Galveston Water Activities: Where to Play, Ride and Splash
Located on the Texas east coast sits Galveston Island, located on Galveston Bay and Gulf of Mexico. This makes the city a prime spot for outdoor recreation, especially since the area receives over 200 days of sunshine per year and offers mild weather year-round. From dolphin tours to a huge water park, Galveston welcomes everyone to have a blast. Learn about the top Galveston water activities, and don’t forget the sunscreen.
6 Galveston Water Activities for Your Family’s Vacation
See Dolphins Up-close
Family-owned and -operated Batwatch Dolphin Tours caters to groups up to 36 passengers. Each tour takes place on a jet-driven boat, instead of propeller, keeping dolphins safe in their natural habitat. While on the boat, visitors see dolphins and enjoy a scenic ride through the area. Each tour lasts around 45 minutes with tickets only $5 to $10 each.
Relax on a Kayak
For a laid-back adventure, plan a Galveston kayak tour with Beach Town Tours. The company offers single and tandem kayak tours Thursday through Monday, and reservations are required.
Groups of six or less can kayak their way through the area, and tours last approximately two hours. In addition to daytime options, Beach Town Tours also offers sunset rides and nighttime Christmas lights tours that explore the waters around Moody Gardens.
Add Surfing to the Bucket List
Most people don’t think surfing when they think of Texas, but Galveston welcomes them to enjoy the Gulf’s waves. Two companies offer surfing lessons in Galveston: Ohana Surf and Skate and C-Sick Surfin’.
Ohana offers three lesson options and provides surfboards. C-sick focuses on smaller-group options with no more than three students per instructor. The company also provides soft-top boards, and lessons from both last around two hours. All ages are welcome, but make reservations to secure a spot.
Take a Jet-boat Ride or Cruise
In spring and summer, Galveston Water Adventures welcomes large and small groups to book a jet boat ride or sunset cruise. Bring the family on the jet-boat ride, which lasts 25 minutes and speeds through Galveston Bay. This option best suits ages 4 and older due to the pace and 360-spin.
The sunset cruise is only available for adults, as beer and wine may be present, and serves as a date-night activity or anniversary present. The two-hour tour explores the bay on an open-air boat, and scenic photos are guaranteed.
Fish With Local Experts
Galveston’s location makes it a top spot for fishing, which ranks among the most popular Galveston water activities. There’s no better way to get the inside scoop than fishing with a local expert. The area has several companies that offer fishing excursions, so here are three known for great service and lots of catches.
Angler Charters ranks as one of the best in the area and caters to groups. Trips include bay and jetty, offshore shark fishing, offshore federal waters, and offshore state waters. All trips can be customized with catering, beverages, time extensions and sail time, providing the perfect adventure.
Captain Cody – an area native – offers bay and offshore fishing charters. He specializes in catching large fish close to shore but will take visitors as far out as 70 miles. Groups receive everything they need to enjoy a day on the water and catch target species.
Reel Men Fishing Charters also offers several options, such as jetty, near shore, and trips that target specific fish like flounder and trout. Guests can select the best option and gear up for a day reeling in the fun. Reel Men and Angler Charters also offer sunset and bay cruises.
Splash at Schlitterbahn
Grab the suit and head to Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark for indoor and outdoor Galveston water activities. Open only in spring and summer months, the park offers rides, slides and thrills. Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark houses 30 different attractions, including fast and long slides, relaxing heated pools, lazy rivers, a zipline, and kids areas.
Visitors also enjoy free parking, free inner tubes and life jackets, and free picnic areas. Yes, families may bring food and coolers right into the park. The water park offers individual tickets and season passes, so groups can select the best option.
Find more things to do in Galveston and plan your Texas vacation. Visiting in the summer? Don’t miss these Galveston summer events.