When I first shared about buying the van, I mentioned that one of my travel goals is to visit all 96 Texas State & National parks and Historic Sites. At this point in my van build journey, things were progressing at a much slower pace than anticipated. Don’t get me wrong, I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished so far, especially knowing that every bit of this project is completely new to us. We are literally learning as we go! I have no idea how all the various vanlife accounts on Instagram and blogs you see about this lifestyle are able to complete their builds in just 3 short months! Impossible! But I absolutely love every part of my personal journey. There have been many highs, and just as many lows, and I wouldn’t change it for the world because this process is helping to mold me into the woman I want to be and brings me one step closer to the life I am trying to carve out for myself.

As I began making plans to chip away at this long-term goal of really getting out there and exploring the Lone Star State, it seemed only fitting to make my very first State Park van camping getaway at Galveston Island SP. Returning to my roots. In my very first blog post, I shared with you all that I was born on the TX Gulf Coast. I grew up surfing the gulf waters of Galveston. Why wouldn’t I follow my feet there for this inaugural trip?

Even though the van wasn’t completely finished, in all truth, I had absolutely everything I needed to start using her for her intended purposes. I had weatherproof floors, my bed, storage for clothing gear and food, my kitchen ready to go, and the curtains installed for privacy. So, I packed everything Hurley and I would need for an extended weekend, made my reservations, and headed south.

When I first started camping again about 4 years ago, you made your reservations sight unseen. Now, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has teamed up with Reserve America to make booking your campsite a breeze. You can choose your site based off location, proximity to trail heads or shower houses, and amenities. There are even pictures of each site so that you know exactly what you will be driving up to when you arrive. I looked at every single available site in the “water only” camping loop and found the only site that had a personal little trail leading out to the marshland. It was perfectly beautiful, and actually the best spot in the whole park I would soon find out.

Despite my attempts to arrive before dark in order to already have dinner and the kitchen stowed back away so Hurley and I could be comfortable inside the van before the mosquitoes showed up, we hit traffic at the ferry on the Bolivar side and didn’t arrive at the park until sunset. Hurley’s face perfectly depicts how we were both feeling at this point in the drive!

That sunset on the drive in made it all worthwhile, though!

At the time of our trip, the beach side of the park was closed for renovations but has since reopened. Over the course of four days, Hurley and I were able to get up close and personal with everything Galveston Island State Park has to offer. It was refreshing to actually go to sleep and wake up with the natural world around us. We were safely tucked in the van each night by the time it was dark and didn’t wake up until the sun was finally piercing through the tiny spaces between the curtains and the van walls.

We filled our days with hiking, sketching, birding, napping, eating yummy meals, playing in the surf, and enjoying the warm sand between our toes. It’s incredible how much time you realize you have when you actually unplug, and modern conveniences aren’t demanding your attention!

Galveston Island State Park is a perfect location for viewing coastal birds which can be seen all over the park from your vehicle, by land along the different hiking trails, as well as by water while enjoying the many paddling trails available. One of my favorite water birds to watch are the rosette spoonbills. Like the flamingo, the rosette spoonbill’s feather become vibrant pink from their diet. Alligators are also in the park which I was on high alert for the entire time. At just 15 pounds, hurley would be a tasty little appetizer for those snappers!

If you ever make your way out to this lovely seaside park, be sure to hike out to the lookout deck. From the top, you can actually see where fresh and saltwater meet! The confluence of two different habitats and ecosystems. It was really neat to actually see the dividing line where the two do not mix!

While we were on the island, Hurley and I spent some time at a few of our favorite places. We visited our favorite shore break and watched some surfers, went to the sea turtle murals, and woke up super early so we could drive down to east beach for sunrise on our last day. Even though I grew up here, and Galveston Island State Park was basically my backyard for 30yrs, I had never spent any time here until this trip. I highly recommend giving this park a visit, but make sure you bring along the mosquito spray and sunblock as there is no shade on any of the trails or around camp.

This trip was everything I needed it to be, and the van was perfect, even in her unfinished state. All that to say, if you’re thinking about doing van life (even if just on the weekends like me) an elaborate build really isn’t necessary. I mean, isn’t this lifestyle all about simplicity and connection to the world around you, anyway? Even though I realized on this trip that I probably didn’t need to go to the extreme I am planning for my van build as someone who isn’t going to live in her rig full time but rather take trips here and there throughout the year, I am still looking forward to finishing out my design!