Current Articles | Categories | Search | Syndication

112 reasons to live in Galveston County 614 Views :: 2 Comments :: :: Local News 101 112 reasons to live in Galveston County People from around the world have chosen to make Galveston County home. Here are 112 reasons why (and many thanks to everyone who contributed): 1. The county is home to 270,000 of us. 2. The smell of October on the coast. 3. Waves crashing on stone. 4. Wandering the eerie ruins of Fort Travis on the Bolivar Peninsula. 5. Spending a day in peace at the Christian Renewal Center in Dickinson. 6. Listening to birds coming in for the night at Bolivar Flats. 7. Going to the movies and seeing so many people you know by name. 8. The Moody Gardens skyline at Christmas time. 9. Bob Greeley and the Habitat for Humanity volunteers in Texas City. 10. Watching the July 4 fireworks shows of all the Clear Lake cities from South Shore Harbour. 11. The Galveston-Bolivar Ferry, one of the best entertainment bargains anywhere. 12. All the Galveston County residents who provide talent, vision and leadership at NASA. 13. Tiki Island Chapel. It doesn’t matter if you’re a regular or a visitor, and it doesn’t matter what religion you choose. 14. Bay Street Park in Texas City, the county’s best outdoor adventure and a way to get back to nature without leaving the city. 15. GOODWILL: If diligent, you can purchase an entire summer wardrobe for a song. 16. The Grand 1894 Opera House. 17. Room to grow — 398 square miles to be exact. 18. Galveston’s seawall — the world’s skinniest park. 19. The annual Advent pilgrimage to downtown Galveston churches. 20. Texas City Museum, an unpolished gem of Galveston County. 21. Neighbors who know when you need a hand and give it before you ask. 22. Barbara White of Texas City, the volunteer for so many community organizations. 23. Sonny’s hot dogs with lots of chili and onions. 24. The oldest newspaper in Texas but one that manages to change with the times. 25. The most beautiful sunrises and sunsets anywhere. 26. The Diner on 61st Street, Galveston — old-fashioned friendliness, old-fashioned service and old-fashioned breakfasts. 27. You can get nearly anywhere in Galveston County in 30 minutes. 28. BOIs who never left (I married one) and the world-weary BOIs who come home. 29. Rosenberg Library of Galveston, one of Texas’ best. 30. Whiskerville Animal Sanctuary in Texas City, saving lives daily. 31. Clary’s grilled oysters. 32. Filets at the San Luis Steakhouse. 33. Marinara sauce at Mario’s Seawall Restaurant — best in the world. 34. Anything at Gaido’s in Galveston. 35. The grilled snapper or just about anything else at Shearn’s (check out the gorgeous view from the bar). 36. Sushi at Yamato’s on 61st Street, Galveston. 37. Bikinis. 38. The rich voices of organs in some of Texas’ most historic churches. 39. People who write letters to the editor, especially those who disagree. 40. Festivals — Dickens. The madness of Mardi Gras. The roar of the biker rally in Galveston. Hitchcock’s Good Ole Days in August. Texas City’s annual shrimp boil. League City Village Fair. La Marque’s annual Grill Off. Oktoberfest in more than one community. And the beat goes on. 41. Jimmy Hayley of the Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce and Gina Spagnola of the Galveston Chamber. 42. The philosophers and poets who hang out at the Mod Coffee House on Postoffice Street in Galveston. 43. Brown pelicans gliding in formation on a summer updraft. 44. The county’s emergency medical technicians, saving lives every day. 45. The Doyle family of Texas City, doing more than just about anyone to shape the county’s future. 46. Offatts Bayou, mast lights twinkling in the west, a water-borne village made for holidays. 47. El Nopalito’s in December, because Mexican food’s best when it’s cold outside. 48. Family legends. Ask the Schapers how their attic became an ark in the 1900 storm. Every old family has its stories. 49. The sound of the doves in the live oaks outside my bedroom. 50. UTMB. It keeps us in touch with the rest of the world. 51. The reflection of the moon on the Gulf on clear nights. 52. Running through Galveston’s mysterious streets at dawn. 53. Our county’s United Way campaigns, serving so many. 54. Galveston County’s loving, wise and sometimes exasperating senior citizens. 55. The Chilean sea bass or the grilled salmon at Saltwater Grill in Galveston. 56. Paco’s special Vera Cruz sauce — and old-fashioned, personal service — at Rudy and Paco’s in Galveston. 57. Landry’s at 53rd Street in Galveston, where Nolberto Vela welcomes everyone. 58. The clear, crisp way the air feels after a norther. 59. Catching fish in the clear water with Captain Billy aboard Good News! 60. Old wooden houses where wooden shutters sing of memories in the wind. 61. Sunshine. Don’t you love the way suntan oil smells? 62. The Hospice Christmas tree on our island building. 63. Summer band concerts at the Sealy Gazebo in Galveston. 64. College of the Mainland and Galveston College — elite education with a populist price. 65. Hidden treasures, statues of famous medical men in Old Red. 66. The historic lighthouse on Bolivar Peninsula. 67. The island’s ANICO building with its new green halo. 68. Garcia’s Mexican Grill on FM 517. 69. The ranch-like atmosphere of Double Dave’s Pizza in League City. 70. Rollover Pass on a summer morning with fishermen shoulder to shoulder. 71. Flounder running in the fall. 72. The Galveston County Fair, where real Galveston County folks come out to play. 73. The new Galveston Island Causeway, now more than halfway finished. 74. The Spot on Seawall Boulevard — a home-owned restaurant for hometown folks. 75. If you’re into pier fishing, there’s no better spot than Galveston Fishing Pier at 90th and Seawall. 76. Dickinson’s annual festival of lights. It’s just magical. 77. Keith Kiplinger of Dickinson. Nobody does more single-handedly for any Galveston County community. He’s fire chief and economic development coordinator. 78. “Longhorns.” That’s the metal sculpture at Exit 16 on I-45. The artist is David Govedare. 79. Galveston’s Jesse Tree — a social-service organization that has both a heart and a brain. 80. Helen’s Garden in League City. There’s a bride having her picture made there every weekend in the spring and summer. 81. Football — from sweltering August to the chill of December, our county plays hard. 82. Leon’s In and Out on Broadway in Galveston — great barbecue. 83. The ancient, windblown live oaks on the island’s West End. 84. The whispering pines in Dickinson. 85. Haak Winery and Vineyards in Santa Fe, a local vineyard that has won 26 awards for quality wines. 86. Hot Cain’s coffee, hot cinnamon rolls and hot gossip at Homecut Donuts (thanks to departed friend Max Rizley for this one). 87. Summer block parties on Galveston’s East End. 88. George Mitchell, who has used his wealth to build a better Galveston. 89. People who have read our paper for more than 75 years and whose parents and grandparents read it before them. 90. Drinking coffee on a Sunday morning at Starbuck’s (22nd and Harborside), watching the cruise passengers disembark. 91. The drone of locusts in August. 92. Fried pickles at Sherry’s Alta Loma Café. 93. The fact that so many are born here and stay here, never feeling the need to search for something better. 94. Grilled shrimp and margaritas at Gringo’s in Texas City. 95. Kevin Yackly (owner of Grand Prize BBQ in Texas City), always willing to spend his time and money to support our county. 96. Foster parents who provide safe haven for children who need shelter, discipline and (most urgently) love. 97. Watching your kids play in the fountains at Kemah on a hot afternoon. 98. Going into Santa Fe’s Big Chief Grocery Store after being gone a while and seeing three people you know. 99. My church, First Lutheran in Galveston, and yours, too. 100. Roots in a world that is more and more rootless. 101. Endless hope for brighter tomorrows. 102. The Bolivar Peninsula in Galveston County is the rising star in the lone star state. By Dolph Tillotson, president and publisher of The Galveston Daily News. The Top 10 Reasons to Believe in Bolivar Peninsula of Galveston County 1. Naturally beautiful lush-green warm weather climate with a gentle breeze and spectacular sunsets on the bay 2. 30 miles of contiguous beachfront with large sections protected by State Parks and Audubon Society nature preserves 3. Legendary fishing and hunting 4. Closest deep water access to the Gulf of Mexico for yachting and boat lovers 5. Peace of mind - low crime, yet big city access, thanks to our ferry buffer 6. Gulf carting on the beaches a way-of-life and allowed by state law 7. Bird watching mecca situated on their north-south migration trail 8. Best values for oceanfront real estate in the world 9. Relaxed family oriented lifestyle and community atmosphere 10. You are welcomed with open arms to become part of the friendliest community on the Texas Gulf Coast Visit http://www.bolivarchamber.org