Some of the best sightseeing on the coast costs nothing. The Galveston to Port Bolivar ferry is a toll-free state highway that happens to float: roll your car on at the east end of Galveston Island and spend about 20 minutes crossing the mouth of the bay, watching for dolphins, pelicans, gulls and passing ships. On the far side is Bolivar Peninsula, a skinny strip between Galveston Bay and the Gulf that feels a decade slower than the island behind you. Look for the 1872 Point Bolivar Lighthouse, see the old coastal defense site at Fort Travis, and bring binoculars to Bolivar Flats, a shorebird sanctuary near the peninsula's tip. Beach towns like Crystal Beach and Gilchrist are quieter than Galveston's seawall. Much of the peninsula was rebuilt after Hurricane Ike in 2008, which destroyed or badly damaged most of its structures.
What to expect
- Once the ferry leaves the landing, you can get out of the car and walk the deck.
- Restrooms are by the staging lanes on both sides and on every ferry's upper deck.
- Engines off and no smoking on board, even in your car; pets stay inside the vehicle.
- Parking on Bolivar beaches needs a $10 sticker, bought locally before you park.
- For Bolivar Flats, drive onto the beach at Rettilon Road and park at the barricade.
What to do
- Stand at the rail on the crossing and watch for dolphins
- See the 1872 Point Bolivar Lighthouse and the Fort Travis grounds
- Walk Bolivar Flats with binoculars for shorebirds
- Toll-free, operated by TxDOTCost
- 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, weather permittingHours
- 2.7 miles, about 20 minutes plus roughly 10 minutes to load and unloadCrossing
- Built in 1872Point Bolivar Lighthouse