14901 FM 3005
Galveston, TX 77554
(409) 737-1222
Photo Compliments of Jerri Sutherland
You’ll find a refuge at Galveston Island State Park no matter what brings you there! Just an hour and a half from Houston, Galveston Island State Park is an island apart! Come to the island to stroll the beach, splash in the waves, fish, or look for coastal birds.
Galveston Island State Park is 2013.1 acres of beach, marsh, and prairieland that spans from the beach to Galveston Bay. The park offers day use picnic areas, camping, bird watching, nature study, hiking, biking, kayaking, fishing, and unsupervised swimming. During your visit to Galveston Island State Park you may encounter wading and shore birds, mottled and mallard ducks, raccoons, armadillos, and marsh rabbits.
Galveston Island State Park features 2,000 acres of an upper Gulf Upper Gulf Coast Barrier Island Ecosystem. Barrier island move and change constantly through the action of waves, winds, and tides. Barrier islands like Galveston serve as transition zones between land and ocean supporting a variety of distinct habitats, including beaches, prairies, and wetlands.
Galveston Island’s Past
People came to Galveston for its natural resources. Han Akokisa and the Karankawa people hunted and fished on Galveston Island for generations before European explorers discovered the island in the sixteenth century. Spaniard Cabeza de Vaca shipwrecked on the island in 1528. His journals provide an early record of the native people who lived on the island at the time. In 1817, pirate Jean LaFitte built outposts on Galveston Island. At the end of its flight from the Mexican army in 1836, the first governor of the Republic of Texas found refuge on Galveston Island.
In the late nineteenth century, Galveston became increasing important as a port and entry point for immigrants from many countries. In 1890 land speculators tried to develop the now Galveston Island State Park into a townsite named South Galveston but failed. The prominent Stewart family acquired the land that is now the park and used it for ranching and as a gathering place for the politically powerful during the first half of the nineteenth century.
Galveston Island State Park Entry Fees
Adults $5
Seniors (with Senior Partial Pass) $3
Children (12 & under FREE)
Things to Do
Galveston Island State Park Day Use Group Facility
Group Pavilion 1
$75/per day PLUS entry fee
Check-in 8 am, Check-out 9PM
Maximum 50 people
Galveston Island State Park Bayside Camping
Bayside Camping-Water & Electric (Sites 106-125)
$20/night PLUS entry fee
Not Recommended for Tents
20, 30, and 50-amp hookups
Picnic Table. Shared firepits and grills
*Call for non-peak rates
Bayside Camping (Sites 96-105)
$15/night PLUS entry fee
No electricity. Water hookup at site
Picnic table, firepit & grill
Galveston Island State Park Beachside Camping
Beachside-Water & Electric XL Premium Sites
$35/night PLUS entry fee
20,30, & 50-amp hookups
*Up to 12 Occupants allowed
Sites 1,8,12,17,19,24,25,27,36,37,47, 48,54,59
Beachside-Water & Electric
$30/night PLUS entry fee
Water hookup at site
20,30, & 50-amp hookups
Sites 2-7,9-11,13-16,18,20-23,26,28-35,38-46,49-53,55-58,60
Beachside-Tent Platforms (Sites 61-70)
$20/night PLUS entry fee
Electricity. Water outside in area.
Tents Only. Parking is located away from campsite.
Picnic table, firepit & grill
Beachside-Tent Camping (Sites 71-85)
$15/night PLUS entry fee
No electricity. Water outside in area.
Tents Only. Parking is located away from campsite.
Picnic table, firepit & grill
Beachside-Dry Camping (sites 86-95)
$15/night PLUS entry fee
No Electricity. Water outside in area.
Tents & RV’s permissible
Picnic table, firepit & grill
Galveston Island State Park Houses
Stewart House
March – October
$1500/week
$250/night
November – February
$1350/week
$225/night
Ranch House
March – October
$1200/week
$200/night
November – February
$1050/week
$175/night
Hiking, Biking & Kayak Trails
Over 5 miles of hiking/biking trails
3 kayak launches into Galveston Bay
Stay on trails or you could run into one of the many snakes that inhibit the park like salt marsh grass snakes, diamond rattlesnakes, copperheads, or water moccasins!
Fishing
Surf or Bay fish for fish such as:
*Spotted sea trout *Sand trout
*Redfish *Black drum
*Croaker *Flounder
There is no pier in the park, but there are two boardwalks on the bay that you can fish or crab from.
Birding
During migrations, there are a variety of birds such as egrets, rosette spoonbills, herons, raptors, warblers, tanagers, buntings, and many others in the park. Shore birds can be seen year-round on the beach. Birding guides can be found at Galveston Island Park Headquarters.
Day Use
20 Small Pavilions
2 Group Pavilions
2 sets of Rinse Showers
2 Full Showers
Dune Cross over Boardwalks
Vendor Area
Equestrian Day Use (Only November thru February-nonpeak season)
Park Reservations
Website: texasstateparks.reserveamerica.com
Phone: 512-389-8900
Tentrr Reservations
Sites 62 (A), 66 (B), 67 (C)
Website: www.tenttrr.com
Phone: 888-798-9093
Galveston Island State Park General Rules
- Daily Entrance or camping permit required
- Pets on leash at all times
- No public display or consumption of alcohol
- Quiet hours 10 PM – 7 AM
- No glass containers on beach
- Stay out of the dunes
- Swim at your own risk, no lifeguard on duty
- No parking on grass
- Fires in designated areas ONLY
Other Things to See & Do in Galveston
While you are in Galveston you should visit Moody Gardens, Moody gardens galveston TX (mygalvestonrealtor.com), the Turtles About Town Tour, colorful Turtles about town tour (mygalvestonrealtor.com), and the Historic Pleasure Pier, the exciting pleasure Pier, galveston, TX (mygalvestonrealtor.com).
Also consider going on a Baywatch Dolphin Tour and the Galveston Duck Tour. Here’s the links to these unique tours. Home – Baywatch Dolphin Tours and the GALVESTON.COM: Galveston Duck Tours – Galveston, TX.