We packed up Thursday afternoon and hit the road for a quick getaway to Houston and Galveston to celebrate our sweet boy turning five. He’s obsessed with dinosaurs and animals, so we knew exactly where our first stop had to be: the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Watching his face light up in the dinosaur exhibit was one of those forever-core-memories. He was in his element—wide-eyed and full of wonder—and it was such a gift to experience it with him.
Before heading to Galveston, we made a stop at Whole Foods to pick up a berry Chantilly cake for his birthday. Fun fact: this cake was actually our wedding cake, so it’s become a special little tradition to grab one whenever we’re in the city. He did request a Wild Kratts cake, and he absolutely loved it! He said it was “the best cake ever!” Oh to be five again.
Friday morning in Galveston started slow and sweet with a walk to the 1911 Espresso Bar inside the Grand Galvez. I ordered the Seaside Girl—salted caramel and coconut—and sipped it on the porch with the waves in the background. It felt like a little moment of magic. We spent the rest of the morning at the beach: boogie boarding, digging in the sand, and chasing waves. Pure childhood joy.
After naps, we headed to one of our favorite Galveston restaurants—Sugar & Rye. Their menu is the perfect blend of Southern comfort and Cajun flair. We ordered the New Orleans pasta and shrimp tacos, both absolutely delicious. Then came ice cream at Hey Mikey’s, followed by seashell hunting and souvenir-browsing at Murdoch’s as the sun set over the water. It was one of those dreamy, end-of-day beach scenes you want to bottle up.
Saturday started at Evia, a charming little pocket of Galveston that’s quickly becoming a favorite. I grabbed an iced lavender matcha from Sugar Bean Coffee, and we had breakfast at Basin Bistro. Let me tell you—the breakfast sandwich there is still on my mind. We ate outside while the kids played with yard games, coloring sheets, and a whole stash of toys. The vibe was relaxed and family-friendly, and the kids’ waffles had sugar pearls baked in. Yes, sugar pearls! Safe to say we’ll be recreating that breakfast soon.
We wandered through a few local shops while the kids played, and ended our trip with the Downtown Galveston Kids Festival—music, activities, and all the post-beach energy little ones could want. Then it was time to head home, sandy and full-hearted.
This trip was a reminder of the joy in celebrating your people with simple pleasures: waves and waffles, coffee on a porch, dinosaur wonder, and the soft sweetness of a berry Chantilly cake.
