The East End, the West End, in town, where is the best place to stay in Galveston? It all depends on what you want.
Want to get away from it all, and just hang with the family for a week while doing nothing but laying on the beach? You like your beaches a little more secluded? That’s the West End.
You want to be able to hit as many restaurants as possible, and be close enough for a quick Uber to most attractions? You don’t mind the beaches a little crowded? That’s in town.
You say that you want both? Well head on down to the East End and let your secluded-beach-close-to-action self out.
Galveston has plenty of hotels/motels for every budget. If you want to save a little money, there are decent hotels that are located throughout the city. Need to have that beach view? There are hotels lining the seawall for the medium budget traveler to the high roller. In town, there are countless house rentals to stay in.
Once you’ve found your hotel, check out this list to help you find what you want to do.
Cheat Sheet
The East End
Full of restored Victorian homes, the East End is a great place to walk and see architecture from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Some of these houses are available to rent. The beach is usually less crowded on this end. There are a few hotels to stay at, but you’re most likely going to find restored houses or condos that are short term rentals.
In Town/Seawall
This is the place to stay if you want to be close to everything. Want to ride the Iron Shark at the pleasure pier and 15 minutes later go zip lining at Moody? You can do it and be back at your hotel before your heart rate slows down.
There are budget motels right next to luxury hotels. You can Air BNB a house two blocks off the beach. Below is a list of the most noteworthy hotels.
- The Hotel Galvez – Opened in 1911, The Galvez is a member of The National Register of Historic Places. Some say it’s haunted. Beachfront to the Gulf, this is a wonderful place to stay. Bonus, check out their hall of Galveston history downstairs.
- San Luis – Sprawling resort that is set atop the batterys (massive gun implacements) of the old Fort Crockett. Directly across the street from the Gulf, be sure to eat at one of their restaurants.
- The Tremont House – In The Strand Historic District. The Tremont House might not be on the beach but it’s still close to most attractions. Luxury accommodations, don’t miss The Rooftop Bar even if you’re not staying here.
- The Harbor House Hotel and Marina – Just cruise on up in your yacht and park in the marina. No Yacht? That’s okay, you can drive there too. In The Strand District with a view of the ship channel.
- Moody Gardens – Penguins, ziplines, rain forests, and golf, no, those aren’t room themes, their all attractions on site and housed in their three pyramids.
The West End
Stop at the grocery store and stock up on your way to your rental house. That way you can hang out on the beach with the kids for the whole week and never have to leave.
There are plenty of short term home rentals here, you just need to decide what beach you want to stay at. Some subdivisions offer canal front homes, while others put you right on the front line of the beach.
You used to have to rely on Air BNB or some other vacation rental website but now mainstream hotel booking sites are offering vacation houses for rent. You can rent anything from a small beach cottage to a stately beach manor.
RV Campgrounds
Pull on up with your big rig and get the best view on the island! RV Campgrounds in Galveston are mostly waterfront. Sandpiper on the far east end, Bayou Shores in Offats Bayou, and Dellanera are all within the city area. Galveston Island State Park, Jamaica Beach RV Resort and Galveston Island RV Resort are on the less populated west end of the Island.
