Day Trips: Battleship Texas, Galveston
Historic ship wows Gulf Coast visitors
By Gerald E. McLeod, Fri., March 10, 2023
The Battleship Texas looks small sitting in dry dock among the towers and cranes in the harbor in Galveston.
In August 2022, the 110-year-old ship was towed from its berth at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site to have its rusting hull repaired. The 34,000-ton ship will be in dry dock for at least a year and then moved to a new location. Galveston, Houston, and Beaumont have been mentioned as possible permanent homes.
The business end of the ship can be seen from Pier 21 between Willie G's restaurant and the Harbor House Hotel. The gray guns that once hurled projectiles 13 miles are pointed harmlessly toward the city.
The best way to see this Texas legend is by boat. Barring having your own watercraft, there are tour boats that operate in the harbor. Dolphin tours cost $20 per person and last about an hour. A list of tours can be found at galveston.com/whattodo/tours/boattours.
Baywatch Dolphin Tours run daily from Harbor House with departures on the hour, taking sightseers on a big pontoon boat with a cover and wind-blocking clear sides. Tickets can be purchased at the dock or online.
The Galveston Historical Foundation operates harbor tours on a double-decker pontoon boat. Hourlong tours leave Pier 20 next to the tall ship Elissa five times a day Wednesday through Sunday. Buy tickets in the gift shop at the museum.
The Battleship Texas was the most powerful weapon in the world when it was commissioned on March 12, 1914. It was transferred to the state of Texas in 1948 and was moored at the San Jacinto Battleground until 2022. To follow the progress of the restoration, go to battleshiptexas.org.
1,643rd in a series. Everywhere is a day trip from somewhere: Follow “Day Trips & Beyond,” a travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/daily/travel.
