About an hour from Houston, Galveston is actually a barrier island on the Gulf Coast that was once one of the most prosperous cities in the US. The original town was nearly wiped out by a 1900 storm and this devastation was nearly repeated by Hurricane Ike in 2009. Since then, the city full of historic homes and beach front has recovered and is now once again full of restaurants, shops, and a renewed amusement park along the shore. I’ve gone down a few times and really enjoyed a full day of just visiting the old homes and sitting on the beach. (2010, 2017, 2021)
At the center of town is the old Galveston market area where the nearby harbor and cotton trade made the city so prosperous
The city has a number of historic home districts like the so-called Silk Stocking area with many colorful houses from the turn of the century.
The East End historic district is lined with homes from the late 19th century. Most lost the stately oaks in their yards and needed refurbishing after flooding from Hurricane Ike, but now look quite grand
Galveston’s most impressive and most visited home is nicknamed “Bishop’s Palace” (it was owned and used by the local diocese) and holds within its imposing stone walls an amazing array of artful woodwork and stained glass windows
