The fall season is a great time of year to get out and explore somewhere new. The cooler weather lets you stay outdoors for longer and get to take in the sights. A great place to visit any fall season is right here in Galveston. Our Texas home features beautiful sandy beaches and plenty of local activities to keep you busy with. Traveling around Halloween can be tricky when your kids most likely want to enjoy some trick-or-treating. Luckily, there are plenty of spots right here in Galveston you can take them to for a safe and friendly trick-or-treating experience. Here are the best places to trick-or-treat and celebrate Halloween in Galveston:
Menard House
Galveston has an incredibly rich history here in Texas with many neighborhoods and buildings being 200 years old! Exploring the historic side of Galveston is always recommended during your stay. Many visitors will make their way to Menard House during their visit to take a tour of the oldest building in Galveston. This building was built in 1829 by one of the founders of Galveston and features a Greek revival style. Most of the furniture and the rest of the furnishings inside the home are all original dating back to the early 1800s. Eventually, the home was sold to other families and came into disrepair. Now, the home has been repaired and reconstructed to look just the way it did when it was first built.
The Galveston Historical Foundation offers tours and private events here at Menard House, allowing it to be a museum of Galveston’s earliest days. Each Halloween, the Menard House opens its front gates to trick-or-treaters. While the home will not be open for tours that evening, families will be allowed onto the property, allowing you to see this incredible building up close. Individual bags of candy will be handed out to the costumed children, making sure they get what they came for. The Menard House will have its gates open for trick-or-treaters on October 31st from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM and is free to enter.
Halloween Spooktacular
Galveston is also home to The Bryan Museum, a local museum that houses one of the largest collections in the world featuring American West and Texas artifacts, artwork, and historical documents. The Bryan Museum is located inside the historic Galveston Orphans Home and continues to be a local tradition to this day 10 years after opening to the public. Visitors can stop by The Bryan Museum Wednesday through Sunday and browse their incredible collections in person.
The Bryan Museum also hosts a variety of exciting events throughout the year that are each more exciting than the last. Each fall season, The Bryan Museum hosts the Halloween Spooktacular that is a treat for both adults and children alike. Come experience the Halloween Spooktacular this year on Sunday October 27th where children ages 12 and younger will be able to get into the museum for absolutely free. The whole family will be able to enjoy a variety of Halloween themed activities including a scavenger hunt, fall arts and crafts, a ghost hunt out in the garden, special photo places to snap a photo, a walking costume parade, outdoor games, and more. Listen to spooky stories out over in the gazebo.
Of course, you came here to learn all about trick-or-treating here in Galveston, and the Halloween Spooktacular will feature that as well. Decorate candy stations will be set up around the museum grounds where the little ones will be able to get all the candy they could want. If you end up being hungry for more than just candy, you can always stop by the Space Craft BBQ food truck for some tasty grub.
The museum is open during normal Sunday hours for the event so you can stop by whenever. The Halloween Spooktacular event itself will run from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM for all the ghoulish games, candy, and fantastical fun that you and your family could want!
Trick-or-Treat Around Your Vacation Rental
The best part of any stay here in Galveston is the chance to reserve one of our vacation rentals in the area. We offer a variety of homes found all across Galveston. You will find many of our homes to be in the most desirable neighborhoods of Galveston. Many of these neighborhoods are very safe and will provide a great opportunity for you and your loved ones to enjoy some trick-or-treating. Simply find your favorite vacation rental here in the area and get to planning. If you ever have any questions about where to spend your trick-or-treating at you can always reach out to our team to show you the way!
We are slowly approaching the end of summer, and with it comes cooler temps across the country. Now is the perfect time to start planning for your next fall getaway. If you are looking for the perfect combination of adventure and relaxation, head on over to the coast of Galveston. Our Texas home brings out all of the fun no matter what time of year you visit. You will find that the lineup of events taking place in Galveston this fall is second to none as well. Take a look at the fall events in Galveston this year:
Galveston Island Wine Festival
Each year, the local attraction center of Moody Gardens hosts a variety of events perfect for individuals of all ages. This includes festivals focused on family friendly activities. This also includes adults-only events such as this year’s Galveston Island Wine Festival that is quickly approaching. This annual event brings out some of Texas’s most renowned chefs and sommeliers for an incredible festival. The Galveston Island Wine Festival is a three-day event that kicks off on August 30th to celebrate a fun time with incredible wine, live music, and delicious food.
The event kicks off with the Seven on Seven Seafood Extravaganza, where you can easily pair your wine with sensational dishes. Saturday continues the fun with Penguins & Pinot: Grand Tasting located over in the Aquarium Pyramid. If you have visited Moody Gardens before, you know it encompasses different attractions located in beautiful pyramid structures. The aquarium pyramid holds some truly special animals in spacious habitats. Take a look at all of the wonderful creatures, including jellyfish, sharks, tropical fish, and of course, penguins.
Finish off the event with the Wine’d Down After Hours special located at Palm Beach with a dazzling fireworks show. You are in for a treat as the fireworks light up the sky and reflect off the Offatts Bayou. Tickets are now available for the Galveston Island Wine Festival taking place August 30th through September 1st here at Moody Gardens!
Galveston Island Shrimp Festival
The biggest event taking place in Galveston each year is the annual Galveston Island Shrimp Festival that focuses on all things shrimp and plenty more. This multiday event has something for everyone so the whole family can come enjoy the fun. The event kicks off with the Friday Kick Off Party, where 800 guests can enjoy a fried shrimp dinner, live music, and an open bar. This adults-only event is for those 21 years of age and older and will sell out. The next morning will be the annual Shrimp Scamper 5K Fun Run that invites everyone to join the fun. Participants will receive a performance t-shirt, participation medals, free beers after the event for the adults, and a costume contest.
Add on the Gumbo Stroll or Shrimp Dinner Plate option to your ticket to receive a delicious meal to refuel you for the day. The meals will be prepared by award winning chefs. You can even vote on your favorite shrimp gumbo for a fun cook off action. The Lil’ Shrimps parade lets the kids join in on the fun with their own costumed play. Live music will be on hand all day long for the event and include local vendors, a kids play area, and the Strand Merchant Walk About. Tickets are currently on sale for the Galveston Island Shrimp Festival that will take place on September 27th and 28th here in Downtown Galveston!
ARToberFEST
Join the local arts community and celebrate this year’s ARToberFEST taking place October 19th and 20th. This premier arts festival will showcase works of art from over 120 different US artists. The work will be presented by The Grand 1894 Opera House. You will be able to see each brush stroke of the paints or feel the smooth movements needed to create beautiful ceramic vases. You can even meet the artists and see their demonstrations up close. Don’t miss out on ARToberFEST this year!
Island Oktoberfest
Of course, you cannot feature fall events without featuring the area’s Oktoberfest. Galveston hosts the Island Oktoberfest each year for a family friendly event. You will be able to dress up in your finest German attire while enjoying live music, a live auction, authentic German food and drink, and plenty of children’s activities. The Island Oktoberfest takes place this October 25th and 26th for the whole family to enjoy!
More Fall Fun in Galveston
As you can see, there is plenty of fun waiting for you and the family right here in Galveston. Simply book your favorite rental with us and prepare for the perfect fall getaway.