Places
of Interest
- Crystal Beach and Bolivar Peninsula
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Drive
East on Hwy 87 from
the ferry landing to the junction
of Loop 108 and Hwy 87. Turn towards the Gulf of Mexico. You will
come to a wide, flat expanse of beach that has very little surf and
shallow water making it ideal for
small children. One can find interesting shells - perhaps an
olive or a wentletrap - certain times of the year. This area is called
"The Flats" and is an excellent place to observe many differnt species
of water fowl. It is a natural nesting ground and feeding area. |
In
the '60s,
migrant fishermen would move to
the "flats" to spend the summer living out on the beach and working
their 2000 foot nets to bring in the catch of the day, hundreds of
speckled trout! Also in the nets were dozens of live crabs, sting-rays,
mullet, poagies, sharks. That event was one of the highlights of the
day for the summer visitors. You could take all the crabs
were
willing to rescue out of the nets, without getting pinched!!. (Now
those nets are unlawful!) |
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Fishing
and Crabbing at
the North Jetty
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The
North
Jetty is about
1-1/2 miles East of the Ferry Landing.
This granite rock jetty extends several miles into the Gulf
of Mexico The first 200 yards is a paved walkway. To get beyond that
point, you must climb over the granite rocks. There
is a small boat cut about one mile from shore. You can usually
catch a good mess of crabs and most of the year the fishing is good.
How to clean a crab |
At
the ferry
landing, you can leave your car in
the parking lot and walk on the ferry for a ride across the
bay. Bring
a loaf of bread or a package of crackers, the children will delight in
feeding the seagulls. This must be done at the back of the boat
only. Bring a pair of binoculars to get a close look at the
passing
ships.You have a good chance of spotting some
dolphins playing alongside the boat. And people watching is a great
sport for all ages! When you get to the Galveston
side, stay on board for the return trip to Bolivar. |
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Spend
a day in
Galveston
browsing
on the Strand.
There are blocks and blocks of intriguing shops and gourmet
restaurants. See the stately Bishop's Palace on Broadway. The Railroad
Museum is a whimsical delight. On the ship channel near the elegant
Harbor House Hotel is the old sailing ship "Elissa". |
Visit
Moody
Gardens
Discover a ten story Rainforest Pyramid with over 2,000 species of
exotic plants, animals and butterflies from Asia, Africa and the
Americas. At the IMAX, (on the Moody grounds), see images in 3-D that
leap off the screen to the awesome sensation of IMAX digital sound. In
the same rotunda
enjoy gourmet meals with spectacular nightly Dancing Waters
fountain displays at the Garden Restaurant.The museum shop has
nature inspired gifts from around the world.There are acres of gardens
and jogging trails to explore. Daily cruises aboard the luxurious
Colonel Paddlewheel Boat leave from the dock there.
The children will especially enjoy Palm Beach at
Moody
Gardens,
with a massive freshwater swimming pool with sandy beach surrounding
it. Most of it is shallow water. There are lawn chairs, umbrellas and a
concession stand. Great! |
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