Texas Family Road Trip Guide
The Battleship Texas in La Porte
This time a year, lots of families are planning their road trips and mini-getaways.
A popular one for East Texas and Golden Triangle families is The Battleship Texas. For many of our readers, the popular destination is about an hour away.
The Battleship Texas helped our young nation become the world’s greatest naval power. The ship saw heavy action in World War I and World War II. The Battleship Texas was the first US battleship to become a permanent “museum ship” and to be declared a US National Historic Landmark.
During a tour of the USS Texas, your child will get a feel of what it was like to serve on a naval ship. We have actually interviewed local veterans who joined the navy at 15 and 16 years old to serve in WWII. Note: The Battleship Texas has been undergoing a major renovation, so check before promising them a tour. tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/battleship-texas
Looking to double your family fun?
The San Jacinto Monument is right next door. The monument, park, and museum memorialize the Texas victory over Santa Anna and the Mexican army in our war for independence.
All of this sight-seeing will work up an appetite. There are a number of very nice picnic tables available throughout the large park area (larger than Central Park in New York City). Many have grills and running water.
The area is also home to the Monument Inn, a popular and historic Texas seafood restaurant. My dad tells stories of when the restaurant was family style and you went and just ate fresh seafood until you could barely walk out. Today, you order off of a menu, but the portions are still very generous. I went with my teenage son. He had played a baseball game and wade fished, and the Shrimp Jamboree was more than he could handle. It had shrimp cocktail, broiled shrimp, fried shrimp, stuffed shrimp, a salad, rolls, and cinnamon rolls for about twenty dollars. MonumentInn.com
Fishing near The Battleship Texas in and around the ship channel can yield flounder, redfish, and speckled trout. Most people fish from the shore, but some wade fishing access is available.
