Part 3 of 3
If you missed part one Explore East Texas: Road Trip Style or part two East Texas Road Trip Continued of this road trip start there. This portion of the trip covers things to do in San Antonio, Houston, and Galveston.
The last leg of the Texas trip was more about relaxing, and experiencing a few key attractions along the way. Our one day in San Antonio we hit the highlights, Houston was all about NASA, and Galveston was a mini beach getaway before heading back home. I know there’s much more to see, and do in these lovely cities, but time didn’t allow for that on this trip. Here is a taste of what we did.
San Antonio Missions
We all know San Antonio is known for the Alamo, but I recommend making sure to visit some of the other missions as well. The San Jose Mission is the largest and I highly suggest visiting it, so that you get the full picture of what these missions looked like and how they functioned. All the missions are in their original state as they are historical sites, they have not been reconstructed making them the only missions in America that have the status of a world heritage site. The detailed work at each is something to marvel at, some of the colors have faded at San Jose but the colors inside the Mission Concepción are still in great condition which is amazing considering how old these buildings are, and the fact that these missions still serve as Catholic churches today is a testament to those who built them.
These missions were fortified to bring the catholic faith to the new world and the indigenious people of the area. Tribe members would come to the mission for security and the certainty of food. While living in the mission they learned valuable trades such as sewing, blacksmithing, farming, and they were of course taught the catholic faith.
The Alamo
For the Alamo itself, while it did serve the same purpose as all the other missions, it is best known for other historical reasons, particularly the battle that took place here which ensured the state of Texas was owned by the United States of America and not Mexico. This mission underwent many reconstructions as it was originally a catholic mission that then turned into a fortress for soldiers and then turned back into a mission and historical site. All of the Alamo’s changes can be seen in metal models that are laid out by year just to the left of the entrance. Take your time looking through and reading the information of this historical site and all that happened there. Take a moment to look at and read about the people whose statues stand in the garden as you exit: people such as Davy Crockett and James Bowie, known for the phrase “remember the Alamo,” played key roles in the battle.
The Riverwalk
While at the Alamo, take a walk across the street and down to the Riverwalk where you’ll find tons of restaurants. This beautifully landscaped path is great for a stroll, very romantic. If you’re tired of walking take a boat ride and learn about the Riverwalk. My favorite spot was Lovers Island where many proposals and marriages happen.
Houston
Eats + Treats of Houston
We wanted a quick breakfast so we could get to the space center and make the most of our time so we went to the Kolache Factory. I had never heard of a Kolache, so this was a completely new experience. I would recommend to anyone near a Kolache Factory to take advantage of this unique breakfast item. It tastes like a dinner roll filled with breakfast or dessert. I got one with sausage, egg and cheese, and one with cinnamon apples. Both were delicious and fueled us up for our long day at the space center.
Johnson Space Center
The Johnson Space Center was the highlight of the trip, not only because my husband is a huge NASA fan but also because I was shocked at how much I enjoyed it. Whether or not you have an interest in space or NASA I would advise checking it out. I loved the flexibility of getting to choose your own experiences. They lay out a basic outline of an itinerary on their website as a guideline which is very helpful. You get as much out of this experience as you want and my husband and I definitely got our money’s worth. After six and a half hours of exploring, we were amazed and left happier than when we arrived; we were like school kids on a field trip. You can of course shorten your time but if you can hold out it’s well worth it.
The set up is broken into sections so you can visit any section at any time and the only thing you really have to schedule is your tour times. On one tour you will see the astronaut training area where replica models of the International Space Station (ISS) are used to train astronauts before they make the journey. You will also see the robotics lab where they’re currently working on a project called Valkyrie, a human-like robot that will be used to assist astronauts in space in the future. The other tour was the butter on the biscuit because we went inside NASA’s mission control room. Not the current one of course, but the one from the 1960’s and watched it light up with video footage of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s landing and taking the first steps on the moon. We sat in the observation room where the family members of the astronauts would sit as they checked on their loved ones in space, and we watched the historic moment unfold just as it did on July 16th, 1969 and it was an incredible feeling to get to live that moment.
We saw many shuttles that had been used for missions or testing and I really enjoyed seeing a fully mission ready Saturn V rocket – the rocket that sent astronauts to the moon. The size of it will blow you away! In the Saturn V building, they have banners along the wall outlining each Apollo mission and its purpose, which for me was fascinating since I didn’t know that much about them. The banners explained why each mission was important for the ultimate mission to the moon. This is a must stop for any Houston trip.
Tip
Keep in mind that this is Texas and if you visit during anytime of the year other than winter it is going to be hot. Pack accordingly and make sure to stay hydrated while exploring.
Galveston
If you just want to go to a beach and enjoy the ocean views uninterrupted by masses of people then Galveston beach is a great choice. We were there in September which I highly recommend for any beach vacation since most families will not be traveling at that time due to school. Most of the time we were the only people on the beach where we were staying, occasionally someone would walk by but I loved that we had it all to ourselves. The sand is not picturesque by any means since it is a hard brown sand with lots of shells, but it is nice for all you shell collectors.
The biggest draw back for me was the fact that we were too scared to get in the water because of all the jellyfish. On our first day we saw ten jellyfish and on the last we saw thirty-six so be aware of where you step and where you swim. I have been stung by a jellyfish before and trust me when I say I never want that to happen ever again. Could be the time of year we were there. I am aware that there are multiple things in the ocean to be afraid of and that for the most part it’s fine to get in and swim in the ocean. Considering the one and only time my husband went in the water he almost swam face first into a jellyfish, I decided to pass. All this to say check on beach wildlife activity before entering the water.
Eats + Treats of Galveston
We loved our meals while in Galveston. We ate at Miller’s Sea Wall Grill, a quaint little place with a vintage vibe. This is a great place to grab some grub anytime. The food was fantastic, the staff were super friendly and efficient making it an enjoyable experience. The main thing about this place is the peach cobbler. I hate all things peaches but loved this dessert. My husband loves peach cobbler so that’s what he wanted and man oh man was I pleasantly surprised when he had me try it and a magical thing happened: I loved something with peaches in it! It was mainly the syrupy cinnamon goo and the amazing crust that really did it for me. This peach cobbler is a must when eating here.
Katie’s Seafood House is another great place right on the harbor and if you’re looking for a fresh catch there’s no better place than the people that catch it themselves that day to serve it up to you. I got the red snapper cooked in the Galveston bake style, it was full of flavor and paired wonderfully with the creamed spinach and gravy covered mashed potatoes. My husband got the crab cake and fried soft shell crab appetizer which was delicious. Sit on the deck and enjoy a harbor view or inside and take in the ambiance of feeling like you’re on a ship yourself. After our meal, we walked over to watch dolphins playing in the harbor at sunset.
We ate breakfast and lunch at our condo which was an Airbnb on the west side of Galveston which was by far the cheapest option and we were thoroughly pleased with it. We hardly ever shared our section of beach with anyone which is rare for a beach vacation.
End of the Road
This concluded our road trip through the eastern part of Texas. I loved getting to see so much of Texas in one all inclusive trip. If you want to just hit the highlights of each city this was a great trip to be able to see and do a little of everything. My personal favorites were definitely The Johnson Space Center in Houston, watching the cattle drive in Fort Worth, and the Bullock Texas History Museum in Austin. My favorite food on the trip would have to be Pecan Lodge in Dallas, and that Peach Cobbler in Galveston (which I have tried to recreate). I hope you find my experiences helpful in planning your own Texas trip.
