A Hauntingly Historic Week on Galveston Island!

Galveston has been dubbed the most haunted city in Texas, and you could spend weeks here soaking in every paranormal-worthy activity the island has to offer, but here are our top picks for a week or long weekend in "G-Town:"

What's Ahead:

• Accommodation Options
• Spooky Activities on the Island
• Restaurant Recommendations
• Stay tuned for my sample Galveston Travel Itinerary at the end!

Trip Planning:

• Plan Ahead - Make your hotel reservations at least two months ahead of time. Make your dinner reservations at least two weeks ahead of time. Everything else you can kind of play by ear. We walked in to get tickets to all of the attractions we visited, but you can also make reservations online.
• Bring A Mask - The city is still pretty pro-mask, as opposed to other areas of Texas, so some of the attractions will still require you to wear one on entry. Please make sure you are comfortable with this before heading there. 
• Bring Bug Spray - The mosquitos on the island can be awful sometimes.
• Make A Shopping List - There is a Walmart, a Target, a Kroger, and some other supermarkets on the island, but as Seawall Blvd can be pretty busy at times, they can be hard to get to on a whim. My recommendation would be to make a list, plan one trip, and pick up all your grocery items at once.
• Beach Day Food - If you don't feel like bringing sandwiches to the beach, Porretto Beach has a snack shack that is open during peak season, there is a Jack-in-the-Box across the street, and there are all sorts of restaurants along the Seawall. 

Porretto Beach

Accommodations:

#1: A Historic Beach House - This provides an option for privacy, a backyard for the pups, and the ability to be immersed in the local history. 

We stayed at Coastal Hideaway, an affordable, pet-friendly two bedroom, one and a half bath beach house, which is an easy five minute walk to the beach. The house was likely built between 1895 and the 1910s, but it has been fully renovated with new paint, an updated bathroom, smart TVs in each room, and stainless steel appliances in the huge kitchen. The fenced-in backyard feels like a jungle, and you are provided a garage and an outdoor shower.

#2 The Galvez Hotel and Spa - If you have the option of luxury, I would suggest you stay in the most haunted hotel in Galveston. If you want to partake in the nightly ghost tour, make sure to make your reservations in advance.

 

The Galvez Hotel and Spa

Activities:

#1: Bishop's Palace - This 1892 mansion (also known as Gresham's Castle) is likely the most recognizable building in the city. The house is made completely of stone, and as such, it was able to withstand the great hurricane of 1900. Walter Gresham and his wife, Josephine, built the home and lived there with their nine children. In 1923, it was purchased by the Roman Diocese of Galveston, and it then served as the residence for Bishop Christopher E. Byrne. The home is incredibly grand and ornate, and as for ghosts, it is said that the Gresham's still walk its halls.

The Bishop's Palace

The Immense Staircase

#2: Moody Mansion - This mansion feels like the inside of a life-sized CLUE board, and I'm pretty sure Miss Scarlet killed Mr. Body in the Conservatory with the candlestick. Yes, there was an actual conservatory, along with every other formal room from the game and movie.

William Moody had his hands in almost everything, from cotton to ranching and from publishing to insurance. There are streets, banks, churches, and hospitals that boast his name, and then there are the incredible Moody Gardens! 

Even with how pivotal the Moody's were to Galveston's expansion as a city, this mansion was born of a darker past: Richard S. Willis made his fortune in the cotton industry, but he was a very frugal man who kept his assets liquid to be able to easily distribute them among his ten children in the event of his passing. His wife, Narcissa, however, wanted to live a more lavish lifestyle in a large home that her husband would never allow. After Richard's death in 1892 (under strange circumstances, I might add), newly-widowed Narcissa put almost the entirety of his money into the commission of building the mansion, leaving nothing to the children. For this act, she was estranged from her children, and she lived alone in the house with a single housekeeper until she died in 1899. When she passed, her daughter immediately put the mansion up for sale. There were many bids placed on the house, but when the Great Storm of 1900 happened, all bidders pulled out except for the Moody's, so they were able to secure it as their own. Not surprisingly, it is said that Narcissa is still seen from time to time at the mansion. As the house was all she really had to show for this life or the next, I am sure she will continue to be around for many years to come.

Moody Mansion

Original Stained-Glass Window

#3: The Strand - Full of adorable souvenir shops, delicious restaurants, fudge shops, and pubs, the Strand is the place to be in Galveston day or night. It has the feel of a cleaner Bourbon Street. 2029 Strand St, Galveston, TX 77550.

"G-Town" Tip #1 - Galveston is a laid back, historic town that operates from 10AM-5PM on most attractions, so plan accordingly.

#4: The Historic Pleasure Pier - Probably one of the most iconic sights of Galveston, the Pleasure Pier hosts:

• The Iron Shark: a 100-foot-high oversea rollercoaster
• The Galaxy Wheel: a 100-foot-tall carousel with amazing views of the Gulf
• The Texas Star Flyer, which swings riders 230 feet over the Gulf
• And thirteen additional rides, as well as carnival games, concessions, and souvenir shops.

The Historic Pleasure Pier

A History of the Pier

"G-Town" Tip #2 - Galveston effectively shuts down during offseason, so if you go any time other than between Spring Break and Labor Day (even if its still 90 degrees outside), just know the waterparks will be closed, the Pleasure Pier will only be open on the weekends, and the town will be essentially "dead" when it comes to local happenings, which makes for a quiet and peaceful vacation of course.

#5: Rent A Boat - We rented an awesome little 19-foot ski boat from Galveston Boat Rentals. Our mission was to ride out to see the USS Selma, a beached shipwreck in the middle of Galveston Bay. They launch you at an East Bay boat ramp, which puts you out into essentially a huge lake that does not have any of the boat lanes or choppy water like the open ocean. This area is perfect for tubing, skiing, wakeboarding, swimming, and fishing. It takes about thirty minutes to make your way out to the USS Selma, and she is worth every bit of the effort! You can also rent the boat with a captain if you are not quite comfortable on the water by yourself. 

If you do not want to rent a boat to see the USS Selma, you can always take the ferry to the Bolivar Peninsula and see it along the way. The ferry is the only way to get out to the more natural beaches of Bolivar. 

The USS Selma

Family Time on the Boat

Restaurants:

#1: The Fisherman's Wharf - The incredible service and the atmosphere of dining out on the dock and watching the dolphins and tankers make their way across Galveston Bay is hard to beat! You will also be dining right next to the ELISSA, the still-sailing 1877 Tall Ship that has become the mascot of Galveston.

Grilled Shrimp over a Rice Pilaf

The ELISSA

#2: Landry's Seafood House - With their focus on family, warmth, and exceptional seafood, Landry's embodies the true flavor of Gulf Coast tradition. For a comfortable, laid-back dining experience with a gorgeous view of the ocean, this is the place!

#3: The Galvez Hotel and Spa - Even if you choose not to stay there, no haunted weekend in Galveston is complete without a visit to the most haunted hotel in the city. The elegant atmosphere immerses you in Southern Cajun cuisine, along with so many delicate wine options. Songs by Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra float by in the background just the way they did in person at the Balinese Room Pier that used to sit right across the street. The Galvez's current bar was actually saved from the old Balinese!

Dave's Chocolate Espresso Martini

These two can fit in anywhere...

SAMPLE ITENERARY:

Friday -

• Begin the trek to Galveston
• Check into your beach house or hotel
• If staying at a beach house, once settled, pick up your grocery list at the local supermarket
• Eat dinner at the Fisherman's Wharf
• Take a sunset walk on the beach

Saturday - 

• Eat breakfast at beach house or hotel
• Visit Moody Mansion
• Visit Bishop's Palace
• Walk the Strand for shops and candy
• Eat dinner at Landry's Seafood House 

Sunday - 

• Eat breakfast at beach house or hotel
• Rent a boat for the day from 10AM-1PM
• Head to the Pleasure Pier
• Eat dinner at the Galvez Hotel and Spa

Monday -

• Eat breakfast at the beach house or hotel
• Check out of the beach house or hotel
• Begin the trek back home

Please let me know if you complete this trip and/or your thoughts of the sample itinerary!

Have you ever been to the "G-Town?" Are there any must-dos you would add to the itinerary? Please feel free to leave any Galveston suggestions or tips in the comments below!

For a more family-friendly Galveston experience, check out our guest blog post on Wander Wheels, sponsored by Ford Motor Company. 

Inside An Abandoned Mental Asylum: A Spooky Road Trip to Americus!

For months, I had this reoccurring dream... 

I was a patient held in a hospital against my will, and I could tell I was heavily-medicated. I had somehow escaped through the basement door. The sunlight was so bright, and I felt so weak. I was barefoot, wearing a hospital gown, and I could tell I had recently ripped an IV needle out because my arm felt exposed. It was hot and muggy outside. I moved clumsily across the overgrown lawn on my way to the pavement. The massive hospital behind me towered over me like a foreboding monster, but I saw a neighborhood street in the distance. As I made my way to the asphalt, I heard voices behind me. I turned and saw three orderlies looking around outside the basement door. As I looked back at them, one caught my gaze and started running toward me. I felt overwhelming dread when I envisioned being forced back inside the hospital, so I turned around and sprinted as fast as I could. I was running for my life but felt like I was barely going anywhere. It was as if I had a weight tied to me. 

I turned the corner onto the neighborhood street. My legs felt like they were about to give out on me. I stumbled and crawled up the front porch to one of the houses. I banged on the front door, begging for sanctuary. No one answered. As I made my way back down the porch steps, the orderlies turned the corner onto the street. I was out of time. I wasn't going to make it. I saw people looking at me through their windows as the orderlies yelled for me to stop. In that moment, I realized that no one was going to help me. I took off running as fast as my fragile body would allow me. Then, I wake up. I always wake up. What ever happened to that young girl? Did she ever leave that hospital? The fear she felt will never leave me. 

…Keep this story in mind as I continue with my latest post:

HISTORY:

Central State Hospital in Milledgeville, Georgia was once the largest mental asylum in the world. It was in continuous operation from 1842 until 2010. Its almost 2,000 acres are home to over 200 buildings and, at one point, housed over 12,000 patients. It was basically its own little city with its own train depot and even its own power plant. 

Between the 50's and 60's, the hospital began to outgrow its resources. They had trouble getting psychotropic drugs, and it got to the point where there was only one doctor per 100 patients. In addition, the public began to question the methods of mental hospitals. In 1960, a journalist named John "Jack" Nelson wrote an article on Central State in the Atlanta Journal Constitution and won a Pulitzer for it. His and others' accounts mentioned lobotomies, insulin shock, and early electroshock therapy. Reports showed children were confined to metal cages, and adults were forced to take steam baths and cold showers and were treated with douches. It was even found that some of the "doctors" had been hired off the mental wards. Yes, the patients were helping run the hospital. 

These reports caused then Governor Carl Sanders, with the help of President Jimmy Carter, to start clearing out Central State Hospital. Not long after this began, new psychiatric drugs allowed people to be treated from their homes, and small group homes began to rise in number. Deinstitutionalization began, and soon the grand buildings of Central State were left vacant and rotting. Even though the lack of large scale mental asylums has lead to homelessness and drug abuse among the mentally-disabled, almost all agree it is still better than the aggrievances that occurred inside the walls of these poorly-funded hospitals. 

Believe it or not, Central State is still operating today. A new facility opened in 2018 and serves about 200 mental health patients.

THE BUILDINGS:

The artfully-decaying buildings from the original hospital are a haven for any urban explorer. The main buildings all surround an old pecan grove, with the Powell Building (the Main Building) front and center:

Map of the Original Hospital

The Old Pecan Grove

Powell Building - The white building with the dome was built in 1937 and still holds a small office for the campus Redevelopment Authority. The affluent and intricate design of the building was intended to keep families from feeling as if they were bringing their loved ones to a prison or a mental asylum. 

Entrance to the Powell Building

Mail Room or old Records Room

A Patient Room

Walker Building - If you look closely through the third story windows of this building, you can see the sunlight shining through. This is because in most places, the roof has collapsed, and nature is slowly reclaiming it. 

Walker Building

Third Floor of the Walker Building

Stairwell in the Walker Building

Green Building

An Exterior Corridor

Jones Building - The building boasting Georgia's state seal has been left to rot since 1979. This 142,140-square-foot general service hospital was the heart of the campus in the 1800s, as it was home to the cafeteria, the operating room, X-Ray, and pathology. The interior of the building has since been a filming location for the "The Originals."

Front of the Jones Building

Nurses' Station in the Jones Building

Morgue in the Jones Building

The Auditorium

Brantley Building

Hallway in the Brantley Building

Cedar Lane Cemetery - This cemetery displays 2,000 cast iron markers to commemorate the over 25,000 patients buried in unmarked graves throughout the hospital grounds. 

Cedar Lane Cemetery

BUT even with all the decay, life still goes on throughout Central State campus. The chapel still hosts weddings and holds services every Sunday, and the pecan grove can even be rented for events.

Visitor Discretion Advised: This historic location is not for the faint of heart. Firstly, there are security guards monitoring the property, and you can be fined and/or arrested if caught trespassing. Secondly, I love abandoned buildings (and exploring an old mental asylum has been on my Bucket List for as long as I can remember), but the feeling of this place was almost too much to take. The weight is so heavy that it feels like it's hard to breathe sometimes, and it got to a point where me and my group couldn't handle it anymore. We were almost sick to our stomachs by the time we got out of there. 

We decided to leave the property via the back way, and we turned down a side street to exit the hospital grounds. All of a sudden, I was back in that dream. This was the neighborhood street where I sought refuge. This must have been where all the doctors, the hospital workers, and their families lived. All of the houses were vacant and run down now. Based on the home styles, my dream had to have happened in the 50's or 60's. I haven't had the dream again since visiting Central State. Premonition, reincarnation, spirit? What do you think it was?

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We left Milledgeville as quickly as we could and headed to our final destination - One of the most haunted hotels in Georgia, the Historic Windsor Hotel. 

THE WINDSOR HOTEL:

The Windsor was built in 1892 as a five-story, 100-room vacation destination for the "snow birds" of the North. Americus was a bustling town, and parties and balls at the Windsor were a normal occurrence for the exquisite Victorian hotel with its tower, turrets, and three-story open atrium lobby. Over the decades, the hotel fell into disrepair and was closed to the public in 1972. After a $6.5 million dollar renovation that took into account even the smallest details of the original design, the hotel re-opened in 1991 with 53 individually-appointed rooms, including 6 Suites and 2 Tower Suites, the Bridal Suite and the Carter Presidential Suite (the hotel has hosted President Jimmy Carter and his wife on several occasions). 

The Three-Story Open Atrium Lobby

An Original Phone Booth

As for dining options at the Windsor, you can choose from:

• Rosemary & Thyme Restaurant for a modern, upscale American fair. 
• Floyd's Pub is always a great time with rocking chairs on the veranda, refreshing cocktails, and amazing food.
• Or you can have good ol' room service brought right to your door!

Enjoying Downtown from the Veranda

Now, when I say the Windsor is haunted, it's not a spooky kind of haunted. This hotel feels so incredibly warm and inviting, and the rooms are wonderfully spacious and comfortable. However, the Windsor is definitely old enough to have ghosts. 

The two most famous are:

Emily and Emma Mae - The story goes that a former housekeeper, Emily, lived at the hotel in the early 1900's and was having an extra-marital affair with a local politician. It is said that he pushed her and her daughter, Emma Mae, down the elevator shaft on the third floor. Hotel guests have reported seeing and hearing a ghostly young girl play in the hallways, as well as hearing a woman's voice and a baby crying. Most of the activity happens on the third floor. 

Floyd Ardell Lowery (1905-1982) - This bellman and elevator operator who served the Windsor for half a century is whom "Floyd's Pub" is named after. The hotel's longest-serving employee is said to be continuing his daily duties long into the afterlife. He has been noted as a helpful and curious ghost who has the tendency to move items around guests' rooms and even hang up clothes on occasion.

Again, don't let the the ghosts deter you from the Windsor, as we all slept incredibly well in this gorgeous hotel. In addition, Americus itself is a lovely town with cute little shops and restaurants along the main street, so I definitely recommend a visit if you are ever in the area!

Have you ever been to Milledgeville or Americus? Are there any must-dos you would add to the itinerary while in these locations? Please feel free to leave any Central State or urban exploration suggestions or tips in the comments below!