12thman Posted April 2, 2023 Report Share Posted April 2, 2023 Never been to Texas. Where does one stay before the cruise? Downtown Houston or by the port? Budget is $400 for 1 day. Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChessE4 Posted April 2, 2023 Report Share Posted April 2, 2023 I would go to Galveston, and there are many options as indicated in All Things Galveston and other threads. Even if you spend $100 on transportation from Houston to Galveston, there are reasonable rooms in many hotels. KristiZ and 12thman 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobroo Posted April 2, 2023 Report Share Posted April 2, 2023 I'm sure you are going to get a long list of responses from El Cheapo by the airport to an extravagant Victorian BnB on the coast. Certainly many will chime in with RCB links to All Things Galveston. My answer to your question is that your are asking the wrong question. You should be asking "I've never been to Texas, what things are there between Houston and Galveston that are uniquely Texas? What things should a visitor not miss? How do I enhance my vacation by taking a travel day and injecting a brief taste of the Republic of Texas into it?" Now you are getting somewhere! Time to open your internet browser to Google Maps and start researching and plotting every Johnson Space Center, Schlitterbahn, Whataburger, Rudy's BBQ, the boardwalk in Kemah, Buckee's, the Houston Astros home schedule, and Moody Gardens you can find. Truth is Houston/ Galveston is a goldmine of enriching pre cruise things to do and see. Which of those things fit into your schedule? Which are most appealing to you and your family? Which ones do you not necessarily need to make the biggest commitment to? Meaning: things seldom run like a train schedule; what if we are too tired, it's raining, or it's just too damn hot? 'Cause tickets to the opera that sounded like a great idea might turn out to be just too much. Where your pre cruise hotel should be is close to the Plan A's you've selected with a bunch of ulterior Plan B's close by. Personally, the lousy $100 Royal charges for some time at the Johnson Space Center and drop off at IAH post cruise is well worth whatever you have to do to make your return flight at 5:00pm or later. I've found it best to rent a pick up truck at the airport and drop it off the next day in Galveston. Even though it's an airport rental and you get whacked again by are not dropping it off at the same location; it's the path of least resistance and makes a lot of sense. Speaking of pick up trucks, a fun game I like to play is counting the pick up trucks on a stretch of road or say, over the next ten minutes of driving. Brush up on exponential notation before you leave home, you'll need it. Villageidiot 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12thman Posted April 2, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2023 @bobroothanks! Food for thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ahaque Posted April 2, 2023 Report Share Posted April 2, 2023 Are you flying into bush (IAH) or Hobby? Hobby is much closer to galveston (by an hr) and already further south of downtown by 15 mins (if there's no traffic but could take 30+ if there is traffic). If your sole purpose is to just be rested prior to your cruise then it would probably be best to get a hotel south of Hobby NEAR galveston but not necessarily in galveston (plenty of options) from clear lake to league city and even into Galveston itself. @bobroo brings up some good points and one thing I would suggest is some Texas BBQ usually for lunch as many places open around 11 am and sell til they run out of items. Also its spelled Bucee's 12thman and bobroo 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobroo Posted April 2, 2023 Report Share Posted April 2, 2023 Couple other quick things. What I wrote above works for ANY port, just change the name to where it is you are going. I know it is not always possible but I encourage everyone to make the most of the pre cruise day. Arrive early! Explore that city and treat it as though it a port stop on your cruise. It is indeed your first day of vacation. When selecting a hotel, location is the big determining factor. Being a part of your favorite hotel chain that you accrue points so that at some point you get a free night is also big. Price? Price is about the 3rd or 4th thing I look at. I want to determine the VALUE of staying at a particular place. Yes, cost is an important factor; but only in relation to its' value. If you don't look at your pre cruise this way, then you are going to know every Super 8 by every airport really well and know nothing about the people and culture of your pre cruise cities. Finally, all this research is a part of your cruise. It is a part of the fun. It makes you a better traveler and a better person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobroo Posted April 2, 2023 Report Share Posted April 2, 2023 50 minutes ago, Ahaque said: Are you flying into bush (IAH) or Hobby? Hobby is much closer to galveston (by an hr) and already further south of downtown by 15 mins (if there's no traffic but could take 30+ if there is traffic). If your sole purpose is to just be rested prior to your cruise then it would probably be best to get a hotel south of Hobby NEAR galveston but not necessarily in galveston (plenty of options) from clear lake to league city and even into Galveston itself. @bobroo brings up some good points and one thing I would suggest is some Texas BBQ usually for lunch as many places open around 11 am and sell til they run out of items. Also its spelled Bucee's Awe man! Any points I was making by the Republic of Texas thing have immediately been taken away! I am such an idiot!!!! DoomSlayer and Ahaque 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoomSlayer Posted April 2, 2023 Report Share Posted April 2, 2023 27 minutes ago, bobroo said: Awe man! Any points I was making by the Republic of Texas thing have immediately been taken away! I am such an idiot!!!! Don’t feel too bad because @Ahaque got it wrong too. It is actually spelled “Buc-ee’s”. https://buc-ees.com V12Tommy, bobroo, fireclan and 2 others 2 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12thman Posted April 2, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2023 1 hour ago, Ahaque said: Are you flying into bush (IAH) or Hobby? Hobby is much closer to galveston (by an hr) and already further south of downtown by 15 mins (if there's no traffic but could take 30+ if there is traffic). If your sole purpose is to just be rested prior to your cruise then it would probably be best to get a hotel south of Hobby NEAR galveston but not necessarily in galveston (plenty of options) from clear lake to league city and even into Galveston itself. @bobroo brings up some good points and one thing I would suggest is some Texas BBQ usually for lunch as many places open around 11 am and sell til they run out of items. Also its spelled Bucee's I'm so clueless!! I've been looking at IAH flights. Guess I'll be checking hobby as well. Seems SWA is the cheapest since it's their hometown airline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ahaque Posted April 2, 2023 Report Share Posted April 2, 2023 LMAO too right you are @DoomSlayer...but no one in texas actually inserts the hyphen and in fact I dont think its even on their billboards like that but I could be wrong and just dont see it... @12thman When I fly to/from IAH - it means I am flying United. When I fly Hobby its SWA...definitely other airlines fly to both but those are the only two I use and both those airlines utilize Houston as a hub at those given airports. 12thman 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoomSlayer Posted April 2, 2023 Report Share Posted April 2, 2023 1 hour ago, Ahaque said: LMAO too right you are @DoomSlayer...but no one in texas actually inserts the hyphen and in fact I dont think its even on their billboards like that but I could be wrong and just dont see it... @12thman When I fly to/from IAH - it means I am flying United. When I fly Hobby its SWA...definitely other airlines fly to both but those are the only two I use and both those airlines utilize Houston as a hub at those given airports. It’s on the billboards and their storefront sign on the building. The main signs on the poles outside the store usually just have the logo and the town name. I live in north Texas and noticed Denton has a Buc-ee’s Blvd. whenever I drive thru. It’s definitely become a Texas icon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobroo Posted April 3, 2023 Report Share Posted April 3, 2023 I think the Blog needs to dispatch a roving reporter to Galveston. Not so much to report on the new cruise terminal or Allure or whatever... but more so for a report on the gas stations. Could going to the gas station before a cruise really be all that it's hyped up to be? And, I also mentioned another gas station, Rudy's. Is it possible the 'Q from a place that sells gasoline and quarts of 10w30 really be a worthy destination for a meal? How is it possible that a couple certain gas stations be so highly recommended for everyone who cruises out of Galveston? DoomSlayer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villageidiot Posted April 3, 2023 Report Share Posted April 3, 2023 35 minutes ago, bobroo said: I think the Blog needs to dispatch a roving reporter to Galveston. Not so much to report on the new cruise terminal or Allure or whatever... but more so for a report on the gas stations. Could going to the gas station before a cruise really be all that it's hyped up to be? And, I also mentioned another gas station, Rudy's. Is it possible the 'Q from a place that sells gasoline and quarts of 10w30 really be a worthy destination for a meal? How is it possible that a couple certain gas stations be so highly recommended for everyone who cruises out of Galveston? Once upon a time I lived in remote section of West Texas. One of the highlights of a two hour trip to the big city of Del Rio was a stop at Rudy's. Highly recommend it DoomSlayer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weezie57 Posted April 3, 2023 Report Share Posted April 3, 2023 Since you mentioned one night I am going to assume you are not going to have a lot of time to take in what Houston and the surrounding area have to offer. If you are just flying in the day before, I would recommend flying into Hobby as IAH can easily be 45 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic, further away from Galveston. Then I would get transportation to Galveston and stay on the Strand. The Strand is unique and in my opinion a good option if you don’t have much time. 12thman 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steverk Posted April 3, 2023 Report Share Posted April 3, 2023 11 hours ago, bobroo said: I think the Blog needs to dispatch a roving reporter to Galveston. Not so much to report on the new cruise terminal or Allure or whatever... but more so for a report on the gas stations. Could going to the gas station before a cruise really be all that it's hyped up to be? And, I also mentioned another gas station, Rudy's. Is it possible the 'Q from a place that sells gasoline and quarts of 10w30 really be a worthy destination for a meal? How is it possible that a couple certain gas stations be so highly recommended for everyone who cruises out of Galveston? Is the gas station worth the hype? Maybe. It's huge and unusual. Sells nothing you need and everything you can't live without. And it's right on I-45 at exit 17. On the other hand, it's expanding beyond Texas, so you may have one closer to home. Also, they're doing major construction on I-45 which makes stopping more of a chore, especially going northbound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexanTwoStep Posted April 3, 2023 Report Share Posted April 3, 2023 We usually stay in Texas City or League City. 25 minute drive from the port and it's much cheaper than on the island. If your budget is $400 though, I recommend Moody Gardens. Beautiful property and very nice. 12thman and DoomSlayer 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V12Tommy Posted April 14, 2023 Report Share Posted April 14, 2023 On 4/2/2023 at 6:11 PM, bobroo said: I think the Blog needs to dispatch a roving reporter to Galveston. Not so much to report on the new cruise terminal or Allure or whatever... but more so for a report on the gas stations. Could going to the gas station before a cruise really be all that it's hyped up to be? And, I also mentioned another gas station, Rudy's. Is it possible the 'Q from a place that sells gasoline and quarts of 10w30 really be a worthy destination for a meal? How is it possible that a couple certain gas stations be so highly recommended for everyone who cruises out of Galveston? I can't comment on Buc-ee's personally, but my friend in Dallas swears by them. She specifically mentions Beaver Nuggets all the time, which I guess is like a cross between caramel corn and Cheetos. Their BBQ is on my list of things to check out when we fly down for our cruise. As for Rudy's, I've never bought gas there, and the one in Colorado sort of seems like the gas station was sort of an afterthought, but I highly recommend it. In fact, it is probably my favorite BBQ place in all of Colorado. I live about 3 1/2 hours away from it, and I make a point to stop at Rudy's every time I'm in the area. Their moist brisket is a bit pricy if you ask me, but well worth it. I'll be trying Buc-ee's since we have Rudy's close to here, but if you want to give Rudy's a try, you won't be disappointed. (Well, unless you are a vegan or something) DoomSlayer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V12Tommy Posted April 14, 2023 Report Share Posted April 14, 2023 This will be my first time in Houston, but we are planning on renting a car the day we get there, and more than likely staying in Clear Lake, since NASA is one of the places we want to visit, and the hotels seem quite affordable. I figured we'd just return the rental car to the airport the morning of the cruise, and take the airport shuttle down to the cruise terminal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Posted April 14, 2023 Report Share Posted April 14, 2023 We have booked the Tremont House, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Galveston for our upcoming cruise. It has been recently renovated and is now part of the Bonvoy Marriott program. Reviews since the renovation are good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12thman Posted April 14, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2023 2 hours ago, Jax said: We have booked the Tremont House, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Galveston for our upcoming cruise. It has been recently renovated and is now part of the Bonvoy Marriott program. Reviews since the renovation are good. Saw that one. Looks really nice but no fridge for meds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Posted April 14, 2023 Report Share Posted April 14, 2023 1 hour ago, 12thman said: Saw that one. Looks really nice but no fridge for meds. I booked the 1 bedroom suite and it shows as having a mini fridge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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