Welcome to Texas City, which is located in Galveston County. It is the location of the Port of…read moreTexas City which is one of the largest petroleium transshipment ports in the United States. A huge numbeer of refineries are here and you'll get to drive past them (and smell them) along State Road 197. Tanks and towers and chemicals floating into the air. Just driving through here can't possibly be healthy. But there are other parts to this city that aren't chemicals. The Texas City Dike is lovely. There's a Buc-ee's here. And it's wonderful to just watch the big ships go past. [Review 867 of 2024 - 622 in Texas - 21897 overall]

I thought I would write a short ditty Bout a place where the…read moreair is so sh**ty Petrochemical Plants And cheap outlet mall pants Oh they have it all in Texas City This is a really interesting wrong-turn corner of Texas with a lot of scary industry on both sides of the highway (I-45) on the way down to Galveston. It's pretty much your last stop as you're crossing the swampy lands heading out to Galveston itself. Just a few miles before you get into Galveston, just before crossing the long bridge/causeway, you're in Texas City. Last stop on dry land, if you will. Texas City has had a nightmarish history, including the worst US disaster when a fertilizer ship exploded and destroyed half the town in the 40s, killing nearly 600 and injuring 5000, blowing the ship anchor 3 miles away and making Galveston residents fall over 14 miles away. Later, BP had its own explosion killing 15, and there were several other tragedies. The BP refinery here is the nation's 3rd largest. Texas City is famous for these enormous petrochemicals factories of course, but it's also famous for outlet shopping if that's your thing, and that's most people saying these days isn't it? The outlets down here are actually the best in all of Texas. The reason they are the best in all of Texas is because hardly anybody comes all the way down almost to Galveston for outlet shopping. So what you end up having is a Tanger Outlets which, unlike most others in the country, has hardly anyone shopping here even at busy times. I don't really know how they make any money to be honest because it's a terrible location. The only possible people that could be down here are either people who live on this side of Houston already, or summer vacationers, or people who drive way out of their way down towards Galveston for shopping. It's certainly not a major thoroughfare for the country or anything like that. But they do have a lot of great deals and they're hardly ever out of anything because it is so not very busy. Every store seems like a ghost town every day. Anyway it's a cool little area but lots of factories like I said. Scary.

This was another incredible find when walking through the Strand Historic District on the way to…read morethe Railroad Museum. The "Absolute Equality" artwork was created by Reginald C. Adams as part of the Juneteenth Legacy Project. It's vibrant and large. It tells the step by step story visually and in writing. It's kind of difficult to capture the writing underneath it in photos unless you break it down into sections. It's easier to read in person. It also happens to be placed at the spot where Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger read General Order No. 3 at the former Osterman Building (now a paid parking lot) on the corner of 22nd Street and The Strand. Just watch out for cars pulling into the lot. I had no idea that the celebration of Juneteenth (Emancipation Day) started here in 1866. Just a year after the General Order was read. It has been an observed state holiday (now a federal holiday) in Texas since 1979. Amazing! It's a beautiful way to commemorate and memorialize this historical event. It's a must see mural! Don't miss it when in Galveston.

I figured since I was in Galveston I would make a stop at an area that is tied to an important part…read moreof history. Juneteenth, starting in Galveston, is a notable area in the city to visit. I wanted to visit here and since we were already out, I decided to drag my friends this way so that we could see where the proclamation was read. As we approached the area, it didn't look like much, but that is probably because of the direction we were approaching. When we got to the site of the building the proclamation was read from we realized the original building was no longer there. However, take the time to read the plaque to give yourself some context to the moment. The area is a welcoming one. Some benches to sit on but the thing that catches your eye is the mural on the building. It depicts the historic moment and give a bit more context to the plaque. I got to see this place in the late evening hours, but I am sure that it is better to see during the daylight hours. It is still an amazing and historic place that you should put aside some time to see.

Initially installed in New Orleans in 1984, The Stone Trumpet was relocated to Galveston in 1986…read morefor the opening of a jazz restaurant. Made of steel and concrete, the Trumpet (it's actually a cornet) is 26 feet long and 14 feet tall. It is by artist David Adickes. I've seen and reviewed his work before - "A Tribute to American Statesmanship" in Houston. Free to access and since it's outside, available all day. [Review 876 of 2024 - 631 in Texas - 21905 overall]

Quaint and historic beach town that I've enjoyed visiting over the years whether it's hitting up…read moretourist spots on The Strand, hitting the beach, or patronizing a local business outside the range of the tourist areas. Most importantly, Galveston is the birthplace of Juneteenth. June 19, 1865-General Granger announced the end of slavery.

Galvez's townwas named after 18th-century Spanish military leader Bernardo de Gálvez. Europeans…read morebuilt settlements here as early as 1816 and Galveston Harbor was the first port of the original Texas Navy. Galveston is also known as the birthplace of Juneteenth (there's a historical marker) when a Union General landed here and let the locals know that slavery was no longer legal. The city is a major tourist destination thanks to the miles and miles of beaches. It's also a cruise port with a number of ship departures every week. Attractions? Lots of them including the Schlitterbahn waterpark, the Lone Star Flight Museum and the Ocean Star Drilling Platform Museum. Historical and architectural districts? Lots to see. Parking is at a premium with metered street parking throughout the downtown and tourist areas. Make sure you park legally and keep in mind that the locals are looking at you as the tourist you are! [Review 875 of 2024 - 630 in Texas - 21904 overall]

This is a very old cemetery, one of the first on the island. It has many interesting grave markers…read moreand some nice statues. It's nice just to walk around reading the inscriptions of those buried here, it is a mix of the early settlers who came from all parts of the world and settled or passed through Galveston.

People are just dying to get in here…read more What else can I say? Its conveniently located and well maintained. I saw a homeless fellow ambling about but I can't imagine he was a grave robber, as he didn't have a shovel.

Located right on the water before the causeway to Galveston coming in from 45 South from Houston…read more It's a cool little village filled with very nice raised houses, camps, condos located along canals surrounded by water. This is a beautiful setting with easy access to the water from any location. Most of the homes are raise with their garages and outdoor kitchens located on the ground level and I noticed a lot of these have drive through boat launches located directly under the dwellings (how cool is that). I only found this place because of a 14 mile traffic back up due to a major accident on the causeway so we never made it to Galveston and found this village trying to get back on the highway to travel back to Houston that was a bummer but you have to make the best of the situation sometimes.

Wouldn't it be nice if every house on an island had its own private dock? Tiki Island does! You'll…read morefind Tiki just before you hit Galveston Island on the causeway going south from Houston. I love sipping scotch on the deck while watching the perfect sunsets. Just obey the 30 M.P.H. speed limits because Tiki Island has its own police force and they do not like speeders!