Galveston's about an hour drive from Houston. Is it worth the trip? Well, that depends what you're interested in. Galveston is nice because it helps you remove yourself far from the bustle of Houston. (But the drive is no picnic along I-45.) The beach is nice to walk along, and there are some interesting sites -- a lot of history down there, what with the Strand District, a lot of the historic homes, etc. There are also some fantastic seafood restaurants, which are certainly worth a trip (Gaido's has always been my favorite, although you can't go wrong with the more casual, cheaper Casey's right next store -- basically the same food as Gaido's but less dressed up. They share a kitchen!)

The thing about the whole Houston area is that, even if you do NASA or Galveston or Moody Gardens -- I never feel like there's anything that doesn't feel touristy.

But Galveston's a fun change of pace. I tend to go down there once every couple of months just to see the water and remind myself that, yes, there is life outside of Houston.