Galveston Welcomes Families to Experience a Texas Winter Wonder Island

Texas may not be the first place you think of when looking for a winter wonderland to celebrate the season with the family, but the island of Galveston proves the holidays in Texas are a special time. The island gears up to ring in the holidays with plenty of festive, family-friendly attractions in a place that takes the fun and laid-back island style the destination is known for and transforms it into a winter wonder island for the holidays.

Plan your trip to Moody Gardens (one of the best places for families to stay on the island thanks to all the fun on-site activities available year-round) where the grounds have been transformed for the holiday season. Gone is the island vibe, replaced with Holiday in the Gardens, a collection of winter-themed decorations and activities for the whole family. At Ice Land: Pole to Pole, more than 2 million pounds of ice were brought in along with ice carvers from Harbin, China, a city known for its spectacular ice carvings, to create a walkthrough ice land of sculptures, an ice bar, an ice slide and an ice-skating rink.

Guests of the hotel can book the VUP Package — Very Unforgettable Penguin — that includes a hotel stay for four, attraction passes, plus a private penguin encounter at the on-site aquarium. If you don’t plan to stay at the hotel, you can still visit winter attractions at night with a money-saving Twilight Package. The holiday attractions, which will also include penguin encounters, 3-D holiday films, festive food and music, along with photo ops with Santa, will be in place for visitors to enjoy until Jan. 1.