Gaido's & Galveston's Historic Seafood Houses

Galveston has fed people fresh Gulf seafood for well over a century, and a handful of family kitchens have carried that tradition long enough to become landmarks in their own right. This driving tour strings together the seafood houses that made the island a place people cross the causeway to eat — from a Seawall institution that started as a sandwich stand in 1911 to a beloved shrimp counter and the docks where the day's catch still comes in. Along the way you'll trace how immigrant families, working boats, and a hungry tourist trade turned Galveston into one of the great seafood towns of the Gulf Coast. Come hungry, plan for a stop or two to actually eat, and let the smell of the fryers and the salt air set the pace. Hours vary by season, so check ahead before you set out.