Galveston and Kemah, Texas

[wildebill308]

judatt, on 13 Nov 2015 - 07:00 AM, said:

Hi Bill.

We appreciate your advice and may yet decide to take the plunge. However, I'm retiring from a job where I traveled a good bit and have a good bit of benefits stored up for use in retirement - several hundred thousand airline miles (mostly on Delta); several hundred thousand Hilton points and tens of thousands in other hotel chains; and I have several free days and executive status with National Car rental. This allows me to get some good rates and I've already checked into renting a car for a week in Florida and for a month in south Texas on this first trip.

Now that we've bought the motor home we don't plan to use the hotel points or airline miles here in the USA - we have some overseas trips we want to make and will use them for those trips. More than you want to know but we have our first retirement trip already planned. I have been to Sydney a couple of times on business trips and my wife wasn't able to go with me so she has always wanted to go to Australia. Next fall we are flying to Singapore (using miles) getting on a cruise ship and going through Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand. Be on the ship almost a month and then fly home from Sydney. We'll stay a few days in Singapore before the cruise and a few days after the cruise in Sydney and both times we will use points to get free hotels.

All that business travel needs to have some benefit! Frankly, after a pretty intense job (CFO) for the past many years I'm looking forward to just finding some beautiful spots in our great country and doing almost nothing for awhile.

David

It sounds like you have some fun plans for using your airline miles.

Have you picked what area in Texas you would like to visit? I posted the information on the Lagoons RV park as a suggestion. Now you will probably be coming from Florida on I-10. I would recommend stopping for a couple of days in Galveston. We have stayed at Dellanera RV Park 10901 Termini-San Luis Pass Rd, Galveston, TX 77554, (409) 797-5102 galveston.com

Nice place next to the beach. Let me know I can recommend some places to eat, too.

Yes you can get by renting a car. Hear is that big BUT. You are going to set it up any way why not have it with you and not have to hassle with the rental car places. Just saying you had to put up with dealing with them when you had to travel.

Now please go re read the part I said about your first day it will make the start of your trip easier. I see two many people who want to drive 5-600 miles their first day. I drive between 250-350 miles a day. Just how excited are you, quiting work and going on a great trip.

Bill

Edited November 18, 2015 by tmoning
Moderator's note: The posts on this topic were split from a Buick towing topic that meandered to discussion about Galveston and Kemah.

[judatt]

Hi Bill. I am going to follow your advice on the first day trip - looking at driving from Richmond to somewhere along the North and South Carolina border. It's about 265 miles straight down I-95. We were just in Galveston in September. We have friends - he was best man in our wedding 42 years ago and I was in their wedding a year later - who had never been on a cruise. We met up in Houston and drove down to Galveston and went on a cruise together and had a blast. We spent a couple of days in Galveston before the cruise. We stayed at the Hilton and had a memorable meal next door at Landry's.

For the month of January we are looking at Winter Haven Resort in Brownsville. There are lots and lots and lots of places in South Texas. Hard to make a decision but that one looks nice. The place you recommended looks great and we may yet try it. It's a little farther north than we thought we'd go but it sure looks like a great place.

Thanks for all the good info.

David

[wildebill308]

So you are going to stop at South Of The Border. You probably already have this site RV Park Reviews but if not hear is the address: http://www.rvparkreviews.com/

Now if you stop in Galveston you will have your Condo with you. You know Landry's has several places in Galveston they are always worth checking out for a GREAT meal. Like Willie G's down near where the cruse ships dock. Are you a member of Landry's rewards: http://www.landrysinc.com/selectclub.asp

Yes Winter Haven is about as far south as you can go. We haven't stayed there but went to a rally at Texas Trails RV Resort last February. it is in Pharr which is in the Edinburg, McAllen area just up the road.

Galveston, Rockport, Brownsville, look like good "stepping stones" down the cost.

Bill

[wayne77590]

Anyone getting to the Galveston area give us a holler. We live in Texas City, 14 miles from dowtown Galveston. Landry's has many resturants in the area. Run up to the Boardwalk in Kemah, walk around and eat in one of the fine resturants. Or, like I said, give a holler as there are many fine eating establishments around and many cheaper than the tourist areas.

[hermanmullins]

Wayne,

Know Kemah well. Used to go there when the biggest thing there was Jimmy Walkers and the bridge was two lanes. Really changed in the last 40 years.

A bit of trivia. In Louisiana there is a small chain of restaurants called Don'S Seafood. Lafayette is the home of Don's. One of Don's sons decided that he wanted to venture out on this own and started his own restaurant. He built a nice chain himself but decided to sell and go back with the family so he sold his chain better known as "Landry's. His father was, "Don Landry".

Herman

[wolfe10]

Wow, back in time in Kemah. I remember having to wait for the drawbridge on 146 to open for us to take our sailboat in and out. And, then maneuver is the fast-running current through the narrow RR swing bridge.

BTW, there are more pleasure boats here on Clear Lake/Kemah than any place until you get to the Tampa area.

[wayne77590]

Just a few days ago I was telling my son about his grandfather. may he rest in peace. He would sit under the Kemah draw bridge with a portable air horn and everyonce in a while.....yeah, you guessed it.

The Kemah draw bridge was from 1962 to 1986.

Brett, remember when they built that marina next to the Kemah Boardwalk with 400 slips? I watched as going back and forth to NASA and was wondering how in the world would the fill it up with that many boats. It has 400 slips. It took about a month to fill it and it has been filled ever since.

Anyone planning a trip down this way, give the Kemah Boardwalk a look-see. There are many campgrounds within 20 miles or less. and 25 miles from Galveston.

[judatt]

Just a few days ago I was telling my son about his grandfather. may he rest in peace. He would sit under the Kemah draw bridge with a portable air horn and everyonce in a while.....yeah, you guessed it.

The Kemah draw bridge was from 1962 to 1986.

Brett, remember when they built that marina next to the Kemah Boardwalk with 400 slips? I watched as going back and forth to NASA and was wondering how in the world would the fill it up with that many boats. It has 400 slips. It took about a month to fill it and it has been filled ever since.

Anyone planning a trip down this way, give the Kemah Boardwalk a look-see. There are many campgrounds within 20 miles or less. and 25 miles from Galveston.

I grew up a Dallas Cowboys fan and just assumed Landry's had something to do with Tom Landry. Don't know why I would assume that and obviously was wrong. Doesn't matter who started it, they have some mighty good seafood. David

[wildebill308]

David, did you go to their website and see all the restaurants under their umbrella?

Bill

[wayne77590]

In this area they are not the only ones that have good seafood.

Come on down and I'll take you to a place where you can eat all the catfish you want for $10.99, and other seafood for very reasonable prices.

I'll let the cat (er fish) out of the bag. The Fish Place in Dickinson, TX. But you are correct that Landry's has some good seafood.

p.s., The best stuffed Jalapenos.

[hermanmullins]

Wayne,

Some of the best Sea Food in your area years ago was at a place called "Linchburg Crossing" until it burned and rebuilt. I don't even know if is even still there, it's been since the seventies since I was last there.

Brett, it wont be long before the Christmas Lights Regatta in Clear Lake. Bob Taylor, a customer of mine was Grand Marshal for several years.

Thanks to all for a nice trip down Memory Lane.

Herman

[wayne77590]

Herman,

All the current searches bring up Monument Inn. It burned to the ground and was rebuilt. Could they be the same?

Close to the San Jac Monument?

[hermanmullins]

Wayne,

There was an all you can eat restaurant next to the Battle Ship Texas, I believe called the San Jacinta Inn. Linchburg Crossing was further down right at where the Ferry crossed the ship channel. It was a white clapboard building up on pilings with a wide front entry. It had 4 menus, one on each wall with red and white checkered tablecloths.

Herman

[wayne77590]

Oh! One of them thar fancy resturants.

Nope never went to it.

[elkhartjim]

It's the Monument Inn that Herman is thinking about. Its on the south side of Battleground Rd almost adjacent to the ferry landing.

[wayne77590]

Exactly what I thought! Might have to give it a try.

[wolfe10]

I will add two "out of the way" restaurant to the mix: http://www.topwatergrill.com/

And: http://stingaree.com/ Stingaree is normally our first stop in the sail boat in our "migration" from Galveston Bay to the Bahamas. Going to Stingeree by land is also a good excuse to take the FREE ferry from Galveston to Bolivar.

[wildebill308]

Brett, I will have to add that to the list. To many great places. I am ready to come back. The first freeze of the year is expected tonight.

I like taking the free ferry and watching the dolphins.

Bill