The Galveston–Port Bolivar ferry, explained

If you're coming to Crystal Beach from Galveston, you'll ride the ferry. It's part of State Highway 87, it's run by TxDOT, and it's completely free. For a lot of our guests it's the moment the trip starts to feel like vacation.

How it works

• Cost: free for cars and passengers.
• Hours: 24 hours a day, every day, weather permitting. In severe weather TxDOT can reduce or pause service.
• The crossing: 2.7 miles across the bay. TxDOT puts the ride at roughly 18–20 minutes, with about 10 more minutes to load and unload.
• Landings: Galveston at 1000 Ferry Road; Port Bolivar at 123 SH 87.
• Questions: the ferry office is at 409-795-2230.

During the day, a second boat goes into service at 6:30 a.m. and the boats space themselves out based on traffic. TxDOT adds a third in the afternoon when needed, and up to five for summer and holiday crowds. Overnight it slows to roughly one departure an hour from each side. TxDOT posts the exact night schedule on its ferry page.

From the Port Bolivar landing it's about 13 miles to our house, around 20 minutes up Highway 87.

How long is the wait?

It depends almost entirely on when you go. Houston TranStar, which tracks live ferry wait times, says the typical trip from the Galveston Seawall to Bolivar takes about 45 minutes when demand is low, including the line. On busy summer weekends and holidays, TxDOT warns the wait can be two hours or more.

Before you leave, check the live wait times and the landing cameras on Houston TranStar's ferry page. They'll tell you right away whether to queue up or take the long way around.

On board

Once the boat has loaded and pulled away, you can get out of your car, walk the deck and head upstairs. Things to watch for:

• Dolphins, pelicans and plenty of gulls
• Pelican Island, with a Navy destroyer and a submarine
• The Selma, a concrete shipwreck
• Cargo ships, tugs and cruise ships in the channel
• The Bolivar lighthouse and Fort Travis as you come in to Port Bolivar

A few rules that surprise people:

• Feed the gulls from the back of the boat only.
• Engine off and parking brake on once you're parked.
• No smoking anywhere on board, including inside your car. That covers vapes too.
• Pets stay in the car (service animals excepted). See our dog-friendly beaches guide for more.
• No gas cans.
• You may be randomly picked for a quick federally required vehicle inspection in the staging area.

Head back to your car as the boat approaches the landing.

You can also park free on either side and walk on. Galveston has a parking garage and a lot, and Bolivar has a lot.

Skipping the ferry: driving in from Houston

From Houston there are two ways in:

1. Via Galveston and the ferry: I-45 South to Galveston, Broadway to Seawall Boulevard, then Ferry Road to the landing. It's the shorter drive, but the ferry line is the wild card.
2. Via I-10, TX-124 and TX-87 (no ferry): I-10 East to Winnie, TX-124 south through High Island, then TX-87 west down the peninsula to Crystal Beach. From downtown Houston it's roughly 95 miles, about two hours in normal traffic. The time is predictable because there's no line.

On summer weekends and holidays, when the ferry wait climbs, the High Island route is usually the calmer bet. TxDOT itself points drivers to alternate routes when waits get long.

Our tips

• Check TranStar before you commit to the ferry line.
• Early mornings and later evenings are usually easier than late morning on a Saturday.
• Bring water and snacks, and fill the tank before you get in line.
• Going over to Galveston for a day? Leave yourself a cushion for the ride home.

Once you're here, see things to do in Crystal Beach. Heading over for the bike rally? We wrote a Lone Star Rally lodging guide.