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    Pier 21

    4.4 (17 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    Approaching Pier 21
    Sherri H.

    We walked around Pier 21 after enjoying a meal on the patio at Katie's Seafood that looks out in the water. There was a tall sailing ship docked there, Elissa, and it was fun to enjoy a beautiful sunset as people were walking around.

    Loved this area of Galveston .... so pretty
    Lisa E.

    My son and I stayed here and it's so breathtaking... beautiful side of Galveston,Texas will surely be staying here again

    Sunset from pier 21
    Sadie M.

    Such a great place to watch the sunset!! There aren't many seating areas so I would recommend bringing a blanket or lawn chairs. We watched the sunset here twice. There is cheap parking nearby either parking lots or street parking. There are a handful of restaurants with large patios. You can take dolphin and sunset tours (go see my review Galveston Water Adventures).

    Tilman Fertitta's yacht.
    Daniel B.

    Enjoyable way to spend time, walking the pier, enjoying the breeze in the bay, off of the water.

    Sunset
    Erica D.

    So I'm hoping I'm reviewing the right place. I know on pier 21 there are several things. My review is on the sunset tour. It was two hours long and it was the best time we have had since we have been here. If your here or plan on coming here this is a must with your spouse! It's 18 and older. BYOB. There is a bathroom on the boat. Just loads of fun. Music and everyone enjoying the company of everyone else and having a few drinks. I would definitely go again!

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    4 months ago

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    15 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    13 years ago

    Loyd works here too! Great guy nice Place. Saw both movies back to back. Fell asleep during first one :/ lots of details.

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    15 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Pier 21

    Review Highlights - Pier 21

    Many people stay at the Harbor House Hotel on the waterfront so that they can walk to the Strand Historic District.

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    Galveston Historic Harbor Tours - Looking back toward dock off top deck of boat for tour

    Galveston Historic Harbor Tours

    4.7(54 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    We went to Elissa as part of the Dickens on the Strand festival and it was our favorite part of the…read morefestival! Of course it's open other times too. It was clean, amazingly fun to see all the spaces. If you have a baby you'll want to baby wear them. Strollers can't go below deck because it's stairs. We took kids 2+ years old and it was possible and functional for them. Some of the stairs are tight or small spaces but you don't have to take the smallest stair you can take one main stair down and then back up. The crew were so kind and helpful! The atmosphere was light and jolly. We have a delightful time. There is a bathroom in their gift shop and benches by the gift shop for anyone who needs to sit. There is also parking just there near it, paid is what we used, not sure about unpaid. Worth every penny!

    While visiting Galveston I decided to take this harbor tour for the first time thinking it would be…read moreinteresting and it was. An adult ticket for the one hour boat tour is $17 and you can add another tour of the adjacent sailing ship Elissa for another $8 to make it a combo price of $25 total. Tickets can be purchased online or at the ticket booth at Pier 22 between Fisherman's Wharf restaurant and Willie G's restaurant. This tour is conducted on a 50' boat with twin inboard motors. The boat has a lower deck that is covered with open sides and another deck upstairs that is open air and provides the best seats for viewing as long as the weather is good. All seats are general admission so if you want a topside seat board early. The tour makes one loop of the inner harbor along with venturing just outside near the shipping channel and on the other side of Pelican Island. There you pass by the Naval Museum that includes a destroyer escort and submarine from WW II both on land and a little further you will see the remains of the old SS Selma freighter that was scuttled there. It was a ship that was built of concrete during WW I and then scuttled shortly thereafter. For some reason, my tour only got with about 250 yards of it and no closer. Also during the boat ride you will numerous dolphins that are native to the area. There are other tours advertised as dolphin watching tours and I'm not sure how they are different from this one because my tour saw many on our ride. An added treat was being able to cruise by Battleship Texas which is currently in dry dock on the other side of the harbor and fully exposed from the stern for great viewing. The tour returned on time. The only reason I don't give 4 stars is because we should have gotten closer to the Selma for viewing and pictures and the audio speakers topside were very weak and made it hard to hear the live narration of the sites we saw passing by. If you visit the island and want to get out on the water and see the sights this is a good diversion to consider.

    Photos
    Galveston Historic Harbor Tours
    Galveston Historic Harbor Tours - Elisa ship we toured

    Elisa ship we toured

    Galveston Historic Harbor Tours - Elisa ship

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    Elisa ship

    Carnival Breeze - The sides of the ship are the quieter areas.

    Carnival Breeze

    3.4(87 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    Carnival needs to rename itself. Circus comes to mind…read more... Carnivals are fun places...places where you make memories, not be filled with stress and anxiety. The latter feeling is how I felt after getting off this cruise ship, which should not be how anyone feels after ending a vacation. First off, Carnival created chaos on embarkation as they communicated the morning of our cruise that check in was delayed 2 hours. However the parking lot where I made reservations did not change their time of closing their lots, so there I was speeding down the toll and 45 to Galveston to park before the parking lot closed, which by the way, the had grace on me because I called and had prepaid and they stayed open an hour past their time to accommodate me (another review on that place for sure)! The parking place had more customer service in 15 minutes than I experienced the entire 5 days on Carnival. First off they banned me from ordering drinks after the second day in the dining area because I sent one back two days in a row. One sip and they were nasty. I even brought it to their attention soon as possible. But the drinks in other places were poorly made as well. It was the most sober vacation I've ever had because I refused to pay for piss poor drinks. The crazy part is after not returning to the dining room for two days after being banned, we returned on Friday night and the waiter wanted to give me anything I wanted including ordering drinks! I was shocked- and he acted shocked as well as if it was not HIM that did it. It was pitful. I wanted no extra nothing--not even a refill of my water. I skipped dessert. Ate half my meal because I was ready to go! I detest liars. Secondly, Carnival needs to just stop services for a week and update all their technology because delaying embarkation and deembarkation because of tech issues is not cool. In fact I had an excursion booked and when the port for the excursion was cancelled, it was communicated that the Sail and Sign card would receive the refund. Not my desired resolution since I used a different card to purchase, but I was fine with the refund. Monday came and went. So did Tuesday. Mind you Guest Services was always packed most of the time of my trip so I decided to go early in the morning at three and there was no line. I was told to give it one more day. Wednesday comes and nothing. Thursday morning at 3 am I go back to guest services and have to prove I made a purchase because the system didnt show I had purchased an excursion. Mind you, I had my email with a receipt and order number. I was asked if I booked through Carnival. Carnival was in the email and the sender. I was asked when I purchased as if that even mattered. I was told FINALLY that it should be refunded by the end of the day. It was, but after we had visited our one and only port. I was not about to purchase another excursion without getting a refund from my original purchase. Once more the tv didnt work. It just kept repeating Carnival fyi and wouldn't change channels. We asked for it to be fixed once and it worked for one day. You may say why even bother watching tv on vacation. It would have been helpful to tune out the coughers cabin next door or the hot tub hillbillies below our suite. Could not even enjoy the balcony fully because of the noise! Finally, as a foodie, the food choices need improvement. Being on Virgin Voyage in November 25, its no comparison. Way more variety in their general eatery than Carnival. Anything worth eating would be a line. The biggest disapppointment would be having the food served in the dining area in Lido as well. What's the point of dressing up to dinner to experience a chessy show by the servers and eat mediocre food? Its not, which is why you will see empty tables in the dining area at night. Carnival needs to allow reservations like Virgin Voyage does for their restaurants and include it in the cost. The Blush is not it. Close it. Its an antiquated concept. Period. The most horrendous part of the cruise was deembarkation. They didnt get the bags down as planned which delayed the time getting off and they released 16 groups at one time to leave the ship- just let a herd of people go. Although I had parked across the street and walked to get the car,it took me an HOUR and a HALF to pick up my mom and the luggage due to construction and Mardi Gras parade road closures. Absolutely no signage--just people telling me to go to 33rd street. I finally had one crew member tell me exactly where to turn to get to the Breeze drop off and pick up...and HOUR and a HALF LATER. I saw enough of Galveston for a lifetime. It had been 10 years since I took a Carnival cruise. It will be 10 plus more before I step foot on another one. Thanks for the Chaotic and Stressful memories Carnival.

    We were supposed to board our Carnival Breeze on Monday in Galveston, but icy roads from Winter…read moreStorm Fern prevented us from being able to get there. We asked Carnival credit to take a different cruise. They denied our request. We will not be taking another cruise with Carnival.

    Photos
    Carnival Breeze - View from the couch in my room.

    View from the couch in my room.

    Carnival Breeze
    Carnival Breeze

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    Hal Newsom's Airboat Tours - looking at sting rays swimming in the water

    Hal Newsom's Airboat Tours

    3.5(10 reviews)
    11.8 mi

    The airboat fits six people plus a driver which is great because we had five adults…read more First, you pay as soon as you get in the boat and yes, he takes credit cards. I'd leave anything valuable in the car. Just take yourself, a way to pay, and your camera. Also you might want a light jacket if its only 70 degrees because the speed of the boat will make it feel more like 50. The airboat goes slow out past the fancy houses until you pass a certain marker and then you can go fast. Capt. Hal makes you wear ear muffs.. the sound reduction kind, to protect your hearing. A good thing. The motor is so loud you can't hear anyone talk anyways. When you get out to the marshy areas there's all kinds of birds. Crazy pink birds, white herons, plovers, pelicans, ibises, other birds I don't know. LOTS of birds. Its very cool. We also saw sting rays in their natural habitat in the shallow water. Cost is 35 per adult and money well spent. I wasn't sure how my 60 something parents would enjoy the air boat but my mom and dad were totally grinning. They LOVED it. So if you need something cool to do in Galveston, make reservations a week in advance and go try to the air boat. You'll have a great time!

    we had a great trip on the airboat. Hal was very easy to communicate with and very accommodating…read morewith our time as there was a storm coming in. We were able to get our ride in before the storm. It's a great airboat ride, especially for families with children. He stops and tells you about the birds and things in the water. Just make sure that you have cash to pay for your ride as he said his credit card machine sometimes doesn't work. We would go on this airboat tour again.

    Photos
    Hal Newsom's Airboat Tours
    Hal Newsom's Airboat Tours
    Hal Newsom's Airboat Tours

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    Pier 21 - boattours - Updated May 2026

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