By Marye Audet
When you are looking for adventure of the educational variety Galveston holds a treasure trove of possibilities that will make lifetime memories. You might also get a relaxing afternoon that ends with dinner out and exhausted children. Sounds like a win–win situation, doesn’t it?
Galveston Harbor Tours
2200 Harborside Dr.
Texas Seaport Museum
Galveston, TX 77550
Phone: (409)765-8687
http://www.galveston.com/harbourtours/
Galveston Harbor Tours offers at least five different field trip possibilities aboard the Seagull II. Give your group a new perspective on Galveston history, wildlife, and folklore. They can learn to chart their course through the harbor and bay, trawl for sea creatures to examine, or watch the dolphins playing around the ship. If you’re expecting a tour guide spewing information in a monotone, think again. The captain has a knack for sharing information in a fascinating way seasoned with plenty of humor.
WWII at Sea Wolf Park
Seawolf Park
Galveston, TX 77550
Phone: (409)797-5114
http://www.galveston.com/seawolfpark/
Everyone knows students learn best when all of their senses are involved in the process. When the subject is World War II, then Sea Wolf Park should be on the agenda.
Your kids will be able to get a firsthand look at the Cavella, a submarine that was launched in 1944 and sank the 30,000-ton Japanese aircraft carrier Shokaku on her maiden voyage.
You’ll also be able to tour the USS Stewart, one of only two surviving destroyer escorts in the United States. The ship was commissioned in 1943, beginning her service as a training ship for student officers. She later was an escort ship for President Roosevelt’s yacht down the Potomac River.
There is a playground, fishing pier, and picnic area, so you can let the kiddos run around before it’s time to leave.
Galveston Railroad Museum
2602 Santa Fe Place
Galveston, TX 77550
Phone (409) 765-5700
http://galvestonrrmuseum.com
Trains are fascinating no matter what your age. The Galveston Railroad Museum is just the place for those people who love all things train and train-related. Tour rail cars, ride a caboose (you only thought they were extinct), and eat lunch in a dining car as you and the kids spend the day immersed in railroad history and trivia. You’ll find plenty of hands-on and interactive displays and activities. Some field trip packages offer actual rides in the caboose.
Moody Gardens
One Hope Boulevard
Galveston, TX 77554
Phone: 1-800-582-4673
http://www.moodygardens.org
Experience a Rainforest? Check. Explore the depths of the deep blue sea? Check. Have lots of fun? Definitely check!
Get up-close and personal with exotic animals, birds, and fish from rainforests around the world. Learn how plants and animals adapt, design habitats, and learn about the importance of rainforest preservation with plenty of hands-on activities at the Learning Place.
The Aquarium lets kids dive into a world of seals, penguins, fish, and invertebrates from all of the oceans of the world.
End the day with a film at the 3D Theater, a simulated adventure at the Ridefilm Theater, or a relaxing ride on the Colonel Paddlewheel Boat. Moody Gardens also has special homeschool events throughout the year, so be sure and check with them for more information.
Lone Star Flight Museum
2002 Terminal Dr.
Galveston, TX 77554
Phone: (409)-740-7722
http://www.lsfm.org/
Bring aviation history to life for you kids at the Lone Star Flight Museum. They’ll learn how powered flight developed, the history surrounding the aircraft, and the men and women that made flight what it is today.
The Warbird Flight experience allows you to ride in historic planes like the B-17, B-25, P-51, and others. Experiencing one of these machines in flight is an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Best of all? You can probably get enough material for lapbooks, journal entries, and notebooks for several months out of this one trip.
Texas Seaport Museum
Pier 21, Number 8
Galveston, TX 77550
Phone: (409) 763-1877
http://www.galvestonhistory.org/Texas_Seaport_Museum.asp
History is a subject that is most exciting when it is experienced. Let your kids experience adventure on the high seas in a variety of venues.
Volunteer tour guides make history come to life, allowing students to learn everything from tying knots to handling sails. There is even an overnight program where your kids will work on the Tall Ship Elissa along with volunteers, learning what it was like to be a sailor on the majestic tall ships of days gone by.
