Port Profiles | Portipedia

YOU’VE GOT TO LIKE A TOWN WHOSE FIRST KNOWN EUROPEAN SETTLER WAS A PIRATE. Especially one who interrupted his illicit adventures to fight the heroically for the United States in the War of 1812.

That’s just what French privateer and smuggler Jean Lafitte did before returning to his old ways and setting up base camp in 1817 in the city that would become Galveston. Nearly 1,000 followers eventually came to live in the commune called Campeche, from which Lafitte and his pirates launched attacks against Spanish ships.

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Galveston’s downtown is compact by big-city standards, more than 36 square blocks. But within those blocks is more than 100 shops, antique stores, restaurants and art galleries. 

Begin your exploration in The Strand National Historic Landmark District (pick up a map and other literature at the Downtown Visitors Center at 2215 Strand in the Old Galveston Square Building, phone 409-797-5101). 

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During the 1920s through the 1940s, Sam Maceo’s famous Galveston nightclubs, the Balinese Room and the Hollywood Dinner Club, were host to such performers as Phil Harris, Paul Whiteman, Guy Lombardo, Duke Ellington, Freddy Martin, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee and Jimmy Dorsey. Galveston attracted people from all over the nation with great dining, big name entertainment, roulette, blackjack, craps tables and slot machines. This era ended in 1957 when the Texas Rangers raided the city and closed all the illegal gambling spots. 

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Q. How do I get from the airport to the port?

A. Many cruise passengers who fly to their Galveston cruises arrive at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, 65 miles from Galveston. Closer is the William P. Hobby Airport, about 45 miles away. Yet the journey is about an hour and a half from either airport. You can rent a car and drive I-45 South through downtown Houston to Galveston, or Galveston Limousine offers frequent shuttle service from both airports to the cruise terminal. The fare is $30 ($50 roundtrip). For more information, call 800-640-4826 or visit www.galvestonlimousineservice.com. Other transportation companies: Extreme Elegance (866-799-5466); Karr’s Limousine Service (713-780-8300); and Jeff’s Cab & Shuttle Service (866-533-3222).

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