Campground Review: Galveston Island State Park – Galveston Island, Texas

Posted April 7, 2025 – Narrated by Jim

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In the late 1960’s in California, I lived near the beach. Beaches were a place to chill, play volleyball and wax your board.

But the song “Galveston” introduced me to a completely different idea where the beach was a place of poetry, mystery and romance, a beach you must see to believe.

Galveston Island State Park is ‘on-the-way’ to nowhere but Galveston…

… a barrier island at sea level with only three roads into and out of the 27-mile long island.

We were there in April so the shoulder season traffic was minimal, bugs were no problem, and the storm season, light. The weather couldn’t have been more pleasant. No wonder so many Texans keep second homes and boats on this big, breezy sub-tropical sand bar.

Galveston’s Origin

The nomadic Akokisa Tribe are the first-people of Galveston Island. Their long-term habitation is backed by archaeological evidence dated 2,000 years old.

Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca and his crew shipwrecked somewhere near Galveston in 1520 and the Akokisa were “discovered.”

Colonialism brought sickness and famine and by the early 1800s all Akokisa had fled the island. By 1885, Galveston was the largest and richest city in all of Texas.

A Storm hit Galveston on September 8, 1900 and basically destroyed the city.

It took years to rebuild, raise a seawall for protection, and establish Galveston as the tourist destination it is today.

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Galveston Island State Park

This 2,000 acre park opened in 1975.

The two entrances (bay-side and beach-side) are located on Seawall Road, about 13 miles from downtown Galveston.

Check-in

We camped on the beach–side, so our review is focused there. The check-in area is wide and inviting with plenty of room to pull over and receive the details of your stay.

The Roads

All the roads are paved and wide, making it easy to maneuver a big rig.

Camp Sites

A total of 119 camp sites are divided by the highway on the beach and bay sides.

Beach-side

The beach-side RV sites are clustered in two areas: the “main” beach-side campground…

and the “west” beach campground with 10, more isolated, dry camping sites.

58 of the beach-side RV sites have water hook-ups, 30/50 amp electricity, but no sewer. These sites are recently upgraded and freshly paved after severe storm damage in 2021. There are no trees, green screens or shade.

There are 22 beach-side sites reserved for tents, some with electricity and some with water.

Some sites are back-in with large grassy areas.

Some sites are across from the dunes with a gulf view,

and some sites are near a naturalized wet land where high tides and storm surge may flow.

Our site backed up to the wet land area near the day use.

A generous grassy space separates the sites.

Each RV site is equipped with a sturdy wood shelter fastened to a concrete slab, a wood picnic table, and a fire pit or standing grill.

The 10 older and isolated sites at the west end of the park have water nearby, but no utilities or shade.

Bay-side

20 bay-side RV sites provide water and 30/50 amp electricity. These two campsites are more compact, with a communal pavilion and shared ground fire rings.

The bay-side also has 10 tent-only sites with potable water.

There are two large Lodges available on the bay-side.

Stewart House has 3 bedrooms, 3 ½ bathrooms and sleeps up to 8 people.

Ranch House has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and sleeps up to 6 people.

Day Use

The beach-side offers a huge day use area with family-sized covered pavilions and a large grassy play area. There is a $5 per person fee for anyone more than 13 years old who is not camping there.

Next to the pavilions, are outdoor showers and changing rooms.

They even have a filtered water and ice dispenser next to the pavilions.

The Beach

There is safe, fully paved beach access from the campground.

And it is a beautiful beach. We were lucky to see the rare occurrence of blue water. Ever-changing water color is a natural characteristic of this barrier island.

You never know what the tide will bring. Occasionally, beautiful rainbow colored Portuguese Man o’ Wars wash up on the shore. DO NOT TOUCH!

Birders visit here by the tens of thousands – especially in Spring and Summer. More than 75 species have been spotted throughout the year. A free booklet is provided called “The Birds of Galveston Island State Park.”

Amenities

A conveniently located dump station is between the beach-side RV sites and the day use area, so don’t miss this great campground just because your site doesn’t have a sewer connection. We finally added a 15-gallon Portable Tote Tank (aka, our miniature Honey Wagon) to Our Gear and it came it handy. If you’ve never used a honey wagon, practice first! (don’t ask me how I know!)

The camping area had one restroom facility and two more, within walking distance, in the day use area.

All of these amenities were spotless and very well maintained.

No laundry or propane sales are available, but they do have a small park store.

Rangers frequently present educational programs and nature walks.

There is no WiFi, but our Verizon cell service provided excellent coverage and we were able to live stream movies.

There is no fee for dogs and they are allowed on the State Park beach. Be aware that many campers and locals do not observe the leash law. Litter cans are provided on the sand.

Trash disposal is provided in the center of the campground.

Prescribed Burn Warning

It wasn’t unexpected – we were warned at the gate when we checked in – that fire management was monitoring the weather for the right opportunity for a controlled burn. It could happen any time, they said. The smoke was intense for a few hours, and for days the area smelled of smoke. You may want to call the park office at (409) 737-1222 and ask if a burn is scheduled during your stay.

Kayaking and hiking

The bay-side has a kayak launch, but wind conditions did not allow us the opportunity to try it out.

There are 11 beautiful hikes ranging from one-to-five miles with marked trails.

Downtown Galveston

Downtown Galveston was a highlight for us. We love architecture and Galveston has plenty of eye candy. We spent a day walking and gawking at the city’s treasure trove of restored homes, churches and public buildings from the 1800s.

Galveston is known as a “tourist destination” and has all the typical attractions.

Breweries and Pubs

If you have been following us for long, you know we brake for breweries and Galveston has some fabulous craft brew.

A short 15-minute walk along the surf from our camp site is a small pub called Venados Cantina in Jamaica Beach.

Venados’ chef served us our first Corn Ribs. Holy Cow! Best vegan BBQ ever! We’re hooked! But don’t try making these at home! Corn ribs are best enjoyed when made by a professional where they serve cold draft beer… on the beach! Heaven!

The Campground Details

Galveston Island State Park is a beautiful, magical place.

The Park Address is 14901 FM 3005 , Galveston, TX 77554.

The GPS coordinates are: Latitude: 29.198755 – Longitude: -94.956212 or N 29° 11′ 55.518 W 94° 57′ 22.363

We paid $29 a night, but rates vary between seasons for as low as $10 a night for a dry tent site, and up to more than $200 for a lodge. There is a 14-nights maximum stay.

Check-in time is 2:00 pm and check-out time is noon.

You can make reservations online for up to 5 months in advance, or by calling (512) 389-8900.

The entrance gate is open at 7 am and locks at 10 pm, so plan your days accordingly.

The Park Ranger addresses questions about camping or day-use at 409-737-1222.

Your site must be claimed by noon the day after your scheduled arrival or you lose the site with only entrance fees refunded – all other fees forfeited.

The park does not offer Amazon or package deliveries.

100 Beaches

Pico de Gallo Great Explorer of the Universe knew the word “Beach” and, as we approached, he’d lean out the window of The Beast to catch the first sniff of salt air.

In nine years of full-time travel, Pico visited over 100 beaches where he’d kick up the sand and make crazy. Pico’s Tribute page covers details of his passing last year, but for those who loved him, we’re sharing his last “wild dog” beach run on Galveston Island.

You can see our exact route on this map.

*photos in this post (unless otherwise noted) were taken and copyrighted by Living In Beauty.

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We were not paid, compensated nor influenced in any way by anyone for this campground review.

See our other campground reviews.