You might not know it if you’re only there to splash in the surf, but Galveston was once one of the wealthiest and most bustling cities in Texas. A magnet for shipping and finance, full of grand buildings and vast potential, the city took a direct hit from a catastrophic hurricane in 1900 that left it largely in ruins. Afterward, businesses, wealth, and status flowed to nearby Houston and stayed there. But the former “Queen City of the Gulf” has something Houston doesn’t: 30 miles of sandy beaches situated right on the Gulf. By 1972, Galveston had reemerged as a resort destination only a few hours from several of the state’s densest urban centers. It’s now a home for deep-sea fishing, nightlife, and the all-important shoreline fun that has drawn tourists, like those pictured here in the mid-20th century, for decades. Life, Galveston knows, can be a beach. Luckily, some time on the sand is something everybody wants.
From the June 2026 issue
