Galveston Island is a beautiful, serene island off the Gulf Coast of Texas. This barrier island offers the tropical vibes of an island vacation getaway just 50 miles from Houston. If you’re looking for a getaway destination to access on your motorcycle, we highly recommend Galveston Island.
While Galveston Island offers numerous attractions and benefits, the trip to and around the island can be just as enjoyable as your vacation there. Read on to learn about our favorite Galveston Island motorcycle rides.
Bluewater Highway
Bluewater Highway is a coastal highway that follows the southeastern edge of Texas along the Gulf of Mexico. You can take this highway from Surfside Beach to Galveston to enjoy a peaceful, beachy motorcycle tour.
Surfside Beach is a serene beach town with sparkling blue-green waters and miles of beaches. This island offers a quieter, smaller alternative to Galveston Island, making for a perfect afternoon beach visit.
From Surfside Beach, you can follow the Bluewater Highway for 40 miles to the heart of Galveston. Downtown Galveston is a bustling tourist metropolis with plenty to do and see. You can visit the Galveston Railroad Museum, check out the historic Bishop’s Palace, or take a self-guided tour of Moody Mansion.
Finally, you can take the Port Bolivar Ferry to Galveston Island.
Highway 87
If you’re traveling to Galveston from the Timpson, TX, area, you can take Highway 87 for most of your trip. This highway runs almost parallel to the Louisiana state line, passing near Beaumont before ending in Galveston. It spans 303 miles if you pick it up in Timpson, offering one of the best Galveston Island motorcycle rides.
The route ends in Port Bolivar, and you’ll need to take the ferry from there to Galveston Island. Once you reach the island, you can sit back, enjoy the beautiful ocean views, and have dinner and drinks on the water. Then, you can turn back the way you came or continue your road trip from Galveston Island.
Seawall Boulevard
Once you reach Galveston Island, you’ll want to make time to travel the Seawall Boulevard motorcycle ride. This road spans around 10 miles alongside the ocean, providing spectacular beach views of the Gulf of Mexico.
At the end of Seawall Boulevard, you’ll reach the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier. This pier features waterfront rides, games, souvenir shops, and entertainment. You can easily spend an entire day exploring the pier, riding the roller coasters, and soaking in the beachfront views.
Galveston Island State Park
Galveston Island isn’t just a relaxing beach town. It also features beautiful wildlife and unique natural scenery. You can witness the island’s intriguing ecosystem at Galveston Island State Park. Galveston Island State Park offers plenty of ways to experience the island’s natural beauty, including hiking trails, fishing, kayaking, a nature center, and more.
We recommend riding your motorcycle to the state park, then following the roadways in and around the park to experience its attractions to the fullest. You’ll want to stop at each of the following:
- Nature Center: An educational resource center open on weekends from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The nature center offers information about the state park’s fish, birds, reptiles, crustaceans, and overall environment.
- Observation platform: A platform offering excellent views of the Galveston Island wetlands. You’ll see over 50 acres of seagrass, native shorebirds, and an expanse of geotextile tubes.
- Oak mottes: A small stand of oak trees surrounded by Texas prairie. Early settlers planted oak mottes throughout Texas to provide shelter around their homes.
You won’t regret completing any of these Galveston Island motorcycle rides.
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