Part 2: Atchafalaya Basin, Seawolf Park, Clear Lake Park, San Jacinto Battleground Site
A few weeks ago I started a multi-part series on our Florida to Texas road trip. The first post covered our stops at Florida Caverns and the USS Alabama. You can find Part 1 here. Today we continue with part 2 of our road trip, a week in Texas.
Atchafalaya Basin
After leaving Covington, Louisiana we found a hidden gem while crossing the Atchafalaya Basin. A welcome center! It had a nice, but small exhibit area detailing the Atchafalaya Basin. There were also very clean restrooms, travel brochures, and free coffee. Yes, please! Outside there is ample parking and even a boat ramp.
Webster, Texas
The rest of the day was spent traveling into Texas. Our home away from home for the next week would be the Home2 Suites in Webster, Texas. Home2 Suites is a fairly new addition to the Hilton portfolio. It has all suites with small kitchens. Perfect for our family of 5. We love having a small kitchen while we are traveling. It makes preparing picnic lunches and snacks so easy. You could even make a simple dinner. One difference we found from other hotels is breakfast. Home2 Suites are aimed at business travelers so breakfast is heat your own type foods, like breakfast sandwiches. This took some getting used to. They also had cereals, pastries, and oatmeal or grits.
On our first night, we tried Rudy’s Bar-B-Q. A relative had highly recommended that we eat there. They even requested that we bring home some Sissy Sauce. Rudy’s had some of the best brisket that I have ever eaten. It was so tender and delicious! The kids were a little confused by not having traditional place settings. You eat off paper placemats. There is no wait staff either. You order at the counter and seat yourself. We would definitely return. Oh, so good!
Galveston, Texas
Seawolf Park
Finally, the kids and I started our Texas adventure week while Hubby worked. Poor Hubby! We headed down to Galveston on a very rainy, dreary day! Our first stop was Seawolf Park and The American Undersea Warfare Center. Luckily, I had done my research and knew not to follow the GPS directions. Once on Pelican Island Causeway, also known as Seawolf Park Blvd, just go all the way to the end of the road. It will end right at Seawolf Park. After paying $10 for adults and $5 for the kids we entered the park. Immediately to your right, you could see the USS Cavalla, a World War 2 submarine, and the USS Stewart, a destroyer. We parked in a nearly empty parking lot. Remember I said it was a rainy, dreary day. No one was out and about, but us adventurous homeschoolers.
USS Cavalla and USS Stewart
The kids chose to climb aboard the USS Cavalla first. Like the submarine we saw in Mobile, it had tight quarters! The kids loved climbing through the passages and exploring the entire vessel. There were no guides on board, so you go at your own pace. Next, we boarded the USS Stewart. Again, there were no guides or specific tour routes. You go at your own pace and where you please. There was a lot less to see here than on the USS Alabama in Mobile. We were a little disappointed! There were only a few levels to climb up to. There was also some renovation work going on that blocked off a section. We did have the entire ship to ourselves. It was kind of spooky! I doubt it is that way often, though.
Besides the USS Cavalla and USS Stewart, the park contains a pretty large playground, picnic tables, and a fishing pier. Because of the rain, we didn’t get to explore any of these. The kids were bummed that they couldn’t play on the playground. It looked so inviting! From the parking lot, you can see the free Galveston to Port Bolivar ferry going back and forth. The ferry was actually our next stop.
Galveston- Port Bolivar Ferry
A short drive away from Seawolf Park is the Galveston-Port Bolivar ferry. A ride with your vehicle or just walking on is free. Yes, I said free! The ferry leaves multiple times a day and takes about 20 minutes to get to the other side. If you are walking on, like we did, there is a free parking lot adjacent to the ferry dock. Beware the lot is often full! If you walk on, you can sit inside where it is warm and dry or stand outside on the upper deck. The kids and I enjoyed doing both. You can also feed the seagulls off the back of the boat. If you are on board just for the ride, stay put when they dock at Port Bolivar. After the cars get loaded onto the ship, it is back to Galveston. There are restrooms on board, but no refreshments.
Seawall Boulevard
Next, we took a drive along Seawall Boulevard so the kids could see the Gulf of Mexico. Unfortunately, because of the rain, the water was super rough. So no wading or swimming this trip. There are tons and tons of shops, restaurants, and hotels along Seawall Boulevard. You’ll find something for everyone. We stopped at Rita’s Italian Ice for a little treat and to look at the water.
Clear Lake Park
Day 2 was a very laid-back day. We just visited Clear Lake Park in nearby Seabrook. At this park, I won “Mom of the Year”. Why you ask? The kids thought this was the best playground that they had ever seen. It had 2 playground areas. Each having tons of different features. They were thrilled! They could have played all day long. The park also had lots of picnic tables, restrooms, a fishing pier, and a boat dock. All this was just on one side. If you cross NASA Parkway, you will find the second side. It has a lot of the same features but isn’t next to the lake. The playground is also smaller. The north side also has the Bay Area Museum.
San Jacinto Battleground Site
Battleship Texas
The following day we ventured off to La Porte, Texas to explore the San Jacinto Battleground Site. It was an easy 30-minute drive from Webster. We arrived at the site about 10:00am, just as the Battleship Texas opened. It is $12 for adults and $3 for kids. Like the USS Stewart, there are no tours or guides to help you through the ship. There was a very nice volunteer stationed at the entrance that told us a suggested route and about what we would see. You can climb up a few levels and down one level. A large portion of this ship is closed for refurbishment. We felt like this ship had more to discover than the one at Seawolf Park. From the upper levels, you get great views of the port and the San Jacinto Monument. This part of San Jacinto also has restrooms and picnic tables.
San Jacinto Monument
After a 5 minute drive, you will arrive at the San Jacinto Monument. It is free to get into the building and museum. It is $6 for adults and $4.50 for kids to ride the elevator to the top of the monument. You pay extra to view the special exhibition downstairs. Is the ride to the top worth the money? Yes and no. The views are spectacular, but that is all there is to do at the top. I felt it was a little pricey for what it is. It was amazing to learn that the San Jacinto Monument is 15 feet taller than the Washington Monument. The museum is small and dated. There isn’t anything interactive. My kids zoomed through pretty quickly. If you have a history buff, they may enjoy it more. There is also a small gift shop in the back.
As you drive around the park, there are historical markers explaining what happened on the site. There is also a small picnic area with restrooms next to a marshy area. We planned to picnic here but the mosquitoes were horrible. I mean worse than Florida horrible! We went back up to the battleship picnic area instead. There wasn’t a single mosquito. The marsh area also has a short trail and boardwalk. Bring bug spray!
Stay tuned
In my next and final post in this series, we’ll finish our Florida to Texas road trip. We’ll explore Space Center Houston and Infinity Science Center as we drive back to Florida.
- Roadtrip Florida to Texas, Part 1: Florida Caverns & USS Alabama
- Roadtrip Texas to Florida, Part 3: Space Center Houston & Infinity Science Center
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this post are strictly my own. I was not compensated for this post.
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