Tour Types
GUIDED WALKING TOURS
The guided walking tour has quickly become our most popular hurricane tour! This 2-mile walking tour takes you on a fascinating journey through historic architecture, as we recount stories of death and destruction, heroism and bravery, and the innovations and creativity that Galveston embraced to survive!
The tour leaves from behind the Ashton Villa, and walks through downtown before ending up in the East End Historic District. Walking pace is slow to moderate.
This is our most interactive tour, as guests participate in discussions about the topics of hurricanes, natural disasters, survival stories and resiliency, evacuations, innovations, architecture and history.
The walking tour partners with Little Daddy's Gumbo Bar to provide a 1-hour walking break in the middle of the tour. This is setup as an optional meal with the best Cajun food on the Island! The dialogue continues during this walking break in a relaxed setting.
The break at Little Daddy's Gumbo Bar extends our time past a "3-Hour Tour" (but we promise not to get you stranded like Gilligan's Island!) We walk for 2 hours 30 minutes and sit for 1 hour, for a total time of around 3 hours 30 minutes. The 1-hour break is a great time to get to know other tour participants, while getting hydrated and enjoying great island food!
The tour is most commonly offered on Saturday evenings from 600-930PM, but keep an eye on the calendar for special dates.
The charge of the tour is $30/ person, with a 20% discount ($24) for youth aged 6-17. The tour is not recommended for children 5 and under, but babies in strollers have done well in the past. Ticket price does not include food/ drink at Little Daddy's. The tour takes place rain or shine.
Check out these pics from our tour on Fri Jan 27, 2023.
PRIVATE BUS TOURS
Dr. Hurricane Hal is available to provide stand-in tours on your chartered bus. This includes full-size tour buses and vans associated with conferences and professional meetings. The tour runs 1 hour 30 minutes and visits at least 10 sites. Cost is $25/ person, with an 8-person minimum, and discount to $20/ person for groups with 15 or more people. Bus tours provide great geographic coverage. Galveston Limousine provides private bus charters for area excursions... we partner with such groups to provide stand-in tours.
Dr. Hurricane Hal is available to provide stand-in tours on your chartered bus. This includes full-size tour buses and vans associated with conferences and professional meetings. The tour runs 1 hour 30 minutes and visits at least 10 sites. Cost is $25/ person, with an 8-person minimum, and discount to $20/ person for groups with 15 or more people. Bus tours provide great geographic coverage. Galveston Limousine provides private bus charters for area excursions... we partner with such groups to provide stand-in tours.
SCHOOL TOURS
School tours are a fun way to engage kids about science, engineering, meteorology, architecture, history and geography. Tour content hits on many topics covered in the State of Texas STAAR test. Students get out of the bus at four sites in Galveston that engage student curiosity, while giving them time outdoors to burn energy and move around. The tour lasts around two hours. The cost depends on school size, broken down as follows:
1-14 students: Flat rate of $200
15 or more students: $14/ student
Teachers/ chaperones: Free
School tours provide interactive discussion on four special focus topics:
1. Resiliency: Students will think through actions that they can take to make themselves, their family and their community more resilient.
2. The Scientific Method: The Scientific Method is presented, and students are challenged to think about this process in light of hurricanes. Hurricanes provide real-world examples of hypotheses that are proven wrong. Most people assume that higher hurricane categories (cat 3) will produce deeper flood levels than lower hurricane categories (cat 2). High water marks on our tour prove this is not always true. The wheels get turning in little minds as we work through the scientific method on this topic!
3. Physical Processes: From visuals of different types of flooding to lessons on erosion and weathering along a sandy beach and dunes, Galveston provides a natural laboratory for science education related to physical processes that shape our landscapes. Galveston Hurricane Tour hits on a wide variety of these topics, including teaching on the difference between weather and climate, hurricanes and tornadoes, what causes the change of seasons and what drives the weather. These topics fit curriculums for many junior high students.
4. Perspectives: Students reflect on the impacts of the 1900 Storm and form new perspectives about topics such as hardship, trials and catastrophes.
1. Resiliency: Students will think through actions that they can take to make themselves, their family and their community more resilient.
2. The Scientific Method: The Scientific Method is presented, and students are challenged to think about this process in light of hurricanes. Hurricanes provide real-world examples of hypotheses that are proven wrong. Most people assume that higher hurricane categories (cat 3) will produce deeper flood levels than lower hurricane categories (cat 2). High water marks on our tour prove this is not always true. The wheels get turning in little minds as we work through the scientific method on this topic!
3. Physical Processes: From visuals of different types of flooding to lessons on erosion and weathering along a sandy beach and dunes, Galveston provides a natural laboratory for science education related to physical processes that shape our landscapes. Galveston Hurricane Tour hits on a wide variety of these topics, including teaching on the difference between weather and climate, hurricanes and tornadoes, what causes the change of seasons and what drives the weather. These topics fit curriculums for many junior high students.
4. Perspectives: Students reflect on the impacts of the 1900 Storm and form new perspectives about topics such as hardship, trials and catastrophes.
UNIVERSITY TOURS
Universities commonly visit the Gulf Coast during Spring Break in March or April. This is an ideal time for college students, especially from northern states, to visit the region. Some universities organize faculty-led field trips during this time, and have booked tours on Galveston Hurricane Tour. Relevant majors include history, architecture, engineering, meteorology, Earth science and public policy. Tours run 2 hours. Cost is a $200 flat free if 10 students or less, or $20/ student if more than 10 students. Faculty/ staff are free. Note: If your university is in town for more than one day, check with Dr. Hal... sometimes he's available to meet academic groups for dinner the night of their arrival.
Universities commonly visit the Gulf Coast during Spring Break in March or April. This is an ideal time for college students, especially from northern states, to visit the region. Some universities organize faculty-led field trips during this time, and have booked tours on Galveston Hurricane Tour. Relevant majors include history, architecture, engineering, meteorology, Earth science and public policy. Tours run 2 hours. Cost is a $200 flat free if 10 students or less, or $20/ student if more than 10 students. Faculty/ staff are free. Note: If your university is in town for more than one day, check with Dr. Hal... sometimes he's available to meet academic groups for dinner the night of their arrival.
PRIVATE TOURS
Private tours are available on a limited basis. Contact Dr. Hal for inquiries. Private tours offer the benefits of customized timing and content... in other words the tour covers what you want when you want it. The most popular option for private tours is inviting Dr. Hal as a stand-in guest in your vehicle for your comfort. Tour length is 1 hour 30 minutes and cost is a flat fee of $150 for the entire group. A stylish alternative is enjoying Galveston Hurricane Tour in replica Model-T carriages! These historic, open-air vehicles are a great way to experience the tour, while enjoying the sea breeze! Check out these vehicles at Carriage Haus: https://www.carriagehausrentals.com/. The cost of a Carriage Haus tour is $150 + the price of the carriage rental.
Private tours are available on a limited basis. Contact Dr. Hal for inquiries. Private tours offer the benefits of customized timing and content... in other words the tour covers what you want when you want it. The most popular option for private tours is inviting Dr. Hal as a stand-in guest in your vehicle for your comfort. Tour length is 1 hour 30 minutes and cost is a flat fee of $150 for the entire group. A stylish alternative is enjoying Galveston Hurricane Tour in replica Model-T carriages! These historic, open-air vehicles are a great way to experience the tour, while enjoying the sea breeze! Check out these vehicles at Carriage Haus: https://www.carriagehausrentals.com/. The cost of a Carriage Haus tour is $150 + the price of the carriage rental.
