We had such a good time on our prior tour that we decided to take on another one. This time with…read moremore friends in tow. Word of mouth is definitely one of the ways that these tours garner more people on each tour. Our tour guide for this evening was David and he was so welcoming and knowledgeable on the tour that our tour that evening went on a bit longer than it should have. I chalk that up to everyone on the tour being enthralled by the history and the many questions we all had. Plus David took time to go a little more in depth for the tour. As you can see, our tour was of the Red Light District of Galveston. This tour gave me more insight into how Galveston was in earlier times and how that shaped the way Galveston was shaped. Where we were in the city definitely embraces the red light portion of it. Some businesses paid homage to the area and the significance it played in shaping the city. Where you start your tour is basically where the Port of Galveston once stood for the many military ships that would drop anchor here and the many sailors would start their journey into town. As the name suggests, this area was exactly what it was and the buildings still bear signs of that time. Many of them have upper balcony areas which allowed for the working ladies to work. We made our way through the area to notable businesses that have been in the area a while. So much so that they have markers on the building to let you know where water levels were during past hurricanes. We were also informed about what the Blue Light District was. I had no idea about this, but that refers to the section in the city that catered to those looking for working men for some same sex fun. Learn something new every day. While this tour focuses on the Red Light District, we walked and got a lot of information and history on other things around the island as well. Some topics touched on were the mob, the railroad, the historic buildings, and how life was in this area of the city. You can almost see the lines of the neighborhood as you are walking as well. Now, this isn't necessarily a ghost tour, but it could be as we were told about chilling things that happened in this area and the outcomes of some of the people in the area. Definitely a worthwhile thing to do if you have the time.

Highly recommend this tour. Easy walk. Fun info about the area. David was excellent!!!read more

My second year on Shiprocked, I definitely need a vacation!…read more What an amazing way to spend a week. I was excited to finally get to see Papa Roach and I attended both of their shows. About the ships- Last year was aboard the Pearl, this year the Victory. I prefer the deck stage as well as the theater of the Victory over the Pearl. I liked the dining room of the Pearl better. I missed the bowling alley! Our steward was horrible this year. I had to dry off using one of the towel animals! But getting to decorate our cabin door was so fun. Getting on the Victory was quick and everyone at the terminal was great. Getting off the ship was easy also. Last year getting on the Pearl took a very long time. The muster drill this year took way too long. Drink prices on the Victory were very good. About Shiprocked staff- I'm honestly not sure how these guys pull this off. I have ZERO complaints about the security staff, the process (prebooking, setting up payment, addressing issues). The guys in charge answer every question asked in a timely fashion. They are also open to discussion and if there is something that cannot be changed, they explain why. Who cannot appreciate this?? The security guys are great. I made a wrong turn and instead of rudely raising his voice, because I'm sure people push the limits, I got a, "Hey darling you need to go that way." About Shiprocked artists- these guys and gals are awesome! I'm sure traveling the world gets tiresome and the logistics of performing on a ship have to be difficult. But the artists seem to have a really great time. It's great that they are interacting with all the fans. Already put our deposit down for 2018!

Another great year for Shiprocked in 2017. Each year has its own personality, but in the end, it's…read moreabout 3000 rockers just having a good time on a 4-day cruise letting their hair down! The 2017 Band lineup was strong, but took a hit when two bands could not make it (Shaman's Harvest and From Ashes to New). Both notified fans well in advance, and additional bands were added but several folks lamented the loss. These things happen in show business, nothing can be done. To me, Papa Roach was the show stealer (although Breaking Benjamin was the headliner and also very entertaining). Other bands of note: Avatar (man their fans come out), Alter Bridge (GREAT GUITAR), Dead Deads (two years in a row of rocking), and the Stowaways. The Stowaways are pieces of bands that get together for a couple of 2 hour sets and do not disappoint. Members of Unloco, Aranda, POD, Buckcherry, and many many more were there. My favorite Stowaway was Geoff Tate formerly of Queensryche (and yes, he did several of their songs including Jet City Woman and Another Rainy Night, the latter in an intimate acoustic set in the Atrium). The 2017 Deck stage on the Victory was far superior to the previous two years on the Pearl. It was more vertical/up (instead of long ways out). Everyone had a great view. I did NOT like the theater as much; the acoustics didn't seem as good in the upper level (where we had to sit as we were not VIPs). Service on the victory was outstanding, as was the bar staff. Embarkation was way easier on the Victory vs. the Pearl, however the muster drill took a VERY long time (over 30 minutes) I'm told due to passengers not following directions. The Meet and Greets are a very unique aspect of this cruise/festival. No additional charge, you get a professional photo with all the bands in the session (posted online after the cruise ends). The lines are long (1.5 hours usually), but that's just part of it. Be patient and you won't be disappointed. The bands are great in shaking fans hand and enjoying the experience. In that regard, you see the bands all over the ship, most of the time they love just hanging out and having a drink and chatting. Just don't interrupt their meals or gambling, that's their vacation time. Finally, the Shiprocked promoters do an amazing job of organizing. Everything was near flawless. The first concert was an hour or two late due to embarkation logistics, literally nothing they could do (it takes a while to get all the people, equipment, etc. on the ship AND set up for a concert within hours. No doubt this is an annual must attend and we have already prebooked for next year. I hear it will well out in days!

April 2023 I love…read morethis rodeo, I've been several times now and it's awesome. The rodeo itself is up and coming cowboys who do all that kind of stuff, as well as, musicians. And, every year that I've gone, I go to the wine tent; they sell Texas wines! Support local rodeos

Great family fun. In comparison to Brazoria county fair I will say Galveston County definitely has…read moremore kiddie rides for the smaller kiddos and also has way more food vendors with a variety of different options. we will be back next year.

The LoneStar Rally 2017 was so much fun! From the turkey legs, to all the awesome motorcycles, and…read morethe car show at the Pier!!! Oh & the live music just added to the awesomeness of the Lone Star Rally! For sure we enjoyed ourselves! See you next year! -Rebecca out

The Rooftop Garden VIP service and food was over the top. Delicious, always fresh food, good…read morelibations served up by people having fun! Jana is the best. If an issue does happen? She quickly resolved it; all parties happy. Service like Jana brings to the event, encourages us to continue buying the VIP tickets. She & staff make it a good value!

We went to Elissa as part of the Dickens on the Strand festival and it was our favorite part of the…read morefestival! Of course it's open other times too. It was clean, amazingly fun to see all the spaces. If you have a baby you'll want to baby wear them. Strollers can't go below deck because it's stairs. We took kids 2+ years old and it was possible and functional for them. Some of the stairs are tight or small spaces but you don't have to take the smallest stair you can take one main stair down and then back up. The crew were so kind and helpful! The atmosphere was light and jolly. We have a delightful time. There is a bathroom in their gift shop and benches by the gift shop for anyone who needs to sit. There is also parking just there near it, paid is what we used, not sure about unpaid. Worth every penny!

While visiting Galveston I decided to take this harbor tour for the first time thinking it would be…read moreinteresting and it was. An adult ticket for the one hour boat tour is $17 and you can add another tour of the adjacent sailing ship Elissa for another $8 to make it a combo price of $25 total. Tickets can be purchased online or at the ticket booth at Pier 22 between Fisherman's Wharf restaurant and Willie G's restaurant. This tour is conducted on a 50' boat with twin inboard motors. The boat has a lower deck that is covered with open sides and another deck upstairs that is open air and provides the best seats for viewing as long as the weather is good. All seats are general admission so if you want a topside seat board early. The tour makes one loop of the inner harbor along with venturing just outside near the shipping channel and on the other side of Pelican Island. There you pass by the Naval Museum that includes a destroyer escort and submarine from WW II both on land and a little further you will see the remains of the old SS Selma freighter that was scuttled there. It was a ship that was built of concrete during WW I and then scuttled shortly thereafter. For some reason, my tour only got with about 250 yards of it and no closer. Also during the boat ride you will numerous dolphins that are native to the area. There are other tours advertised as dolphin watching tours and I'm not sure how they are different from this one because my tour saw many on our ride. An added treat was being able to cruise by Battleship Texas which is currently in dry dock on the other side of the harbor and fully exposed from the stern for great viewing. The tour returned on time. The only reason I don't give 4 stars is because we should have gotten closer to the Selma for viewing and pictures and the audio speakers topside were very weak and made it hard to hear the live narration of the sites we saw passing by. If you visit the island and want to get out on the water and see the sights this is a good diversion to consider.

I took a tour with THE Eddy Specter and had a great time. I learned more about the Galveston flood…read moreand the devastation it caused. He brought humanity to an otherwise morbid tale. I highly recommend.

honest no fake or tricks you get history and learn about the areas people. something different each…read moretime we'll worth it and will return

Just awesome everything went well. It was great. The staff was awesome, very interesting history…read moretold. I loved it

We just now got off this tour and it was excellent!!! Captain Adam and Maddox the narrator were…read morefantastic!! So many interesting and historical stories!! If you are in Galveston do yourself a favor and book this tour!!!

Took the 8p tour on a Thursday. Tyler was great and it felt like he had a very personal knowledge…read moreof the area and its eccentricities. I'm not 100% sure of the veracity of his claims, but he made everything interesting. M Make sure you look for the Groupon!

This was a welcomed activity to do during a week of constant running. I know, it sounds ironic that…read moreI go on a walking tour after spending a majority of my day running around for work. But, it was really needed, and a nice dive into local history, chilling or not. What makes this tour so intriguing is your tour guide. If you are lucky you will get Noelle and be in for a night full of goosebump filled stories of the supernatural. Also, Noelle was just so accommodating, full of knowledge, and ready to answer any and all questions you might have. Our tour started at the library and we headed along our way. You think that starting at the library is a dull idea, but that's where the whole story of haunted Galveston begins. Being told that a majority of what you see of Galveston today was once under water because of how low lying the area was and storm surges. That kind of sets off the whole tour as that ties into a lot of what you are about to see. We started along our way and Noelle was mindful of everyone in the group. Stopping at a nearby gas station to allow people to grab hydration or make a bathroom stop before continuing on with the tour. The first major stop you will see is Ashton Villa. The information you get on this place is loaded with surprises. What's even better is that Noelle airdropped all of us pictures from past tours that can make anyone that doesn't believe into a believer. Ashton Villa could be a review on its own or could easily take up this review by itself. As we continued on we were reminded of what we were told about the storm surges and how the whole area was like a mass grave. We then ended up in front of the house where Robert Durst hide and ultimately took the life of his neighbor. I was oblivious to this and promptly went back home and started to watch the HBO series on him. We continued onto what is known as The Normandy Inn. The website makes this place look worse than it currently is. It is now a fully remodeled building that houses a hotel. Kind of creepy when you hear about the past of this parcel. Especially when they refer to this spot as a portal to hell. Continuing on we visited the house that once held an Egyptian mummy that was buried somewhere on the island, but no details as to exactly where. Along the way, Noelle kept us intrigued by expanding on stories throughout the tour. The one thing that you should do during your tour is take as many pictures as you can. Take their advice to put them on Live mode and take every angle possible. You just might catch something. At the end of the tour we stuck around a bit and talked to Noelle some more and I showed a few of my pictures to her and was confirmed I caught something supernatural. If you don't think you can stomach a tour during the twilight hours, they do have tours earlier in the day. Definitely carve out a chunk of time to do this as it is interesting and lets you in on the area history.