the Ferris Wheel and other rides, you can see across the island. You can also see the ship traffic in the Gulf. The sights are excellent.
The Pleasure Pier is also reasonably priced. We paid $27 each for an all day pass. I wouldn’t plan on spending all day there. It is too darn hot on Summer afternoons, and there aren’t that many rides. However, there is plenty there for an excellent evening. My 11 and 13 year old children rode the Sea Dragon attraction more times than I can count. Our whole family rode the bumper cars. We particularly enjoyed ramming the cars into Galveston Cruise Reviews contributor John Brawley Tophat. Mrs. Texan Abroad and I rode the roller coaster and the Ferris wheel quite a few times. All of the rides are of very high quality.
In addition to the rides, the Pleasure Pier has the normal range of carnival attractions. Shockingly, my kids found the arcade. My 11 year old used his secret ninja skills to slip into the food line. He came out covered in an unholy mixture of sweet, sticky goo. I pretended to fuss, but I wasn’t actually angry. The Pleasure Pier was a great evening before our cruise. I highly recommend it.
Things to do in Galveston
- Eat at Fisherman’s Wharf
- Eat at Willie Gs
- See historic ships at Seawolf Park
- Watch them make candy at La King’s Confectionary
