Thanks to its sun-drenched location on the Gulf of Mexico, Galveston Island not only offers beaches and family fun, but also a rich maritime legacy. History buffs vacationing on the Texas coast can dive in with a visit to the Galveston Naval Museum, a local gem that preserves a pair of World War II era ships.
Located on the man-made Pelican Island, just across the channel from Galveston Island, the museum and surrounding park offer a wealth of maritime and naval artifacts and engaging exhibits aboard an attack submarine and destroyer escort built in the 1940s.
We’ve put together this guide to help you navigate everything you need to know about visiting the Galveston Naval Museum and Seawolf Park during your stay in Galveston.
About the Galveston Naval Museum
Photo Credit: Patrish Jackson
- Address: 100 Seawolf Park Blvd, Galveston, TX
- Website: galvestonnavalmuseum.com
- Amenities: Seawolf Park has paid parking, a playground, picnic tables, and portable restrooms.
The arrival of the USS Cavalla in Galveston in 1971 marked the beginnings of what is today known as the Galveston Naval Museum. The ship and surrounding park serve as a memorial to the USS Seawolf, which was lost at sea in World War II.
Today, you can tour both the USS Cavalla, an attack submarine, and the USS Stewart, a destroyer escort collectively known as “Predator and Protector.” The ships are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Alongside the museum, Seawolf Park is a great spot to spend a few hours enjoying a picnic with bay views, running around the playground, or casting a line from the popular wooden fishing pier.
Getting There
The Galveston Naval Museum is on Pelican Island, just across from the Galveston Harbor. You’ll have to leave Galveston Island to get there and cross the Pelican Island Causeway. From Downtown Galveston, it’s about a 15-minute drive to Seawolf Park and the museum, and from the West End, it’s closer to 30 minutes away.
What To Do and See at the Galveston Naval Museum
Tour the USS Cavalla
Photo Credit: telwink via Flickr CC2.0
Built in 1943, the USS Cavalla was an attack submarine used primarily to sink enemy shipping towards the end of WWII. She earned the nickname “Avenger of Pearl Harbor” for taking down a Japanese aircraft carrier used during the attack.
After being decommissioned and returning to service a few times, the USS Cavalla was permanently retired in 1969 and moved to Galveston a couple of years later. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, she serves as a museum and memorial to a lost submarine, the USS Seawolf, after which the surrounding park is named.
Climb Aboard the USS Stewart
Photo Credit: Olga Lyubochkina
A Houston built destroyer escort, the USS Stewart is one of two remaining ships of her type. Commissioned in 1943, the ship’s legacy includes escorting President Franklin D. Roosevelt, participating in the Normandy Beach landing in 1944, and rescuing the survivors of a ship collision in 1945. After her decommissioning, the USS Stewart landed at Seawolf Park in 1974 and is now open for tours as part of the Galveston Naval Museum.
Sleepover on a Ship
Sailors in training can participate in the ultimate immersive experience aboard the USS Stewart — a sleepover. Participants get to experience a private tour of both museum ships, a special mission to become an honorary ensign, a movie onboard, and overnight accommodations in the same bunkrooms on the USS Steward used by sailors some 75 years ago.
The experience must be booked in advance and runs from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m., including a basic breakfast and games and activities hosted by the staff.
Join a Hard Hat Tour
For a closer look at the inner workings of a destroyer escort, museum guests can don a hard hat and join a small group guided tour of the USS Stewart. Venturing into spaces the public can’t access, the tour highlights the conditions sailors worked in during the 1940s.
Offered during limited hours, Friday through Sunday, on a first-come basis, the tour is for ages 13 and up and includes the use of a hard hat during the excursion and a flashlight to keep.
Hang Out at Seawolf Park and Playground
Photo Credit: Wil C. Fry via Flickr CC2.0
Home to the Galveston Naval Museum, Seawolf Park also offers a playground, picnic facilities, and a wooden fishing pier. It’s easy to spend half a day or more here enjoying the green spaces, fishing, and touring the museum ships.
There is a $10 parking charge to use the lot here.
Drop a Line at Seawolf Park Pier
One of Galveston’s favorite fishing piers, the wooden dock here is open for residents and visitors who pay a use fee. From the pier, you can see the remains of the SS Selma, the largest concrete ship ever built.
Fishing fees at the time of publication are $6 for non-resident kids (ages 11 and under), $10 for seniors (65 and up), and $15 for adults (ages 12 and up). Kids ages four and under are free. The fishing fee also includes parking at Seawolf Park.
Nearby Attractions
Aside from Seawolf Park and the Galveston Naval Museum, the man-made Pelican Island isn’t full of tourist amenities. If you’re interested in learning more about the area’s maritime legacy, though, there’s plenty to do and see just across the channel on Galveston Island.
1877 Tall Ship Elissa
The Galveston Historic Seaport and 1877 Tall Ship Elissa are a great place to start. Tall Ship Elissa is a National Historic Landmark and one of just three of its kind that can still sail. Visitors can tour the floating museum for exhibits about immigration and local history.
Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum
Photo Credit: Warren Price Photography
Centered around a retired drilling rig, the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum features exhibits about the oil and gas industry. The Ocean Star was used between 1969 and 1984 to drill more than 200 wells in the Gulf of Mexico. Now, the museum offers self-guided tours and interactive activities.
Port Bolivar Ferry
Photo Credit: Mark Taylor Cunningham
One of the best free things to do in Galveston free things to do in Galveston, the Port Bolivar Ferry shuttles cars and passengers from the island to the Bolivar Peninsula, passing Seawolf Park on the way. The ride is only about 20 minutes, but you can extend the activity by visiting the bunkers at Fort Travis Park on the Bolivar Peninsula. The ferry crossing is also a great time to look for dolphins in the channel.
Stay and Immerse Yourself in Maritime History in Galveston
The Galveston Naval Museum is a great spot to spend an afternoon on the coast. With its historic ships and nearby fishing pier, the museum and surrounding park have something for everyone to enjoy.
If you’re still looking for the best place to stay in Galveston, consider one of these breezy vacation rentals with Sand ‘N Sea for easy beachfront access and all the comforts of home.
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