Over the years we have visited Galveston State Park four or five times. This is a popular, well-funded state park. It is an environmental stronghold in the expanding urban sprawl.
We have camped on the surfside. Even though I fished at Galveston Island years ago, and have camped throughout the state, the GSP campgrounds were new experiences for me. I am used to more trees! Like every other state park we visit, GSP has its own unique attributes/beauty.
Though I normally would not write about a bathroom, the bathroom next to the #1 campsite (beach side) is worth noting. It is fancy! I’ll use this as a segueway. Some campers are not into “roughing it.” There is no condemnation from us on this, but if you are one who is more urban than otherwise, Galveston State Park is a good potential destination for your pick-nicking or camping pilgrimage. All the museums, restaurants, shopping and sightseeing the island is known for are available to a camper at GSP. One could drive out to Galveston, suddenly decide they wanted to camp and buy everything needed including food, a few minutes from the park. If nothing else it is a quiet place to have a pick-nick and enjoy some solitude and nature. Then you can step back into the mainstream.
To me the parks quieten down after sunset, that is the human activity does. An after-sunset beach stroll reveals birds and crabs feeding on the beach. In the tent the sounds of the surf and the highway mix into a surprisingly pleasant blend of white noise.
When we camped on New Year’s Eve 2015, the winds were about 18 mph. You don’t need a super-wadoozy tent here, but it does need to be able to stand to some wind. Temperatures stayed in the mid-50s. It was a bit windy to build a fire or cook on a camp stove.
The night before we enjoyed a seafood feast from an old family restaurant and Christmas lights from Moody Gardens, then instead of fighting traffic home, we just camped together with family at GSP. The next morning, we took the kids on a beach walk and found some pieces of sand dollars. My children enjoyed finding crabs and crunching sea shells with their feet.
Sometimes we visit the bay side of the park. There are places to camp, as well as launch a canoe or kayak. These campgrounds are further from the surf and highway so they are quieter. The winds are less active too. We have canoed from this park and it’s a good way to enjoy the bay. There are also some walking trails on the bay side. Both the surf and bay sides of the park are good opportunity to watch and study birds. I have not fished Galveston Bay for many years. As I begin my return to fishing I’ll share those experiences.
For us, GSP is not always destination of pure camping or outdoor motifs. It’s an affordable way to stay on the island overnight. While it is not a “quintessential outdoor experience” combining a Galveston Island experience with camping is rarely a bad thing. From time to time I hear or read things decrying Galveston or other Texas coastal environments. These places are not stunning like Coronado Beach in San Diego, but that isn’t saying they are not beautiful. If you visit this park, take advantage of the quiet enclave. Without too much effort you can imagine what the place was like for the original Karankawa Indians, Jean Lafitte the pirate/privateer, and others.
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