Fort Travis Seashore Park

Port Bolivar, Tx (Galveston) - What says summer more than sand and surf? Beach and boats make for a fun, family excursion. Add free to the excursion and you have a super fun day for Mom and Dad. The Bolivar Ferry and the Fort Travis Seashore Park are both free and both fun. O.k., there is no beach at Fort Travis Seashore Park, but it is a nice destination to get out and run around after riding the ferry.


The attraction of the ferry for kids is simple. It is a boat that you get to actually drive your car on. For Houstonians this is an unusual and fun experience. The ferry crosses a very busy channel so lots of opportunities to see lots of types of boats. There are plenty of sea gulls, pelicans and other birds to view, and the occasional dolphin siting really makes the trip special. The ferry ride is long enough to get out of the car, and there are places to go up and get a better view. It is not a long ride so perfect for little minds, little attention spans.

Fort Travis Seashore Park has a long and interesting history dating back to the early 1800's. I remember visiting this park when I was a kid. Taking my kids to see it brought forth mixed emotions.

The Good - My kids loved it. They enjoyed getting out of the car and walking along the sea wall. Their imaginations took flight looking through the gates at the bunkers imagining soldiers walking up and down the stairs. They imagined the big guns or cannons that may have once sat in the circular depressions around the bunkers. They enjoyed going into what appeard to be a gunner's hut or outpost. The park has a nice playground (but no shade) and some nice picnic tables with shade. There is plenty of space to run, but I recommend tennis shoes. The sticker burs in the grass had some seriously long thorns and cut straight through my son's crocks.

The Sad - As Mom, I could see the damage left by Hurricane Ike. Driving through the area we could see where neighborhoods once were but only the pylons that supported the houses remained, no more houses. In the park there are sidewalk collapses and still some chunks of concrete here and there. The kids thought it was cool, but Mom understood the human impact of such damage.

Still we recommend this full days outing. After your trip on the ferry back to Galveston Island stop at one of the pocket beaches for a little beach and surf time before hitting the road back to town. There are a number of places to stop for drinks, snacks or dinner in Galveston if you run low.


Trip Stats:

• Who: 2 Moms, two 10 year old boys, two 5 year old boy and one 7 year old girl
• What:

1. Bolivar Ferry, http://www.bolivarchamber.org/GalvestonFerry.aspx,
2. Fort Travis Seashore Park, http://www.crystalbeach.com/travis.htm
3. Galveston Island Pocket Beach, http://www.galvestonparks-seniors.org/default.asp

• When: Friday (arrived at noon and left at 5:00pm, traffic down was none, but traffic back was awful)
• Where: Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula
• Why: Outdoor Play
• Cost: FREE, we took a picnic and plenty of drinks and snacks