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Galveston Red Light District Tour

Badge of ExcellenceGalveston, USA

1 hour 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

Discover Galveston’s sordid past during an evening walking tour of the city’s Red Light District. Join a small group and your guide to walk the streets and listen to stories of mobsters, bootleggers, and brothels. Learn how the island was once a “sin city,” where men could come to drink, gamble, and look for love once they crossed into the mob-run “Free State of Galveston.”

Walk through the old streets of the Red Light district
Choose from two tour times to suit your schedule
A central meeting point makes for a seamless experience
A small group means more attention from your guide

What's Included

Guided tour of Galveston's red light district

Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

2711 Market St, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
Your tour will begin with our famous Red Light District. At its height there were 55 houses of prostitution on Post Office Street alone. The authenticity of this tour is the result of extensive research and firsthand information from our consultants including former FBI special agents, documentaries, newspaper clips, books, and interviews. We'll visit the sites of the brothels, casinos, and were the gangsters lived. Al Capone came to Galveston with an eye to take things over. He lasted a week and was escorted off the island never to return.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Antique Warehouse

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Maceo Spice & Import Company

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Island Carriages

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Galveston Railroad Museum

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed

Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
Active military personnel free
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.0

115 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 115 reviews

Interesting

Alice_S, Apr 2024

David did a great job and made the tour interesting with fun trivia. Great tour for Galveston history.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

I'm glad you had a great time with Dave period thank you for the 5 star review.We really appreciate it.We hope to see again soon

Great by itself, not with unwanted bar crawl

Dennis_B, Apr 2024

Informative tour but combined with bar crawl so dealt with drunks the entire time. Tour guide Chris was very funny and knowledgeable as well as stuck around to answer all of our questions. We were informed upon arrival that we would also be part of a longer bar crawl tour, which we didn’t partake. Would have preferred these tours be separate or clarify what you are getting. To have to walk with drunks making the same bad jokes and smoking the entire tour definitely detracted from our experience.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Sorry you had a bad time period unfortunately, they're proud.Of the tour guide.Got sick at last mit period if you ever encounter getting give me a call and I'll put you on a tour.John 8322450492 as my guest

Red Light Tales

Patricia_W, Apr 2024

With great humor, our guide Dave gave a fun and interesting glimpse into colorful Galveston past. Highly recommend this evening tour

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you so much for your recommendation.And the 5 stars that we really appreciated.I'm glad Dave took you on a awesome adventure.We hope to see you again soon

We had a one on one tour...

Jeanie_O, Apr 2024

We had a one on one tour and it was like hanging out with a friend 🧡 Guide was knowledgeable and was a complete pleasure.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

I'm glad Jeff took you on an awesome adventure and thank you for allowing us to share some of Galveston's awesome history with you.We hope to see again soon.Thank you again for the five stars

Not Your Typical Historic Tour

Kati_R, Mar 2024

Fascinating facts about the life of ‘working’ women/men, and the seedy side of Galveston history. Thoroughly enjoyed this adults only tour!

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Thank you for allowing us to share some of gallons darker history with you period I i also find that vaccinating period thank you for writing such a great review will see you soon

Informative

Virginia_G, Mar 2024

Rob did a great job with the tour and even added ghost stories. There wasn't too much walking, and he even allowed sitting breaks for those in the group with mobility issues.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

I'm glad he took you on the adventure of downtown. Thank you for the 5 stars we really appreciate it. Rob is a great tour guide and i'm glad you enjoyed it

Great tour that is entertaining & very educational

Phillip_H, Feb 2024

Our guide Christopher was great, he was very entertaining and educational. We saw a lot of sites and got a lot of history about Galveston. We also saw some places we decided to go back to for food and drinks. We enjoyed the walking tour, the personality and energy that Christopher had, and the history education he provided.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Thank you very much for such a wonderful review. We really appreciate the 5 stars. I'm glad Christopher did a good job and you had an awesome experience. Please come cease again soon

Red light district

Chris_B, Feb 2024

Chris was our guide and he had a lot of interesting and humorous stories. Our favorite part was seeing the cremation shoot.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Glad you had an awesome adventure and that chris did a great job. Thank you for the five stars we were appreciate that . we hope to see again

Red Light Tour was FUN!

Jennifer_H, Jan 2024

My spouse and I took this tour. We met outside Leelands where Ms. Annette was waiting for us on the corner of the building. She walked us around the strand and gave us really great stories of Galveston that I had never heard. Ms. Annette was well informed and we learned different histories of many buildings we walked past. As a native Houstonian, it was great hearing them. We found some spookies, had some laughs, and learned a bit a bit of history. Would highly recommend!

Response from Host, Jan 2024

I'm glad you all had a great time. thank you for the wonderful recommendation. we really appreciate it. Hope to see you again soon

Excellent and fun tour. We'll worth taking.

Nancy_S, Dec 2023

Nikki was an excellent, engaging, and knowledgeable tour guide. We learned a great deal. Highly recommend the tour!

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Thank you for allowing us to share some of Galveston's awesome history with you. We appreciate the five stars and the recommendation we hope to see you again soon

Learning all the details...

Jayme_P, Aug 2023

Learning all the details of everything about that time and the job itself. The guide was fabulous. There were only two of us, so he was able to answer some questions for us.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

I'm glad you had an awesome adventure. Learning some of Galveston's incredibly rich history period the red light district last for over 70 years with so many amazing social economic factors that contributed period thank you for allowing us to share them with you.

The non glamorous life.

Audrey_E, Aug 2023

We had a good time walking and listening to the red light district stories. There was a lot of historical facts that we were excited to learn about!

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you for allowing us to share some of galveston's rich history. People think we were just a sleepy little beach town. Glad you enjoyed yourself and hope to see you soon.

Awesome Tour! Highly recommended!

Jason_D, Jul 2023

Mike did an outstanding job while on our tour! He was so knowledgeable and made our experience worth every minute! I would 100% recommend this tour when you’re in town!

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Everybody thinks calvin simmons is a sleepy little beach town. Until they take mike's red light district tour. Thank you for the wonderful review work glad you had a great time, please come see us again soon

Recent experience

Albert_B, Jul 2023

Our guide was very knowledgeable and engaged throughout the tour. Would recommend if you want to learn more about this side of Galvestons history.

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Thank you for allowing us to share some of galveston's awesome history with you

Fascinating!

Sandy_S, Jul 2023

Such an interesting piece of Texas history! We learned so much about Galveston. I’ve been coming here since I was a child, but I never knew this interesting bit of history. Our guide was fun and informative. She really brought the story to life.

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Well, thank you for allowing us to share some. Galveston's awesome history with you. We appreciate the five stars very much that we hope to see you again soon.

Raving about the Red Light District Tour!!

Elise_B, Jun 2023

Asa was an incredibly informative and entertaining tour guide!! He even took us to see some bonus sites since we were the only two on the tour! We loved the passion he shared for his historical knowledge of Galveston. Our only regret is that we did not take the tour earlier in our vacation so we could visit all of the spots on the island that he recommended. We would sign up for another tour with him in a heartbeat!

Response from Host, Jun 2023

I agree ASA is a phenomenal tour guide.His love of history and his love of Galveston combined to make an awesome tour.We hope to see you again period thank you for writing such a wonderful review

Ron, our tour operator,...

Lakeisha_H, Apr 2023

Ron, our tour operator, was informative and funny. I appreciated the quick history info. Definitely worth the time and money.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Thank you for the 5 stars we really appreciate it. Please come see us again soon glad you had an awesome adventure

Rob is wonderful!

melissa_b, Apr 2023

We had the best tour, Rob was great!!! Very informative and made it fun!!! 10/10. Wear comfy shoes & be prepared for some fun info!!!

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Robbie's an excellent tour guide. It works every week on keeping his tourist interesting and fun. Glad you enjoyed yourself and had an awesome experience please come see us again and thank you for the awesome review

Did not disappoint!

Kimberly_M, Apr 2023

Rob was extremely knowledgable and very entertaining. Tons of history given and the information and stories related to the Red Light District were so interesting. Not a ton of walking. Perfect tour length.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

I'm glad You had a great time on rob's tour. It is an excellent tour guide we hope to see you again soon on one of our other tours and thank you for writing we appreciate it

Mike was a great tour...

George_M, Apr 2023

Mike was a great tour guide. I have already recommended this tour to several friends. Would like to see more tours like it in the future.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Thanks for your awesome review! We hope you will see some of our other tours. Thank you for checking time to write. I know I appreciate it and I know Mike will as well. Please come see us again soon John

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