Galveston has a lot to offer… and not just ghosts (Picture: Jess Austin)
Waiting for her mariner fiancé to return from his latest trip to sea, 25-year-old Audra stationed herself in room 501 of the Grand Galvez in Texas’s Galveston.
Whenever her love was whisked away for work, the young woman would take up residence at the hotel and climb onto one of the hotel’s turrets, where she would look out to sea, hoping beyond hope that he would return to her.
However, this time, he didn’t. After a storm hit the area, Audra learned that his ship had tragically sunk.
Bereft after hearing the news, the heartbroken woman took her own life in the hotel – before her fiancé could return, having miraculously escaped the same watery fate as his shipmates.
Almost 80 years later, 501 has become Grand Galvez’s most requested room, with guests keen to experience the paranormal activity this suite is now famed for.
Audra’s room – or 501, as it’s otherwise known (Picture: Jess Austin)
A typical Grand Galvez room (Picture: Jess Austin)
It has been kept in original 1900s style, featuring pink and green adornments, compared to the breezy blue and white decor of the other rooms.
Not only that, but guests who want to try and make contact with Audra are left with a Ouija board.
However, they might not be needing it as Audra is famous for making her presence known, whether the hotel’s inhabitants want her to or not.
Guests have reported having their phones randomly play music through their room’s Bluetooth speaker, which inexplicably shows up as ‘connected to AUDRA’.
Others – including the hotel’s senior catering sales manager Angela Westhoff – have felt a ‘presence’ that has physically forced them out of rooms, including the downstairs loos opposite the bar.
The Grand Galvez in the early 1900s (Picture: Bettmann Archive)
Ghost tours on offer in Galveston
Historic Galveston Ghost Tours does what it says on the tin, and for $25 a local expert can show you some of the most haunted sites on the island, including the residence of the man who brought Satanism to Galveston, The Sealy Mansion where the children still play long after their deaths, and Ashton Villa where ‘eccentric’ Betty Brown still roams the halls.
Through Ghost Tours of Galveston ($30-$40) you can explore the sordid stories behind some of the most famous establishments on The Strand, the iconic historic street running through the island. If you want something more morbid, they also offer a guided tour through The Old City Cemetery.
Author of The Ghosts of Galveston, Kathleen Maca offers a variety of tours during spooky season, including a dive into the island’s murderous past ($35).
And for something slightly more scandalous, Dark of the Moon ($25) offers an adults-only ghost tour of Galveston’s formerly thriving red light district.
But this could have been any one of the hotel’s ghosts – who some have even accidentally snapped pictures of when taking bathroom selfies.
Before my trip around the hotel, I was told that it’s common for ‘do not disturb’ signs to rattle, and this is something I witnessed firsthand.
Sceptical, I checked for nearby air vents and monitored for the slightest breeze that could explain the activity, but I was left stumped.
In all honesty, I don’t believe in spectres, but even I couldn’t deny being a bit spooked by it. Every time Angela told us another story about the hotel’s paranormal activity, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise up and a desire to leave the haunted rooms for the safety of their glorious bar.
You can enjoy a drink in the Grand Galvez’s lobby – but beware the ghosts (Picture: Jess Austin)
Now, that could just be me getting wrapped up in the storytelling of the whole thing, or maybe ghosts are real – you decide!
Either way, I found myself apologising to Audra for laughing when I first saw the Ouija board.
Perhaps in a bid to appease Audra and the other spirits, the hotel is – for the second year running – throwing a wedding party for our fallen heroine. The Ghost Bride Ball, which takes place on 28 October, encourages attendees to dress up in period costumes and ‘celebrate the undying love of the most treasured bride of the Grand Galvez’.
You may think a luxury hotel such as the Galvez would lean away from ghost stories, instead focusing on their spa packages, high tea, and glamorous interiors – but this is no ordinary Marriott.
It is one that fully embraces the spooky. In fact, the whole island seems to.
On the left, pictures of the houses still standing today. On the right, a Galveston house after the storm of 1900 (Picture: Jess Austin/Buyenlarge/Getty Images)
Galveston, located 50 miles outside Houston, is utterly beautiful. It offers sandy beaches with warm waters, candy floss-coloured Victorian houses with gothic touches, tasty grub and a fascinating history.
But it’s also an island touched by tragedy. In 2008, it was hit by Hurricane Ike, which killed 17, left Galveston declared temporarily uninhabitable and had a predicted economic impact of $22.16billion.
Even more deadly, the 1900 storm claimed the lives of 8,000 people – and it is this hurricane that has given rise to most of the island’s haunting stories.
Hurricane Ike left lasting damage to Galveston (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Back then, 6702 Seawall Boulevard was the address of Saint Mary’s Orphanage, which housed around 100 people. In the face of the hurricane, the nuns tied themselves and the children together, killing them all.
Today, the site is home to a massive Walmart. But not just any Walmart. A massive haunted Walmart.
Each morning when opening the store, staffers have come to expect one thing: For the toy section to be in disarray, looking as if kids have invaded the shop overnight and played to their hearts’ content.
It is the children’s’ bikes that are most often found out of place.
A sign on a building reading ‘1900 storm survivor’ (Picture: Jess Austin)
Two women search through rubble following the 1900 storm (Picture: Buyenlarge/Getty Images)
What else to do in Galveston
A view of the pier as taken from the deck of Murdoch’s (Picture: Jess Austin)
While you’re there, explore the Pleasure Pier’s rides and attractions, and follow it with a trip to the beachside shop Murdoch’s, an institution on the island (and where you can pick up a pet crab in a funky shell).
Eat the best sandwich you’ll ever try at Maceo’s. They’re known mainly for their spices, and their colourful family history, but I will remember them best for their muffaletta. I have dreamt about that sarnie.
Just look at it! Beautiful Picture: Jess Austin)
Cross the road for a cocktail at DTO. I had the Chicha Chicha – frozen rum, purple corn, pineapple, spices, lime – delish.
Take a self-guided tour of Galveston’s tree art. After Hurricane Ike destroyed many of the island’s trees, instead of chopping them down, residents paid for them to be turned into beautiful sculptures
If you look closely, the branches have been turned into birds (Picture: Jess Austin)
Get your history fix at the Bryan Museum, which houses one of the largest collections of artefacts and art relating to Texas and the American West.
While some shoppers and staff have attested that they’ve heard boys’ and girls’ voices and cries, others have witnessed electric toys start making noise by themselves.
It’s these kinds of stories that have earned Galveston the title of one of the USA’s most haunted cities. And it’s a title the island embraces.
Any avid ghost-hunters, paranormal fans, or sceptics can find plenty of tours on offer to whet their appetite.
A few doors down from Maceo’s, you can find Red Light Coffee Roasters, which boasts the 1900 storm survivor sign (Picture: Jess Austin)
Definitely take a stroll down the beach while you’re there (Picture: Jess Austin)
From top haunted sites to themed tours, you can explore old cemeteries, the former red light district, Hotel Galvez itself and bars.
And if that’s not enough, just an hour’s drive away you can find even more spooky tours in Houston, with The Heritage Society’s Halloween Tour of the city’s oldest houses being my first choice, followed by a drink in the dark and moody La Carafe, Houston’s oldest commercial building.
While you might not get to meet Audra during a trip to Galveston, there are plenty more ghosts just waiting for a chance to spook you.
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I was told that it’s common for ‘do not disturb’ signs to rattle, and this is something I witnessed firsthand.