Saturday

4. Ship and Shore, 8 A.M.

East Beach — on the island’s sunrise-facing point — feels raw and secluded, which is why a morning walk here is so exhilarating. Ironically, an unnatural component of this region boosts the awe level. Massive freighters, on their way to dock in Galveston, round this point close to the land, appearing like Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons, almost floating above the dune grass.

5. Travel Like a Native, 9:30 A.M.

In many beach communities, residents putter around in golf carts for errands or pleasure. Why should they have all the fun? Rent a golf cart for the day (or longer) at Coastal Cruizers — an ideal way to see the East End Historical District, more than 50 blocks between Broadway and Mechanic Street, and east of 19th Street. Here you will pass ornate specimens from Galveston’s Gilded Age — multigabled Victorians, regal Greek Revivals, wraparound porches. You will also see a clever solution to the problem of fallen trees after Hurricane Ike in 2008. Several craftsmen have transformed stumps into works of art. For example, at 902 Ball Avenue are the remains of a camphor tree carved to look like a mermaid and a pod of dolphins emerging from the water. $125 per day for a four-seater cart.

6. House Proud, 11:30 A.M.

Now for the interiors. Many grand buildings are open for touring, such as the Moody Mansion (1895) and the Menard House (1838). But the rock star is Bishop’s Palace, constructed in the late 1880s by Galveston’s famous and prolific architect Nicholas Clayton. Built of multicolored stone for Col. Walter Gresham and his family, the three-story home with a raised basement features a turret, Romanesque and Tudor arches, a red-tiled roof, winged-lion statues and a 40-foot mahogany stairwell under an octagonal skylight. In 1923 the Roman Catholic Church bought it as a residence for Galveston’s bishop. Admission: $12.

A residential area in Galveston. Credit Jack Thompson for The New York Times

7. Counter Culture, 1 P.M.

The Star Drug Store is billed as the oldest pharmacy in Texas, but it isn’t filling prescriptions any longer. Head there for another feature of old drugstores: the lunch counter. Comfort food like grilled cheese sandwiches and burgers are made on a griddle in the middle of a U-shaped marble slab. Try the coconut cake that beckons from the glass case. About $26 for two.

8. Texas and Beyond, 2 P.M.

He started at age 10 with two classic Western handguns; today J. P. Bryan’s collection of art and artifacts has grown so enormous (70,000 items covering 12,000 years of Texas and Western history) that the businessman had to move it from his offices in Houston to its own building in Galveston, a 122-year-old former orphanage that is as stunning as the objects inside. The newly opened Bryan Museum features important pieces such as the sword used to capture Antonio López de Santa Anna after the Battle of San Jacinto, a buffalo hide Comanche shield and the protractor used to create the Texas-Mexico boundary in 1848. Fully interactive, with information-packed iPads by displays of silver saddles, ancient pottery and the like, the Bryan also showcases Texas artists. The ground floor, where 19th-century toys and a secret hiding place for the orphans were found, is especially poignant. Entrance: $14.

The Galveston Fishing Pier. Credit Jack Thompson for The New York Times

9. Around the Strand, 3:30 P.M.

Don’t park the golf cart yet. Use it to meander through the Strand Historic District, where you can shop at island favorites like La King’s Confectionery. The vast store is filled with bins of licorice and gummy candy down one side, with a saltwater-taffy-making section in the back and a soda fountain on the other side. Also worth a visit is Nautical Antiques & Tropical Decor, which sells salvaged ship parts (anchors, steering wheels, portholes) and nautical gear. Many people say Galveston is haunted, and appropriately a store called Witchery sells paraphernalia — crystals, tarot cards — related to all things eerie and unexplainable.

10. Top of the Evening, 6:30 P.M.

For another perspective, head to the open-air Rooftop Bar in the Tremont House Hotel. From the fourth floor of this 1879 building, you will have views of the harbor and the elaborate facades and cornices of neighboring structures. The glow from the lighted manzanita tree situated among the sectional sofas adds magic. Heaters and blankets are on hand for chilly weather.

11. Latin Style, 8 P.M.

The exterior of Rudy & Paco’s is deceptively unexciting. Open the door and you feel as if you’ve walked into a private club. Lights are low; the bar is dark wood, as are the cabinets — each one bearing a small plate identifying the regular client who owns the bottles of wine stored within. Many local residents claim that this is the best restaurant in town, and there is no reason to argue. The menu is influenced by Central and South America, offering choices such as ceviche, ahi tuna in a jalapeño cream sauce and plantain-encrusted chicken in a black bean sauce. The doesn’t-get-better-than-this dish: pan-fried calamari tossed with caramelized onions and peppers. $160 for two.