Bay Side.
Beach Side.
Galveston Island State Park sits on the western end of Galveston Island along the Gulf Coast, offering unique camping experiences on both the beach and bay sides of the island. The park showcases two distinct landscapes — the serene marshes and lagoons of the bay side, and the wide, sandy shores of the Gulf on the beach side.
On the bay side, there are 20 RV sites arranged in a semi-circle around a central communal pavilion. The views of the bay are peaceful and scenic, but the area feels fairly isolated. The nearest restrooms and showers are located about 200 yards away in the tent camping area, and with no shortcut trails, the walk can feel a bit long — especially with a towel and toiletries in hand.
For our last night, we moved over to the beach side, which offers 60 RV sites and 1.6 miles of Gulf-front shoreline. While there are no direct beach views from the RVs, it’s just a short walk over the dunes to reach the sand and surf. The facilities on the beach side were more conveniently located, and all RV sites throughout the park come with electric and water hookups. There’s also a dump station available on the beach side.
Whether you're drawn to kayaking in the bay or lounging on the Gulf’s soft sands, Galveston Island State Park offers a relaxed coastal camping experience with a touch of Texas charm.
Waiting for the ferry.
Dean was brave and got out to take a photo.
I stayed in the R.V.
The ocean was very rough.
Hoping we didn't need this !
We saw lots of birds and even some dolphins.
To reach Galveston Island, we took the free ferry from Port Bolivar across Galveston Bay — a short and scenic 2.7-mile ride that takes about 20 minutes. Operated 24 hours a day, the ferry service is well-run and efficient, with additional boats added based on traffic. While the website warns that wait times can stretch up to two hours during peak times, we only waited about 20 minutes, and the boarding process was smooth and well-organized.
Each ferry can carry around 70 vehicles, 500 passengers, and 6 crew members. There’s a limit of 8 eighteen-wheelers per crossing, each able to carry up to 80,000 lbs. Depending on your plans, you can either drive your vehicle onto the ferry or board as a walk-on passenger.
Once on board, there's an upper outdoor observation deck and an indoor, air-conditioned seating area surrounded by large windows — perfect for taking in the sweeping views of Galveston Bay. You’re allowed to exit your vehicle once the ferry is in motion. The ocean was particularly rough on the day we went, so I stayed inside the RV while Dean ventured out to brave the wind and snap a few photos from the deck.
Even Ella had to wear a jacket.
The wind made it feel even colder.
It got extremely cold during our stay — a surprise, since we hadn’t expected the Gulf Coast of Texas to dip below freezing! We really had to bundle up whenever we stepped outside. Hats, gloves, layers — the whole deal. It definitely added a twist to our coastal adventure, but we made the most of it (with lots of drinks and extra blankets!).
The bar and restaurant.
Beautiful house on the water.
The hiking trails were under water.
Great White Egrets
Northern Harrier.
Great-tailed Grackle
Pelican.
