Balloons
Garlands • Arches
Centerpieces • Backdrops
T H I N G S T O D O
ON T H E I S L A N D
Tree Sculpture Tour
After Hurricane Ike devastated Galveston in 2008, local artists turned the remains of damaged oak trees into stunning sculptures. Scattered throughout the East End Historic District, these hidden works of art—featuring dolphins, mermaids, angels, and more—offer a unique walking tour experience and a testament to Galveston’s resilience and creativity. Scan the QR code below for the full map of all the sculpture locations.
Poretto Beach
Lasker Park Community Pool
One of Galveston’s hidden gems, Porretto Beach offers a more relaxed vibe compared to the busier public beaches. Open to the public from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day (with occasional special events), this family-owned spot is perfect for a quiet day by the shore. Umbrella and chair rentals are available daily from 8 am to 5 pm, and parking is open from 8 am to 7 pm. Weather permitting, Porretto also welcomes visitors on select weekends in April and May.
Beat the heat at Lasker Park Community Pool, a local favorite for families and water lovers alike. With water slides, lap lanes, and a splash pad, it’s the perfect spot to cool off while enjoying a day in the sun. The pool will reopen on April 19, 2025, for the season. Scan the QR code for full details on hours and pricing.
LET’S EAT with Happy Buddah
If you're in the mood for flavorful chinese food, look no further than Happy Buddah, one of our favorite local gems.
Start your meal off right with their cream cheese puffs—crispy, golden bites filled with smooth, rich cream cheese that practically melt in your mouth. Don’t forget to dip it in the sweet n’ sour sauce. Follow it up with a bowl of their signature wonton soup, packed with savory broth and tender dumplings that are both hearty and soothing, especially on a breezy island day.
For your main dish, you can’t go wrong with the pepper steak with fried rice. Tender slices of beef are stir-fried in a rich, savory sauce with bell peppers and onions, then served alongside perfectly cooked fried rice and an eggroll. It’s a hearty, flavorful classic that delivers every time—comfort food at its finest.
Whether you're grabbing a quick lunch or sitting down for dinner with family and friends, Happy Buddah delivers big on flavor, portions, and local charm.
Stop by and statisfy you’re craving at 2827 61st St, Galveston, TX 77551. One visit, and you’ll see why this spot has such a loyal local following.
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Dawn Donuts, located at 6302 Stewart Road, is a beloved family-owned bakery known for its wide selection of freshly baked treats. They offer a variety of delicious donuts, including favorites like apple fritters and blueberry muffins. In addition, they serve savory options such as boudin kolaches, as well as ham, egg, and cheese biscuits, and bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits.
The bakery is highly praised for its friendly and attentive service, even during the early morning hours.
Duchess PenDragon
Meet Duchess Whitt and her path to poetry. Through her poetry, she hopes to inspire others to be unapologetic in their humanity. She wants readers and listeners to feel permission to be loud, curious, and outrageous—their true, authentic selves. Above all, she hopes her work encourages others to feel deeply and share those feelings with the world, creating a space for uncomfortable but necessary conversations. With its raw honesty and rich emotional landscape, carries the message that it’s okay to love yourself, to confront difficult truths, and to open the door to meaningful, often uncomfortable, dialogues. In the end, she hopes her poetry is remembered for giving people permission to embrace their full selves, no matter how messy or complex.
Her journey to poetry began with a school assignment. She was tasked with writing a poem in her creative writing class, and when she submitted it, something remarkable happened. Her teacher, Mrs. Chuckran, took notice of her work and encouraged her to write more. The teacher even challenged Duchess to submit her poetry to the school’s poetic anthology, a yearly publication that showcased student work. This moment was a turning point, sparking a lifelong relationship with poetry that would become much more than just an academic assignment.
Duchess’s poetry is deeply influenced by a mix of literary and musical figures whose work speaks truth to power. James Baldwin, Nikki Giovanni, Maya Angelou, and Nina Simone all helped shape her approach to writing. While Nina Simone is often celebrated for her musical contributions, Duchess argues that Simone’s songs are pure poetry. Each of these figures has a distinct voice, marked not only by melody and rhythm but by their ability to tackle difficult, often uncomfortable topics head-on. They spoke out about issues that polite society tended to ignore, addressing topics like race, identity, and injustice in a way that made those hard conversations accessible. For Duchess, these artists were more than just inspirations for their art—they were models for living authentically and unapologetically, and their diction and cadence helped shape her own voice.
Throughout her life, poetry has played many roles for Duchess. It has been her lover, friend, therapist, and even arch nemesis. On some days, poetry has gently guided her to face difficult truths, while on others, it has challenged her, making it hard to find the right words. Still, it has allowed her to confront both pride and shame, to embrace her duality, and to maintain her sanity. Poetry became a mirror that reflected her humanity, and through it, she learned to paint the canvas of her mind with vivid colors. What might have been seen as a twodimensional idea or emotion was transformed into a living, breathing experience.
PenDragon
Early in her career, Duchess’s poetry was darker, filled with raw emotion and unhealed wounds. It was like a child stumbling in the dark, searching for comfort. However, as time passed and she healed from childhood trauma, her writing evolved. The poems became more like stories—pieces with a narrative arc, complete with a beginning, middle, and end. The shift was significant; what once felt like a stream of consciousness or a rant filled with semicolons and commas had transformed into cohesive, structured pieces that took the reader on a journey.
Despite her deep connection to poetry, Duchess has faced moments of struggle, particularly when writer’s block takes hold. After the passing of her grandmother two years ago, the flow of words became a trickle. She likens the experience to preparing to speak with someone but finding that the words won’t come out as intended. For her, writer’s block is a signal to reconnect with herself, to return to the basics, and to ground herself. She spends time in nature, breathing deeply and purging emotional tension. When the floodgates eventually open, she knows that no pen can keep up with the rapid flow of words that follow.
One of the most rewarding aspects of Duchess’s poetry career is the personal connection she shares with her audience. After performing, there’s often a moment when someone from the back of the room approaches her to express how her words touched their heart. These moments of connection validate the purpose of her work, showing her that her poetry is not only seen but deeply felt. For Duchess, it’s these interactions that make the journey worthwhile.
Currently, Duchess is working on a book—a collection of poems chronicling her journey with multiple sclerosis (MS). She is also writing a play, inspired by her piece “Sandbox Chronicles: The N Word,” which delves into her childhood experiences. Her writing is a continuous process of healing, growth, and discovery, and she hopes that her work will encourage others to embrace their own stories.
LOCAL VIBE
Right here on the island, where the sea breeze meets strong community roots, a local coffee gem is quietly making waves. Meet Alexandra Benitez, the passionate founder of Café Delicia—a small but mighty business built on late-night study sessions, motherhood, and a serious love for
As a full-time student at UHCL and a mom, Alexandra took a leap of faith—leaving her job to chase her dream of bringing handcrafted, high-quality coffee to the Galveston community. And she’s doing just that, one
“I wanted to create something that felt personal,” Alexandra says. “Coffee has always been my comfort, and now I get to share that with others.”
Galveston and easy pickup options for those on the go.
More than just a coffee business, Café Delicia is a story of heart, hustle, and the power of community support. So next time you're craving a caffeine fix, think local—think Café Delicia.
Order by texting (850)-346-4345, Messenger, or Instagram @cafedelicia.gtx
FROM BAY TO BAR
shucking oysters & serving up fresh coastal vibes with every shell
Meet Julian Perez and his oyster journey. Growing up in Queens, NYC, Julian spent many fishing trips with his grandparents on Long Island, where he developed an early connection to marine life. This passion only deepened during his time at New York Harbor High School, where he focused on oyster restoration through the Billion Oyster Project. After earning a degree in Coastal Environmental Science and Society from Texas A&M Galveston, he found himself between jobs at the end of the COVID pandemic. It was during this transitional period that he walked into Shucks Oyster Bar & Tavern looking for work. Thanks to his knowledge of oysters and experience in the kitchen, he was hired on the spot, marking the beginning of his journey into professional oyster shucking.
At Shucks, Julian works with some of the freshest oysters he’s ever encountered, including the Mermaid Tears from Lonestar Oyster Co., harvested from West Galveston Bay. These oysters are the restaurant’s most local offering, and their fresh, clean taste is truly a delight. While he enjoys working with these exceptional oysters, Julian dreams of visiting more oyster farms in the future to shuck oysters straight from the farm, just minutes after they’re harvested. He believes there’s something magical about tasting oysters at their peak of freshness.
When it comes to shucking, Julian looks for a few key qualities in a good oyster. First, he checks the outside— a clean, well-rinsed oyster with a deep cup is a solid starting point. The fringe or bill should be tightly closed, a sign that the oyster is alive and fresh. He then inspects the hinge, the area where the two shells meet. The hinge should be clean and should open easily with the right shucking knife. Shucking oysters is an art that requires skill and care. Rushing or forcing the knife can damage the oyster, ruining its texture and flavor. While the exterior is tough, the interior is delicate and should be treated with respect. A poorly shucked oyster (what I call an “ABC oyster”) looks chewed, while a perfect shuck keeps the oyster intact, showcasing its best qualities. A clean shuck is essential for a true oyster experience. As a raw bar shucker, Julian ensure every oyster is properly shucked, revealing the natural taste and the work that goes into preparing it. Shucking requires finesse—separating the adductor muscles and removing any grit or shell fragments is key to preserving the clean flavor.
When he first started, the biggest challenge was the learning curve of shucking oysters—often with a bit of blood, sweat, and tears. But, like anything, practice makes perfect. He’s shared plenty of laughs with both new and regular customers, and he truly appreciates the sense of coastal community that oysters bring. They have a unique way of bringing people together.
Julian loves sharing this incredible food with guests and friends. It’s rare to have a bad time eating oysters, and he takes pride in seeing adventurous eaters try their first oyster that he’s shucked—it’s a moment they won’t forget. Make sure to follow Julian at www.instagram.com/stingrayj
So, keep on shucking and eat more oysters!
A Historic Bridge Connecting the Island to the Mainland
Though often mistakenly noted as opening in 1915, the Galveston Causeway in fact welcomed its first vehicles across in 1912, providing a much-needed connection between the island and the city of Texas City. Prior to the bridge, residents and visitors were dependent on ferries to make the difficult and often delayed trip across the bay. The causeway’s construction marked a significant shift in both the daily lives of islanders and the larger economic landscape of the region.
The causeway’s completion also laid the groundwork for a vital transportation route that would allow not only locals but also tourists and businesses to travel between Galveston Island and the mainland with unprecedented ease. The bridge’s design—spanning the bay with robust steel and concrete—was an engineering marvel at the time, giving a sense of permanence and possibility to the island’s future.
With the new connection to the mainland, Galveston’s economic prospects flourished. The island, already an important port for trade, was now seamlessly linked to the larger Houston-Galveston metropolitan area. This boosted the flow of goods, commerce, and people, allowing for quicker access to markets, services, and transportation routes. It also spurred tourism, as visitors from across Texas and beyond could now easily access the island’s beaches, historic sites, and vibrant culture.
The Galveston Causeway
Furthermore, the Galveston Causeway helped integrate the island into broader regional growth. No longer isolated, Galveston became more than just a local community—it was an accessible destination and a thriving center for both business and leisure. Over time, the causeway supported the development of new neighborhoods, businesses, and industries on both the island and mainland, creating a lasting impact on the local economy.
More than a century after its opening, the Galveston Causeway remains a central transportation route. It continues to serve as the primary link between the island and Texas City, supporting both daily commuting and tourism. The causeway’s legacy endures in the continued growth and modernization of Galveston, which has evolved from a quiet island port into a bustling hub for residents and visitors alike.
Today, the causeway not only serves as a reminder of the island’s historical transformation but also stands as an essential piece of the region’s infrastructure. It has played a key role in shaping the modern landscape of Galveston, influencing everything from transportation to economic development.
Photo Credit: Texas Railroad History
Photo Credit: Rosenberg Library
Verses, vibes, and coffee.
Join in for an unforgettable Poetry Night! Every 3rd Thursday of the month.
@ The Proletariat on 2221 Market St.
Family Free Night at Galveston Children’s Museum
Thursday, April 10th from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM - 2618 Broadway St.
Enjoy the excitement of discovery and play with FREE admission to the Galveston Children’s Museum every second Thursday of the month, from 4 to 7 PM! We’re committed to giving every child the opportunity to explore, learn, and have fun, which is why we’re thrilled to offer this special evening for all to enjoy.
Galveston Steampunk Festival
Friday - Sunday, April 11th - 13th - Moody Gardens & Historic Downtown Galveston
An annual that celebrates the steampunk subculture - a genre of science fiction and a lifestyle inspired by the aesthetics and technologies of the 19th century, especially the Victorian era. This festival typically features a wide variety of activities It’s a fun, imaginative festival that invites people to immerse themselves in a world where the past meets the future with a fantastical twist!
Easter Egg Hunt at Seawolf Park
Saturday, April 19 from 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM - 100 Seawolf Park Blvd.
Hop on over to Seawolf Park for an Easter celebration! Kids ages 0-12 can enjoy a FREE Easter Egg Hunt, meet the Easter Bunny, and participate in face painting, games, and more. Don’t miss out on this fun community tradition! Parking is free for Galveston residents with a valid ID or $6 per vehicle for non-residents.
The Grand Kids Festival
Saturday, April 26th from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM - Postoffice St., between 21st & 23rd St.
An annual event focused on providing a fun, interactive, and educational experience for children and families. It’s typically held on The Strand in historic downtown Galveston. This festival features a wide range of activities, performances, and entertainment designed for kids of all ages. The festival is all about creating a memorable and enjoyable experience for children while offering families a chance to spend time together in a lively and vibrant atmosphere.
Stroll the Seawall
The Seawall is one of the most iconic spots in Galveston. It stretches for miles along the Gulf of Mexico, offering a picturesque view of the water and often a relaxing breeze at night. You can walk, bike, or just enjoy the sound of the waves.
Nighttime Kayaking with GlowRow
Galveston offers an unparalleled nighttime kayaking experience for seasoned paddlers seeking adventure on the vibrant waters of San Luis Pass. It’s designed for experienced kayakers who crave the thrill of paddling under the stars in one of Texas’ most historically rich coastal areas. Only on Saturdays. Go to website for more info. https://glowrow.com
The Grand 1894 Opera House
The Opera House offers a great night of entertainment with live performances. Whether it’s a Broadway show, comedy act, or live concert, this historic theater is a wonderful place to enjoy an evening out.
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“A Wave From It All” where you can get that much needed rest and relax. What’s that one thing we all look for in a hotel, condo, or vacation rental? Excellent customer service is what we can provide to you and your family. Where we aim to please and know you’ll have the time of your life! Feel free to send a message with any and all questions so we can reach back out to fulfill that escape!
Registration number - GVR-05405
