Texas Getaway

An October 2003 trip to Galveston by Lampman

Our favorite activities in Galveston were Moody Gardens, three activity pyramids with tropical rainforests, aquarium, and hands-on science center. The greatest restaurant for food and service was Gaido's, on the seawall.

  • 4 reviews
  • 1 story/tip
Best Things Nearby:
Canyon Lake, Natural Bridges Wildlife Ranch, Natural Bridges Cavern, town of Gruene (New Braunfels).

Best Things About the Resort:
The view of the lake, friendly activities staff, and miniature golf course.

Resort Experience:
Most of the resort is old, worn, and not well-maintained except for a few newer units. The two bedrooms and bathrooms in our older unit were small. Closets were small and had few hangers. In the kitchen there was virtually no space to store our groceries. Appliances were outdated and in poor condition. There were only three washers and dryers for the whole resort, costing $3 per load including soap.

The swimming pool had no dressing room or restroom, although there was a pool, spa, and children's pool. The rooms had a TV upstairs and down, but no VCR, CD/tape player, or radio. VCR had to be rented with the video. Video selection was poor. There were no fine dining restaurants within 15 miles of the resort.

  • Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
  • Activities: Poor
  • Amenities: Poor
  • Unit Satisfaction: Poor
  • Family Friendliness: Good
  • Service: Fair
  • Member Rating 1 out of 5 by Lampman on October 29, 2003

Silverleaf Hill Country Resort
17545 FM 306 Galveston, Texas

Joe's Crab ShackBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

This place has lots of atmosphere -- it's a rollicking, family restaurant where they sang "Happy Birthday". We felt very welcomed. Good service and excellent seafood. There was large roll of paper towels and bucket on each table for crab shells, etc. We had the combination plate of crab and lobster, a real treat for the price.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Lampman on October 29, 2003

Joe's Crab Shack
3502 Seawall Blvd Galveston, Texas 77550
(281) 474-2741

Gaido's RestaurantBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Gaido's"

This is a historic restaurant at the seawall with casual decor, but the meal was outstanding. For $25 each we got a full meal of soup, salad, entree, and large dessert. The grilled shrimp was a real treat. Our waiter was funny, friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating. The pecan pie for dessert was too much for us to eat, so he put it in a container to take to the motel, and then brought the a la mode ice cream to the table so we wouldn't be "cheated" of the total dessert. It was a very nice evening and a lot of food for the money.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Lampman on October 29, 2003

Gaido's Restaurant
3830 Seawall Blvd Galveston, Texas 77550
(281) 461-4000

Gristmill River Restaurant & BarBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Gristmill River Restaurant and Bar in Gruene"

We had lunch at this delightful place above the Guadaloupe River. It was October, and the weather was warm enough to be outside. Flowers were blooming everywhere. The waiter was attentive and friendly, answering all of our questions. We enjoyed the chicken sandwich and grilled chicken Ceasar salad. Gruene is a small historic town with several antique shops, pottery store, and historic homes. Their motto is "Gently resisting change since 1872".
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by Lampman on October 30, 2003

Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar
1287 Gruene Road New Braunfels, Texas 78130
830-606-1281

Katy, TXBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

We discovered an amazing exhibit at the Forbidden Gardens, just off the freeway at Katy, a suburb of Houston. Since we had been to China a few years ago, we were fascinated with this Hong Kong businessman's replica. There was a scale model of the Forbidden City in Beijing and miniatures of the terracotta warriors from Guilin. There were guided tours available and it was wheelchair accessible.

About the Writer

Lampman
Lampman
Tigard, Oregon

Get the Word Out

Share this travel journal beyond IgoUgo with your favorite sharing tools.