The rain streamed down our RV windows that December day, threatening to dampen our excitement as we officially began our first week of full-time travel. We had chosen our very first full-time RV destination carefully: 1) somewhere warmer than Fort Worth in December, 2) somewhere within reasonable driving distance from Fort Worth, and 3) somewhere we felt was familiar to us. Bonus: locations with annual festivals or events happening in the calendar window of our visit.
Galveston Island’s Dickens on the Strand seemed the perfect solution. The island hosts a Charles Dickens-themed festival to celebrate its rich heritage, which has a strong Victorian-era London influence. Hosting it in December with an iconic Christmas Carol theme makes it all the more festive and fun. During that era, Galveston was a major US port, particularly for European immigration, busier than even the more famous Ellis Island in New York at its peak. The Strand and many of the historic homes throughout Galveston maintain their iconic Victorian architecture, which makes it the perfect backdrop for such a festival. But even with careful planning, you still can’t plan the weather. Would Galveston, Texas, shape up to meet our “Great” Expectations?
The Sunshine Between the Rain
With the rainy forecast, it didn’t look promising. We had to get creative. During the week, we could take walks and enjoy the tropical environment and beaches between rain showers. Our RV resort was only a few minutes from Galveston Island State Park, which has both a beachside and a bayside. We visited both several times. We also enjoyed the public beach across the street from our resort, where we walked the dogs and watched the sunset.
Galveston’s Charming Dickens on the Strand
Unfortunately, the weather didn’t improve for the weekend’s festival. But as we often say, we are not on vacation. This is our life, and if we want to experience new locations, we have to use the time we have and roll with whatever nature throws at us. We packed our bags with ponchos and warm jackets and headed to The Strand, essentially “Historic Main Street” in Downtown Galveston.
We went to brunch. It rained.
We strolled down the street and browsed the shops. It rained.
We stopped to listen to carolers and watch street performers in full Victorian dress. It rained.
Thankfully, the rain let up long enough for the parade that afternoon, for which everyone was very grateful. I’m so glad it did because the costumes were my favorite part of the festival! Attendees were encouraged to come dressed in their best Victorian-era attire for discounted admission tickets, but they truly accept anything from Santa to steampunk. Unfortunately, a hoop skirt doesn’t fit in my tiny travel trailer closet, so we didn’t participate. However, we sure enjoyed the people-watching! The carolers, primarily high school and college choirs, in their Victorian costumes were especially noteworthy.
Afterward, we stopped by one of the food vendors for a festival staple: Scotch eggs. If you’ve never had them, Scotch eggs are actually British, not Scottish, contrary to what the name implies. They are deep-fried hardboiled eggs wrapped in sausage. We’ve typically seen them served as an appetizer, and these at the festival did not disappoint. Delicious!
Beyond The Strand
Outside the festival, there’s much to see and do in Downtown Galveston. We have a complete list of what we’ve enjoyed here. Since we’d already seen just about all of the major tourist sites in Galveston on previous visits, we spent some time walking the marina on the bayside after the festival. On the pier, we got the first of many “God winks” of this full-time RV adventure as we paused to look out into the bay.
I mused out loud, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if we saw a dolphin—“
As the word “dolphin” came out of my mouth, one breached the water’s surface right near where we were standing in the direction we were looking. We knew dolphins were common in Galveston Bay as we’d seen them on a previous visit on a harbor tour. However, we didn’t expect to see one on that day and at that very moment. It was an experience we won’t soon forget.
There’s Always Something to Be Grateful For
Galveston taught us that full-time RV life is not all sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes, it rains—A LOT. It’s so easy to allow circumstances to dampen excitement and adventure. But it’s absolutely essential to look at everything through the lens of gratitude. Dickens on the Strand was absolutely charming despite the rain. We are so very thankful for this opportunity, and making the best of every situation is just part of the adventure.
Next time, we will learn to make the best of it in our least favorite park (so far). Join us for more!
