Galveston Island Pleasure Pier: Affordable Family Fun

You should probably know before I begin this photo bomb of a post that I did receive a family 4 pack of tickets to the Galveston Island Pleasure Pier in exchange for writing this, but we were headed that way anyway and I can’t wait to share the fun we had with you!

Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier: Affordable Family Fun!

 

We live on the island, but we don’t always take advantage of its many amenities because either we just don’t have time, I’ve decided to lock down on our budget for the week, I’m just too busy, the tourists are taking over, or any old excuse will do. We’ve always wanted to go to Galveston’s Historic Pleasure Pier since it opened, but I always had an excuse. That’s just silliness. Last week was Spring Break for the babies and this was going to happen. This had to happen. Bubby’s “dream carnival” was just down the street and we’d never even stepped foot on this fun amusement park over the ocean. That all changed on Friday and I can’t even begin to tell you how much fun we had, so I thought I’d show you instead. It. Was. Awesome! From the atmosphere, to the rides, to the games, to the food, to the friendly staff, this is one Galveston Island destination you won’t want to miss.

As soon as we got our tickets and walked in, we were greeted by friendly staff members, smiles, and a double decker merry-go-round the babies couldn’t resist. It was fabulous and we might have ridden this 5 or more times before the day was done. Seriously, y’all, they have a seahorse on this thing. Who wouldn’t want to ride a seahorse (although the babies did select some traditional horses for their first go-round)?

The entire pier overlooks Galveston’s beaches and Seawall. You literally fly over the beach as you ride these rides. Talk about added thrill factor.

My family’s favorite ride was by far the Rock N Roll. Everyone was tall enough for this one, it was fast enough for the adults, and it offers fun and thrills galore. This ride is so reminiscent of the carnival rides I rode as a child (when we were lucky enough for the carnival to ride through) that I couldn’t help but smile and enjoy everything about the experience.

I only hope that my parents enjoyed themselves as much as we do now when I was a child. The squeals, the giggles, the spinning is just so much more fun when you enjoy it with your little ones.

No amusement park experience is complete without a visit to the bumper cars. Galveston’s Pleasure Pier Pileup is a lot of fun that kids of every age (hello B…get that grin off of your face and give the wheel back to the kid) can enjoy!

An amusement park without a water ride? Oh pee-shaw. Of course they have one, although it was a little chilly (that crazy fog always brings a chill to the island) for my island-dwelling family to ride it that day. So, I’m wondering, do those people know they’re sitting in the Splash Zone. Run, people, run, you’re about to get soaked!

Hey, do you remember that time you sent your baby girl up on the Cyclone with her daddy because he said it was a good idea only to find out that your baby girl has apparently inherited your fear of heights? Oh wait…that was me, right? Yea, Bug was not a huge fan of the Cyclone, but B loved it and I can’t wait to ride it myself (yes, we have plans of going back alone for a date night).

When you get hungry and you’re ready for a break, the Pleasure Pier offers a lot of fun solutions. You can eat along the pier at a number of eateries or you can make a stop at the Greenbow, Alabama inspired Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. I definitely suggest the latter. I’ll be honest, B had heard some bad stuff about this restaurant, but whoever he was talking to was off their rocker.

The wait time was minimal and full of fun for everyone. There’s a shop inside the restaurant where you can buy fun souveniers, and a beautiful bar on the lower level if you’d like to grab a drink. The decor is so reminiscent of one of my all-time favorite movies that I could have literally spent all day in there just reading the signs and taking in the ambiance.

We ordered burgers from the incredibly friendly staff, and let me tell you something…they were amazing. B got a bbq burger with onion straws, I got a (cooked actually right for a change) mushroom veggie burger, and they were served deliciously warm with a heapin’ helping of fries. Way more than I could eat in fact. And the babies loved their kids’ meals too.

That little guy right there? That’s one picky eater and he loved his lemonade slushie served in a light up cup along side a delicious (in a boat…how cute) kids’ meal of fresh chicken tenders, fries, an orange slice, and blue jell-o. They made him smile with food. That’s winning in my book!

After a great meal, we headed back out to the pier for more fun. The babies begged to play the games. How could we resist? Only $3 a pop and there were actually games they could WIN! Like real prizes win, and win they did.

First Bubby won and we shall forever call his prized blue monster Blue Bone. That’s a lot of love going on between Bubby and Blue Bone right there.

And then Bug won. She adores this pink and purple (her favorite colors) beaver and she’s been sleeping with it every night since.

OK, so earlier we talked about Bug’s fears. Let’s talk about mine now, shall we? This ride. Oh, this ride. Just the thought, the vision, of the Texas Star Flyer makes me more than a little queazy. Suspended more than 230 feet above sea level while swinging? Ummm, no. But if you’re looking for a thrill ride, I think this craziness has you covered. B was itching to ride it, but he didn’t want to leave the family. I get woozy just thinking about this. Like literally, I had a hard time taking pictures of this. I’m just too fond of the ground for that ride.

Proud (sort of) Moment Alert: I kind of overcame my fear of heights by riding this amazingly impressive ferris wheel at the Pleasure Pier. By overcame my fear, I mean, I was able to sit on the FLOOR of bucket number THIRTEEN for the entire ride and live to write about it. That’s something, right? I proved to my kids, myself, that I can move beyond some of these fears to have a good time. We all (well, mostly them) had a good laugh at me, but I’m alive. You haven’t lived until you’ve conquered (sort of) your fears. It was a giggle snort experience I won’t soon forget.

We rounded the night out with a nice view of the ocean, a delicious funnel cake (SHUSH UP…I don’t indulge often), a few more rides and games, and a drink (yes, they have adult beverages too). It was a good day. It was a great way to round out Spring Break. If you’re looking for a family-friendly experience for Spring Break or summer vacation, might I suggest the Pleasure Pier? It’s affordable family fun at its finest. There’s so much more to the park than I’ve even covered here, including a huge roller coaster and more swings. Rides, food, fun…who could ask for anything more? Don’t forget to stay after it gets dark. The whole place lights up and it’s amazing!