Visiting Galveston during Coronavirus | COVID-19 in Galveston Texas

Know Before You Go

Texas has implemented specific safety guidelines to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. These include mask mandates for indoor activities, reduced indoor capacity, and the statewide closure of bars for on-site consumption. We encourage you to enjoy Galveston while adhering to the protective measures set in place.

How has the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) impacted Tours in Galveston?

We at Ghost City Tours have taken the Coronavirus threat very seriously, implementing special procedures to help maintain our guests' health and safety.

Even though being outside on walking tours is one of the safest ways to experience a city, Ghost City is strictly following Social Distancing Guidelines. While you can stay in your group, we expect our groups to maintain the suggested 6-foot distance from other groups on tour.

Face coverings are mandatory in Galveston, and we will be enforcing their usage even before your ghost tour begins.

Since we're outdoors, our tours are already a safe way of getting out and about. Now, you can have even more peace of mind.

Why is the Coronavirus Risk for Walking Tour Participants Low?

There are many aspects of walking tours that make them an excellent option for someone looking for a very low-risk activity.

All of our Tours take place outdoors, not in enclosed areas.
We expect our guests to abide by Social Distancing Guidelines. If you do not abide by these guidelines, you will be asked to leave the tour.
There is plenty of room to spread out, ensuring you're social distancing properly.
Before the pandemic, we already did an excellent job of avoiding crowds. We've taken those efforts even further.
Contact-Free seems to be all the rage - from Pizza joints to Car Dealerships. Our tours have always been "contact-free."
Ghosts can’t catch or carry COVID-19!

The reality is that taking a ghost tour with Ghost City Tours is no more of a risk to your health than walking around the block at home. We've taken every measure possible to ensure that an already low-risk activity is even safer.

Things to Do in Galveston During COVID-19

When exploring Galveston, you’ll find that many locations are open for business. In order to help keep Galveston a safe place to visit, the State of Texas and the City of Galveston have asked businesses to do their part in maintaining health and safety guidelines.

We urge all travelers to familiarize themselves with CDC protection tips.

Who Has to Wear a Mask?

The City of Galveston requires that everyone within six feet of one another outdoors – and everyone indoors – mask up! Please ensure that you bring your own masks as they are not provided.

Face coverings must be worn from the get-go; this includes when checking in for your tour. If you cannot wear a mask due to underlying disease, you are permitted to join without one.

Children under ten years old are exempt from the mask mandate. You are not required to wear a mask while drinking, eating, or smoking.

Acceptable Face Coverings for the Public

Acceptable face coverings include face masks, homemade cloth masks, and scarves. Surgical masks and N95 respirators are in critical demand and should be worn only by healthcare professionals and first responders.

While we don't want the current situation to deter you from visiting one of the nation's most fascinating cities, we do prioritize your safety. With the health of travelers in mind, we have compiled a list of fun, low-risk activities to do while in Galveston.

Below is a list of fully operational businesses taking extra steps to help keep you safe.

Beaches

Galveston Beaches are currently open at this time. The City of Galveston recommends wearing face masks when social distancing is not possible. Large gatherings are prohibited.

Galveston Island Beach Patrol and the Galveston Police Department will be on-site to enforce social-distancing mandates.

Hotels, Inns, and Bed and Breakfasts

More and more, we're seeing people day-tripping from nearby cities to Galveston. If you're staying for more than a day, the hotels listed below are some of the best options for a safe, sanitary visit.

We also think that hotels are excellent ways to explore the city while adhering to health and safety guidelines. These accommodations offer great opportunities to learn about historic Galveston. You won’t have to venture far from your room to explore the culture, legacy, and grandeur of The Oleander City.

Hotel Galvez

Visit their Website Call: (409) 765-7721

2024 Seawall Boulevard

Once referred to as the "Playground of the Southwest," this 226-room hotel conjures images of Galveston's gilded age – when Galveston was once the "Vegas of the South," frequented by Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, and Dean Martin.

Despite its celebrity guest list, the Hotel Galvez is better known for its less temporary tenants – poltergeists. What’s haunting the only historic hotel on Galveston’s beachfront?