We took the history tour, 1 hour riding in the comfort of a/c and soft seats on a hot day! Our guide was very knowledgable and very kind, she offered us free water to keep us hydrated. The tour covered a range of information and pointed out things we would have probably missed otherwise. The plaques on the houses about the various storm survivals, the live oak tree carvings and the immense number of tourists who visit during the summer and Mardi Gras! Galveston is one amazing place, and this tour really showed us even more. Thanks, it was a well paid for ride through the day. ~ Ralo
4 of us took the land/sea tour. We started on a bus with the most delightful driver/guide. Sue was just a joy to tour with. She knows her history, is funny, and made the experience great. We went from seeing half the city by bus, to taking a boat tour. Our Captain was also a delight in his knowledge and humor. He was dashing and charming. We all saw many new things and learned about them all. After that, Sue picked us back up on the bus. We did the second half of the ground tour, which was fascinating. I had seen the tree sculptures twice, but Sue gave us the history on why certain sculptures were done. It made much more sense after her giving us the back stories. Over all, this was well worth the cost and I would recommend Cool Tours for seeing Galveston Island. ~ Chateau
Great tour of the East End of Galveston. Learned a lot about Galveston and was inspired to visit sites along the tour. Connor and Sue were incredibly helpful and friendly. It was very hot outside. This tour was a great way to beat the heat and enjoy the city. Recommend this tour to anyone visiting Galveston. ~ Al F
This tour went above and beyond my expectation! Sue’s knowledge of the island was superb. My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My eighteen year old is not easily entertained and Sue kept her from looking at her phone every five minutes! Sue is a rock star of the guided tour! ~ Laura M
Teacher Travel Trio – Year Five – Destination – Galveston Island….as typical, we planned for a guided historical tour of the area, and met up with a true gem – a bona fide BOI (Born on Island) guide by the name of Sue who was a spunky, quick-witted, energetic, young-at-heart bundle of fabulous facts and interesting tidbits. As things turned out, there was a bit of an issue created by another party on the tour, but that turned into OUR favor because it provided an opportunity for Sue to grant the “Three Amigos” a tour for ‘just us girls’ that kept us giggling, allowed us to ask questions, and will be treasured and talked about by the three of us for many years yet to come! ~ Sheila
They picked us up at the airport in Houston and drove us to our hotel in Galveston. We also booked them to take us to and from the hotel to the port for our cruise. Then they took us back to the airport. They were very reliable,always on time and very friendly. ~ Chris C
I would highly recommend Steve and Cool Tours. We had a group of eight flying into Houston to stay in Galveston for two days and then taking a cruise. We booked Cool Tours to drive us to/from the airport to the hotel and also to/from the cruise pier. They were very responsive to our initial reservation requests. They stayed connected to us on each leg of our trip. Steve called me as soon as our plane landed to let us know where to go. He even offered us cold water when we got on the bus! They arrived early at each meeting point. I would highly recommend Cool Tours for all your transport needs! Their friendliness and reliability are top notch!! ~ Vicki H
I hired a private bus from Cool Tours to drive my party of friends who came in for Mardi Gras. Our driver was very good; professional, friendly and fun. Highly recommend! ~ TX Doula
Very informative. Driver/guide was excellent. Dolphin watch cruise was also good. Learned info about Galveston, that I didn’t know and I have been going there since 1983 ~ Charles H
This was my second time and Sue is awesome, funny and extremely knowledgeable. My family has visited Galveston for 50 years and we have a new respect for the City and Islander’s after learning more about the history and heritage of Galveston. Both times I did the Land and Sea, worth the time and money!! ~ Tracy M
For anyone who is looking for transportation between Houston Hobby and the port of Galveston…..this is the company to use!! We used them for round trip from a Houston hotel to the pier and from the pier to the airport. From my first phone call to our 2nd pick-up on the day of our return from our cruise, the services provided were amazing. Steve runs a seamless and very professionally run operation, in addition to being very reasonably priced. We were a group of 25 and everyone was accommodated perfectly. We had 2 drivers, both of which were amazing. They were punctual and very friendly. We couldn’t have asked for more. Look no further, Cool Tours is your company. ~ Noreen H
Steve at Cool Tours is wonderful to work with. Transportation provided was great and drivers friendly. Thank you! ~ Sunny G
Cool tours was everything they said it would be. We had a group of 21 people including 3 babies. They picked us up on time at the Houston airport and drove us to our Galveston Hotel. Then they picked us up in the morning and took us to the port for our week long cruise. They returned the following Saturday and picked us up and took us to our Houston hotel. Steve was very easy to work with and responded quickly to all my emails. Jon was a gem. He was super nice and a great driver. He helped load and unload all our bags and never complained about our noisy crew. If we are ever in need of their service again, we would definitely use Cool Tours. We highly recommend! ~ Lisa R
This company offers a land tour or a land and sea tour. This review is just for the land tour, which is about an hour long. It was a great way to many areas of the island and learn a lot about the history of the island. The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. This tour also gave us ideas of places we wanted to visit that we had not considered before. I would definitely recommend this tour. ~ Denise D
The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, fun. She took us to see many of the attractions and told stories and history about all of them. The van wasn’t crowded so I could move from side to side to see everything. ~ PLR
We had several false starts as the hotel gave us the wrong time and place for another tour. Think it was fate-as Sue on cool tours was great- it was indeed cool and cold water was provided. One could get off and get back on later. Galveston had fantastic history..don’t miss a historic tour.this one is very good ~ Katie
Our tour was so fun! Sue is the best tour guide I have ever had. She is very informative and her knowledge of the Galveston area was unbelievable. Had a blast doing the boat tour also! Got a lot of information about oil drilling from the captain of the Baywatch Too who used to do that type of work and saw a lot of dolphins in the bay! ~ Milton R.
We used Cool Tours for our family of 16 to get from Houston to Galveston for a cruise. Our experience was positive from the first phone call enquiring about their services to the final drop off at the airport on our return. They were professional, fun, friendly, knowledgeable, prompt and went the extra mile to start and end our trip on a high note. Everything went smooth–thanks to Cool Tours. We loved the added bonus of the drivers showing us interesting spots in Galveston–a fabulous way of turning a potentially boring drive from the airport to the port into an interesting “tour”. We highly recommend Cool Tours! ~ Susan W.
Sue was a a great tour guide, and I loved how she pointed out all the historical things to notice about Galveston. It is a very difficult city to get around in. With taxi’s being a 45 minute wait, and Uber not available here.Sue was a friendly voice and a joy to be around.She is a native Galvestonion. It is a affordable tour at $15.00. After the tour I wished I would have stayed at the Tremont Hotel because it was closer to what was happening in Galveston, and shopping and free entertainment. I paid for the tour on the bus. ~ Julie M.
Cool Tours with guide Sue was a great way to spend the afternoon. She is knowledgeable and hilariously entertaining. Being a native Galvestonion, she knows everything and can relate it easily to visitors. The sea part of the tour had a great boat captain who also was great telling us about things around the bay from cruise liners to oil rigs to dolphin watching. You won’t be disappointed with any part of the tour. ~ Shazamlamb
With my folks (in their 80’s) coming down I needed to find something fun to do in Galveston where we didn’t have to walk. So I went online and found Cool Tours! The reviews were so good and you had me at ‘cool’ as in air conditioning! It’s a little confusing on where to get your tickets because I was thinking there would be a ticket booth. Once I figured that you pay on the bus and you pick up the bus on the EAST side of the Pier it was easy. We got there 30 min early and didn’t get on the 2pm bus so we ate at Bubba Gumps and came back for the 3:30pm tour. Since we really didn’t want to do the Sea part this worked out best because our tour was just land only. Sue is fabulous and with great humor and spirit. She also gave us great tips on where to go and what to see. We (my husband and I who moved here 8 mos ago) now have some future adventures waiting for us. We like to come down to Galveston from the Woodlands often. There is really so much to do and see in Galveston that you must stay a few days to accommodate that. If you just have an afternoon I highly recommend Cool Tours! You’ll see just enough to wet your appetite to come back again and again! ~ Twins5300
I’ve been visiting Galveston for years now but had never been on a tour. After reviewing the Galveston City pass options, I decided to go with Cool Tours based on reviews of Sue 
and the boat trip to see dolphins. I was really just looking forward to the boat part, but Sue knew so much and was a delight to hear and talk to. She really knows the place! I enjoyed her energy and spunk and would recommend this to anyone. Sue-I want some of your baking recipes!! 😉 And yes, we did see dolphins. ~ AC
Shirley was an excellent guide! The historic tour was wonderful. We learned so much about the history of the island. I enjoyed the hour immensely and highly recommend this tour! ~ Peg J.
We went on the hour land tour and Sue was great!! I lived in Houston all my life and I have been coming to Galveston for years but I have never took a tour. I am so glad I took this tour I learned things about the island that never knew. Sue was great and full of information about Galveston. You can tell she loves her job and loves telling the stories about Galveston. I would definitely recommend taking this tour even if you think you know everything about the island. I can assure you Sue will tell you things you have never heard about the island. ~ Teresa C.
What a great way to learn the history of Galveston. It truly is the guide that makes the tour and Sue was wonderful both knowledgeable and entertaining. Thanks Sue we hade a great time and will do it again next time were in Galveston. ~ Gary B.
Went on the Land and Sea tour today. Sue was our tour guide. I hope she is well paid! She is a irreplaceable asset! What an amazing tour! Sue was amazing! So personable and knowledgeable! I would have paid double! After the tour, we went to all the places she suggested to see! Do this tour in the beginning of your trip! So much to see and do! A+++ all the way! We had a 5 year old and 7 year old with us. They enjoyed the tour as well! ~ LauraLee L.
Sue made the tour so interesting and informative. I only wish we had done the tour at the beginning of our vacation not at the end. ~ Maddie B.
Our guide Miss Sue, was wonderful. It was not only fun and entertaining, but we gained fascinating historical information about Galveston. We took this tour on the first day of our vacation. We visited some of the places Sue told us about throughout our time on the island. Excellent time! ~ Michelle K.
We enjoyed the land and sea version of the tour. The land part tooks us through th the historic parts of the island and our guide was knowledgeable and entertaining. The sea portion was a trip into the bay where we saw dolphins as well as various facilities including a world war two submarine and destroyer. It is a good value and a great way to see the island. ~ John K.
We booked Cool Tours for transport from the Houston airport to our Bed and Breakfast. While our plane was still taxiing to the gate, my phone rang. “Steve”, the owner, told us just where to meet him outside the baggage terminal. One of the great features of using the company for airport transfers is that you don’t have to share the van with anyone else. No waiting for other passengers our having to make multiple stops. Our plane landed at 8:10 a.m. Steve dropped us off at our B&B doorstep at 9:30. Along the way, we were treated to a wonderful discussion of the history of Galveston. Definitely recommend!! ~ Jennifer B
Fantastic round trip service before and after a Carnival Cruise. Met us at Houston IAH Airport and took us to our Galveston hotel. Picked us up after cruise at cruise terminal and returned us to the airport in Houston. Fast, safe, easy. Just note that when you call upon arrival to verify pickup location, just leave a message on their phone if they don’t answer – it rolls over to voicemail if they are on the line, but they do check it right away and get back to you. Highly recommend this service. ~ Keith D
We contracted with Cool Tours to transport out family cruise group from Hobby airport to our Galveston hotel, then from the hotel to the pier the next day, then from the pier to George Bush airport 7 days later. We had 21 passengers (six of them under seven years old) and lots of luggage. Cool Tours was AWESOME! Right where we needed them, when we needed them, cheerful and efficient! They picked us up in a driving rain and kept everyone dry and safe. They were easy to work with and make adjustments in advance, via email. They communicate well by phone during the transport process and provide clear instructions and directions. We could not have asked for anything better! ~ paperweight811
We chose the land and sea tour. It was cold and rainy, so we were the only three on the 11:00 tour. Shirley was very knowledgable of the history of the island. It was enjoyable. The teenager with us was bored to tears, but She isn’t into history. Then we got dropped off at pier 21 for the sea portion. We went out with one other group and saw lots of Dolphins. Our tour guide knew lots of info about the area but didn’t really involve the whole group. They really only cared about the Dolphins anyway. We were out on the ocean for almost an hour then met the bus to complete the tour. The second half seemed to drag, it was interesting but in conjunction with the sea tour was just over 2.5 hours. That’s a lot of listening. Would recommend to people on early part of trip, because it helped us find interesting places to visit and helped with a sense of locations. ~ L H
We used Cool Tours as a shuttle service from Houston Hobby Airport to our hotel in Galveston. When we landed, I had a message from the driver telling us where he was parked just outside the baggage claim area. The driver was friendly and dropped us off at the hotel. ~ bleednblu
My friends and I took the Historic Tour with Shirley as our guide. She was great and we learned so much — even my friend who was born and raised in Galveston was impressed with what she learned on the tour. Our friend from Michigan loved Galveston so much, she vowed to have her husband bring her back. Unfortunately the day of our tour the weather was unusually cold and windy so we really appreciated the warmth and comfort of the bus that day…can’t wait to do it again. ~ Joyce B
Booked them to transport us from Hobby airport to Galveston cruise terminal. As anyone who has cruised out of Galveston knows, that unless you drive by car, you must secure transportation. Used another company 2 yrs ago and it was a disaster, so I decided to try Cool Tours. There were 6 of us and they sent a van. It was very comfortable and clean. Our driver was waiting for us when we landed. The only thing I was leery of is, I had to pay in advance for our return trip. But I did research the company and felt comfortable enough to pay them based on their excellent history. After we got off the cruise ship a week later, once again our driver was waiting for us and this time we got the 22 passenger bus!!! We had plenty of room to spread out . Will be using them again in January for our next cruise transportation. Would highly recommend. ~ ousooner
My husband and I took the land and sea tour and had a GREAT time!!!!! You can pay when you meet the tour bus and we learned so much!!! Our tour guide Sue was AMAZING and we will DEFINITELY use them again next time we’re in town!!! Oh and we even saw some dolphins during the water tour!!!!! ~ cheri c
I brought my mom to Galveston on a road trip from Austin. The first thing we wanted to do was go on a tour of the Island. Well we researched before our trip and I am so happy we went with Cool Tours. This tour guide Sue for the historic part was A++++++!!!!!Just absolutely fantastic. She knew so much history of the island and she was so kind and fun just one of the greatest tour guides I’ve ever met.I would go back and stay a longer and take that tour again with Sue. ~ tgredma
I would encourage you to take this tour! Sue, the tour guide has been a Galvestonian her entire life. No one knows more about the island than she does. We had a blast and would definitely do it again just to see Sue. The van was an oasis in the sweltering heat! ~ bbwlisa
What better way to tour Galveston in hot August than in an air conditioned van? Our tour guide Sue lived on the island her entire life and was an absolute pleasure. She was so knowledgeable. There is no way we could have done this tour on our own and know exactly what we were seeing. We went with the land and sea package. She took us to the Pier where we hopped on a boat and went in search of dolphins which were plentiful. We saw so many more dolphins here than any other place we have been which is many different islands around the world. The captain was a hoot and kept the tour lively. Highly recommend this….worth every penny. ~ Pushinback
We were traveling to Houston / Galveston area pre our cruise vacation. Wanted to spend a day or so exploring the area a bit and we were having a truly difficult time finding an establishment to accommodate us. Finally I came across Cool Tours, and although I was skeptical they truly amazed me. Their driver was punctual and polite. He picked us up from our Houston hotel to take us to our point of interest. We later had a historical tour of Galveston with them, which was fun and informative too. Also the fee was quite reasonable. Keep up the good work. ~ Shayan K
I found the land portion of the tour quite informative and interesting. Our tour guide, Ms. Shirley, was very enthusiastic during both portions of the land tour. The sea portion was nice since my son was able to see the dolphins and the ride itself was cool. Our tour guide for the sea portion was not as upbeat and there wasn’t very much learned but I enjoyed the whole experience nonetheless. I learned quite a bit about Galveston Island I wasn’t aware of previously. ~ Bdann
While down in Galveston visiting a friend she suggested that we take a tour. I normally don’t like that kind of thing, but boy was it worth it! Not only was the bus air conditioned (big plus) the tour guide was a local and really knew her stuff! We got to see the older neighborhoods, heard some of the history of the 1900 flood and the ones afterward, as well as great insider stories of the area. Then we were dropped off at the dock for a boat ride to see the dolphins. Not only did we see them, but many other highlights of the bay. The captain was also fabulous! Very personable and informative. The bus picked us up at the dock and then showed us many more sites of the area before taking us back to home base. So if you are headed to Galveston give Cool Tours a shot. ~ Gwen B.
We LOVED this tour! Shirley the driver was amazing and we got to learn so much about the history of Galveston. It was totally worth the price and more! ~ Marseelee
Loved the tour – learned so much about Galveston. Tour guides were amazing! Highly recommend! fun experience. ~ Elisa T.
Our tour guide was Shirley and she was fabulous! Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the island history and sights. I loved that I had a speaker over our seat and I could hear every word. The bottle of cool water was much appreciated! ~ Angela G
Our tour guide Shirley was delightful to spend several hours with. She was full of history, stories and insight of the Galveston area. Her suggestions of places to visit and restaurants to dine at were spot on. We chose the hop on hop off tour, which gave us the ability to take some time on the side to explore various neighborhoods. The bus was clean, sound excellent and who wouldn’t be happy with a complimentary ice cold water on a sweltering day? All in all, a great way to introduce yourself to this beach community. ~ CanadianMum
We just got back from our Navigator of the Seas cruise 2 weeks ago (5/18/14), and not only was the cruise great but our shittle service was extraordinary. We used Cool Tours of Galveston, and we were treated wonderfully. The owner, Steve, gave the 6 members of my party a great rate and great service. We had two drivers: Jeff, who picked us up from the airport and transported us to our overnight hotel in Galveston. He came back for us the next morning to drop us at the cruise port. Upon our return from the cruise, our driver was Sue…she was a HOOT! Since we had a few hours to kill before our flight, she took my group to a great seafood restaurant on the wharf called Olympia. Sue also knows TONS about Galveston. I’d use their services again in a heartbeat. ~ J Dixon
Finally I’ve settled in at home 2 weeks after my fabulous vacation, and I can take a moment to send you a note about my experience with your company. Steve, first of all I would like to thank you for your professionalism prior to my family’s trip. You always responded to my calls/e-mails in a timely manner, enabling me and my family to properly plan our itinerary. Your cheerful disposition and positive attitude made doing business with Cool Tours easy. Secondly, I appreciated the great rate that you gave me for your services; my group got far more “bang for the buck” than I imagined possible. Finally, the drivers/tour guides….WOW. Cool Tours has the best drivers/tour guides EVER! Jeff and Sue are wonderful representatives for your business. Both are warm and personable. Jeff, who picked us up when we arrived at Houston Hobby airport, was a great driver and very knowledgeable about the Houston/Galveston area. He was very friendly and conversational. Most importantly, he was prompt picking us up both from the airport and the next morning for our trip to the cruise terminal. As for Sue, I’m certain that I don’t have to tell you that she was a HOOT! She kept my family and me in stitches the entire time that we were with her. Because we had a few free hours before our flight was scheduled to depart for Chicago, Sue suggested a great restaurant, The Olympia Grill. The food was delicious, but we had SO much of it left over that we had it packed to give to someone less fortunate. Sue found a needy young man on the walkway near the restaurant, and gave the entire meal to him. She was so sweet, I couldn’t stop hugging her at the airport. What an incredible lady! I appreciate the great travel experience that you provided through your company. Our vacation was exceptional; the flight, the hotel, the cruise, and our shuttle service was all executed to perfection. I will keep Cool Tours phone number handy, and I plan to recommend you highly to others planning to visit or sail from Galveston. Please share my thoughts with both Jeff and Sue, also feel free to use my review to advertise your business. Steve, I wish you and your colleagues much success in the future. Hopefully, I’ll have an opportunity to use your services again soon! ~ Judi D.
I had a tour with Sue, and I have to tell you she is the best guide. I am the coordinator for a group of very active seniors and when I book this trip I was not expecting it to be as fun and informative as it was. Sue knows her stuff, she is so funny and told us things I had no idea about. My group all had a great trip and learned a lot about Galveston and it’s rich history. I will be booking again from them and will request Sue. ~ PC Stamper
Just returned from our cruise out of Galveston. We used Cool Tours to transfer us from Hobbie to the cruise ship and back. They were great. Punctual and informative.. They made our transfer effortless. I have to say, Sue made an hour drive seem like 15 minutes with her stories and entertainment. Thanks for making the transfer part of our vacation a memory in itself. I would highly recommend Cool Tours for an needs you might have in Galveston. ~ Zybach
Grew up in Houston and have been to Galveston many times. We decided to spend Mother’s Day in Galveston playing tourist. We took the land and sea tour. The land portion of the tour was fantastic. We learned about the history, the residing ghosts, the architect, and of course the great storm of the 1900s. The sea portion of the tour was a plus plus because we actually saw dolphins. YES, there are dolphins in Galveston Bay. You don’t have to travel to Hawaii or Florida to see them. ~ Anon
We were sailing out of Galveston and decided that we wanted to see the area before boarding the ship. We contact Steve – many many times – and every time he was quick to respond, work with our ever changing plans. We took the tour; not the hop on hop off option, due to timing constraints of having to be on the boat by a certain time. With Shirley as our guide we learned more about this island than we ever thought. She was knowledgable about the area and made it fun at the same time; she even had some great jokes! We learned about the floods, the people wo donated houses and land, and saw so many cool thing. sWe never realized how historic the island is; next time we sail from Galveston we will definatlely arrive a few days earlier so we can see more. We arrived on Easter Sunday and later found out that they were closed that day but because we wanted a tour they booked us anyway. The tour is worth every dime and is a great cost effective way to see the area. ~ Feeney
Cool Tours is like a dozen other tours who take you about vacation areas and major cities. The bus is clean and comfortable. There are two levels of tours—one on which you set on the bus and hear the narration till you return to the original start of the tour and Hop on and off which costs a little more but allows you to visit the sites, stop for lunch or take a cruise on the harbor to name a few. This tour even gives you free bottled water which is a great plus—but what made this tour so wonderful for us was Sue, the tour narrator and driver. She’s a lovely lady and her family has lived on the Galveston Island for 4 generations (more as Sue has children, grandchildren and great grandchildren). Her stories about the island, and information past down from family member is worth the price alone. Her pride in her city shines through in her narratives. Her cheerfulness and consideration are a better bonus than the free water. I don’t know how many days a week she works the tour but if you’re lucky enough to get this guide you’ll be lucky indeed. ~ Sarren
As we live north of Houston, we have traveled to Galveston many times but finally decided to go ‘tourist’ and do a historic tour. We saw that the reviews were great for Cool Tours and so we booked the first tour of the day for Friday May 2nd (we booked the Land and Sea option). I was expecting a great time and Cool Tours even exceeded my high expectations!!!!! Sue was our tour guide and she was a Hoot!!!! She gave us bottles of water and was so fun in her presentation and was extremely helpful and accomodating of the guests. On the way down to take us to the boat, she pointed out a small place to buy fresh fish literally straight off boats coming in from the gulf. Next time we want to take an ice chest and buy some fresh fish to take home. The schedule was that she took us around for about 45 – 50 minutes as the first half of the historic tour and then dropped us off at the place to catch the boat ride out to see the bay and look for dolphins. Then we had the option of catching the bus at 1:00, 2:30 or 4:00 to get the second half of the historic tour before dropping us back next at the Pleasure Pier. The boat ride was very enjoyable and we did see a number of dolphins, at times right next to the boat. After the boat ride, we decided to try Olympia The Grill at Pier 21 as our tour ticket got us each a free bread pudding dessert. I wasn’t sure what to expect thinking that this may be a tourist trap with mediocre food and high prices. The food was great (I had the chicken lunch special and my wife had fish) and the bread pudding was superb!!! Instead of catching the next bus, we walked around the Strand area and ended up catching the 4:00pm last bus for the 2nd half of the historic tour. Again, thoroughly enjoyed it. Sue was pointing out things that I had never noticed before and didn’t know anything about. The tour really brought Galveston alive!! Sue is a rock star!!! This tour is a tremendous value and I couldn’t give high enough praise for a fun-filled day. Tips: The pick-up/drop-off spot is on Seawall Blvd right next to the Pleasure Pier. There is a big lot for parking but it costs $16 for the day. We ended up parking on 27th Street across from Menard Park and it was free. ~ M. Maddux
Great tour for adults and kids alike. I really enjoyed the tour and the guides were super friendly and knowledgeable about the city. ~ Casey T.
My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed our experience with Cool Tours- Land and Sea tour. The Island is so full of history!! The bus tour is very interesting!!! Also included in our tour was a boat tour of Galveston’s Harbor where we got to see the harbor dolphins. Shirley, our bus tour guide, was energetic and full of the historical knowledge about the Island. The bus was clean and each seat had speakers, which was nice as I am hard of hearing. She even offered us each a bottle of water. After the boat tour we had the option to stay down at Pier 21 and have lunch and see the sights. We took advantage of the free bread pudding using our Cool Tour receipt at the Olympia Grill, with our lunch. We also saw the documentary on The Great Storm. Shirley then picked us up for the second half of our bus tour, which was just as interesting and informative as the first half. We started out tour at 11:00 and didn’t get back until around 4:30. It was a great way to spend our day!! Highly recommend it!!! I have a much great appreciation for the Island of Galveston. ~ Anon
I booked the first tour of the day online for a discounted price. We were fortunate enough to feel like it was a private tour with only four adults present. Sue was our guide and she was fantastic. Great sense of humor! She was born on the island and has a love of the town that shows in her tour. She shared personal stories from her life growing up on the island and lots of history on the East end. She had so many tips for things to do on the island as well. The receipt she gave us was good for free bread pudding at Olympia Grill which I highly recommend! She went above and beyond in giving us the best overview of the island. This is the best way to start off your time in Galveston to give you some great ideas for what to do while there! She even had water bottles for us. ~ Texans
Last Sunday my husband and I took Cool Tours, East End Historic Tour of Galveston. We live in Houston and visit Galveston at least once a month, so we thought that we are fairly familiar with its’ history since we took many different tours before. But Cool Tours pleasantly surprised us. Our tour guide was energetic and fanny lady who took a time to show us many things we did not know before. She even included review of restaurants that locals favor. Tour was also in nice tour bus; speakers were working, so we were able to hear about every single fact our tour guide talked about. I highly recommend this tour, and plan to take it again when our out of state family visits us. ~ Inka D.
We went on the Land and Sea Tour yesterday and thought it was great. Sue was our driver/guide and it was clear that she enjoyed her job and loved to tell folks about her hometown. She had the kind of insider’s knowledge that a tourist would never pick up on their own by reading pamphlets or riding around town. For example, she explained what the badges on the doorways of many of the homes we passed meant. She also had many great personal stories to tell that gave us a real flavor of Galveston’s history and character. She is quite the good will ambassador. Her recommendations for places to eat were spot on and the free bread pudding Cool Tours customers enjoy at the Olympia Grill was really, really good. We didn’t see many dolphins on the “sea” part of the tour but found it really informative. The fact that the boat had an enclosed and heated inside area was much appreciated on a cold day. I couldn’t recommend this tour and tour company any more highly. Do yourself a favor and start your stay in Galveston by taking this great overview tour. Oh, and a special thank you to Steve who allowed us to transfer our Tuesday reservation to Thursday due to the freezing rain that made it impossible for us to get into Galveston for our original tour. He didn’t need to do that and it was greatly appreciated that he did. ~ Judie S.
Just do it!!! Hope you are lucky enough to get Sue…loaded with great historical facts. The tour lets you explore at your own leisure. ~ Connie C.
Just a quick note to express our delight with the experience of Cool Tours. Our tour driver and guide was Shirley. She was a delight – very enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and helpful. She is an asset to your company. Kudos to Shirley! ~ Alma and Millie
Some friends from Oklahoma came in for the week-end between Christmas and New Year. I was so impressed with our tour guide, who I hope is named Shirley (I promised myself I would run home and write this review but life happened!), was absolutely fantastic. Talk about ‘we try harder.’ The tour guide (Shirley?) was informative, obviously into what she was doing and very accommodating! This was a cold day so we loved the fact that the bus was closed in and it was economical compared to some of the other tours. 2 Texans and 2 Oklahomans recommend it! ~ Landry
Sue was extremely entertaining and knowledgeable having lived on the Island for quite a while. Her stories passed down from her family were the highlight of the tour, as they truly shine a light on the rich history of Galveston. We’ll definitely take the tour again, and would recommend it to anyone visiting the Island. ~ Kevin M.
I was visiting friends in Houston this weekend, they are California transplants and we had been to Galveston before but just to the beach. My friend found the tour on line and we signed up right away. Just the way the website is presented, made the whole experience look like lots of fun. We had a little trouble finding the bus, but after a quick phone call to the office and great directions we got ourselves turned around and made our reservation. Shirley, our driver was terrific. Born and raised in the city, she made the information really personal and was just a fount of knowledge. Funny, really nice and passionate about her city. We took the land and sea tour. Our boat ride on the bay was a kick, never knew dolphin watching could be so much fun. Our Captain was so nice and friendly and kept finding dolphins to video…..we’re going back to see more…next time we’ll do the hop on and off option to be able to shop and stroll the streets to see the fabulous houses of Galveston. ~ Nancy D.
We booked online for the hop on hop off tour and got an immediate confirmation and thank you as well as a discount. Enjoyed a great time with Sue who made the time fly with her excellent knowledge of the area and personal anecdotes illustrating the rich history of Galveston. Sue was helpful in suggesting times it would take for some of the local museums and was there to pick us up later. She has a passion for the “country of Galveston” that made the tour super! ~ Susan M.
After coming home from our vacation in Galveston and taking the Cool Tours shuttle for three days in a row we were so impressed and had such an amazing time on the tour we decided to start our own historical tour company in our hometown in Racine Wisconsin! Thanks again for your inspiration and all around fun tour! We would recommend this tour to anyone visiting the Galveston Island area as it’s a great way to see the sights! Your happy, satisfied customers are definite proof of your success…..we think of you often and will visit again soon! Carla and Glen V. of Belle City Coastal Tours ~ Carla V.
An AMAZING tour… Visiting Galveston for 13 yrs. & always looking for new things. Been on other tours in G. which were Very Good, but this was OUTSTANDING!!! Shirley was sooo personable, knowledgeable, & PASSIONATE!!! Learned sooo many new facts about the island & about attractions, activities, & restaurants… You must include the Baywatch Dolphin Tour also… Captain Bud was GREAT and we saw LOADS of DOLPHINS (January 4th, 2014)… The combination tour (Land & Sea Tour) is the…Way to Go… A MUST DO…And a GREAT value… KUDOS to ALL!!! ~ Ann
Our third trip to Galveston, and since I love the city history, we’ve been on all 3 tours…pink, duck and cool. This was by FAR THE BEST!!!!! Sue grew up on the island….boi…..and told us so much more of the local lore….since as a child she was both a bootlegger and a pimp….(joke sort of, but very charming). Took a great deal of time to describe all landmarks, with a locals perspective…..Sue was the best! Tip: they now charge for parking on seawall….we didn’t notice and got a ticket. ~ Lemmy
Our trip to Galveston today was wonderful thanks to Cool Tours! Steve, the owner, picked us up at Houston Hobby and couldn’t have been friendlier (and reasonably priced!) He gave us a great overview, water and took us to our hotel. Shirley, the guide from Cool Tours, picked us up in the van and was fantastic! She really knows and loves Galveston! Giving us great advice, history and little tidbits of knowledge, she really made us feel like we knew the town! I couldn’t recommend Cool Tours highly enough when visiting Galveston! ~ D. Rudolph
Searching for activities for the whole family? Galveston’s Cool Tours provides a variety of tour options suitable for all ages, and cool enough for tweens! Galveston, Texas is a unique travel destination – an island with a rich history and plenty of present attractions. Touring the island is a great way to get an overview of how the island has evolved and how the wealth of entertainment and cuisine, diversions and the beach came to be….. and taking that tour in the comfort of a climate controlled ride makes it all the better. Riders can purchase a “hop-on hop-off” option and get out to see things up close, hopping back on to continue the tour. The “land and sea” options and private charter also provide more options for visitors to see what can be seen! First, the vehicle – several other popular tours offer “open air” vehicles, but Cool Tours recognizes that with a wide range of ages and abilities, a climate controlled and enclosed vehicle can help ensure that heat, cold, rain nor humidity cannot dampen the spirits of the tourists during the ride. Our party consisted of tweens, young adults, adults and seniors – but it was immediately apparent that the shuttle bus would easily accommodate a car seat for infants or a seat-belt secured window view for toddlers. Second, the family friendly tour provides rich, historical details that fascinate young and old. The tour guide during the land tour gave easily understandable facts, figures, and comparisons. There was plenty to see to amuse and amaze the entire family. Third, the tours provided a convenient way to preview further potential stops. While tourists could choose to hop off, see some sights, and hop back on, we could also see where we may want to visit post-tour. There were other museums, shopping, dining, the beach, and more. When seeking a family friend activity that could suit every age, even tweens, consider Cool Tours for Galveston Island, TX. Climate-controlled touring, several packages available, and entertaining and informative tours are featured! ~ Emi
We used Cool Tours for both a tour and transportation. We flew into Houston Hobby for a cruise out of Galveston. We picked Cool Tours for transportation because of the high ratings, although most ratings are four tours, not transportation. Their price was mid-range of all the competition. It was the service which set them apart.
PRE TRIP:
I called the phone number and left a message. Soon thereafter, Steve, the owner, called me back. Very friendly, easy to work with. I talked to him about transportation from Hobby to the cruise terminal in Galveston and inquired about a tour as well. Steve was quick to say that he could pick us up at Hobby, take us to the cruise ship terminal to drop our bags, then drop us at the start of the tour. He would then meet us at the end of the tour and take us back to the cruise ship terminal. All logistics solved with one phone call.
DAY OF ARRIVAL:
I texted Steve when we landed and he texted back with exactly where to meet him. He was there and ready. Bottle of water for each of us to boot. We had a pleasant drive to Galveston during which Steve was talkative and friendly. He took us to the cruise terminal, waited for us to drop our bags, then took us to the tour start. The tour with Shirley was excellent. Very knowledgeable and very friendly. She’s a native and took a lot of pride in the island and in her work. It was a great tour. She pointed out things we never would have seen or noticed on our own. Steve was there waiting for us at the end of the tour and took us to the ship as planned. All logistics went off perfectly.
DAY OF DEPARTURE:
When we returned 5 days later on the cruise and got within cell phone range of the land, I received a welcome back text message with instructions on where to meet him. I texted him just before going through customs and then when we were through and he was there within about 2 minutes to pick us up. Straight back to the airport without a hitch.
Our experience with Cool Tours was perfect. I wouldn’t use anyone else. ~ MileHighJacket
We did the Galveston tour and had a great time with Sue! She knew tons of Galveston history and kept us laughing the whole tour. Sue grew up on the island and shared a lot of her personal knowledge. I would definitely recommend this tour! We also used Cool Tours airport shuttle service to and from Hobby Airport. Steve, the owner of Cool Tours, personally picked us up at the airport and then drove us back after our cruise. This is a class act company and would encourage anyone needing shuttle service to book them! They have great prices and excellent customer service!! ~ Shelly
My husband and I enjoyed Shirley with Cool Tours. She was both professional and friendly. (Note: there were 3 tour companies lined up near Pleasure Pier waiting for customers, and we quickly passed up the empty “Pink one” once we saw the driver with his legs halfway kicked up inside his jeep working his way through a cigarette!!) Once inside, Cool Tours immediately gave us a bottled water and a city map with events and contact information. We could easily see from inside their comfy van. We learned lots of interesting facts and tidbits about Galveston – have spent a lot of time on the island and had no idea there was so much history! It costs $15 per adult, for about an hour’s narrated tour. Discounts are available for seniors, residents, and kids. We were the only ones on our tour time, so it felt very personalized. Would definitely recommend! ~ Anon
Our tour guide Sue, was the BEST!!!! She was raised in Galveston and knew everything about the island. She made it fun and relaxing. The bus had great air conditioning, cold water and very fun. Sue told us where to go eat. It was well worth the money and time. You will not be disappointed!! ~ Stacy
Let me tell you the one name you need to know in Galveston… SUE! She was our guide on our tour of the island and she is absolutely a treasure! She took us around and showed us things we would have never found on our own. We learned so much about the island in the short time we spent with her. Even though we have taken the tour once… we will take it again when we are on the island. If you want to get your mind blown with history and humor… this is an absolute must people. We even got a free map that was by far the best one we could find… we used it the whole time we were there. ~ Larry J.
We found Cool Tours as a participant of the Island Pass (40% off) when you book at least 4 attractions in advance on-line. We called them from the Harbor house and they were so nice to pick us up in front of our hotel. We really enjoyed the air conditioned van, cold bottled waters and our great tour guide, Sue. Being a 5th generation BOI (Born on Island) she shared her own life long experiences living on the island as well stories from her parents/grandparents – the buildings and neighborhoods in Galveston are beautiful – Sue added the best part, the stories about the people that make Galveston their home! ~ Marilyn B.
Galveston has a long history and continues to build on that history. Cool Tours provide an AC equipped bus to show and describe in detail the most interesting parts of this interesting city. I am sure that any tour guide provided will give you an excellent tour but if you are lucky enough to get Sue you are in for a real treat. Sue is a very proud “BOI” (born on the island). There is nothing about Galveston that this fun loving lady can’t talk to you about in based on her personal experience. Sue added so much to the visit my wife and I recently enjoyed. Steve the owner even went out of his way to pick us up at the Information Center. By the way going to the Information Center is a must to get the most out of your trip. ~ John T.
This is a fun, educational tour of Galveston. Our driver, and guide, Sue made a delightful, informative tour filled with humor and stories. Highly recommend the tour and our guide. ~ Jan W.
Cool Tours goes the extra mile with all it’s customers; they picked us up at Ashton Villa, which was perfect. And there is no better guide anywhere than Sue, they call her the Paula Deen of Galveston, she is so hospitable and funny. (I hear she can cook too.) Don’t miss this tour!!!! ~ Nancy K.
I have been a tour guide myself in the San Francisco area, so I know a good tour. This tour was excellent. Also the AC was great to beat the summer heat. It is amazing that there is so much to learn about Galveston in such a small area. ~ Islander
We visited Galveston for the first time. The guide explained the rich history Galveston has, took her time to explain in detail the history of each area in Galveston. This tour was the best tour out of all the other tours I have taken around the world. ~ Andres
My family of 8 Missed the Duck Tour this hot afternoon. Cool tours was second choice and decided to try. I was so glad we did. The bus was clean, air conditioned, complimentary cold water and a great tour guide. We were so glad we missed the Duck and just happened to take unknowingly the best tour experience in Galveston. Wow loved it. Thank you so much ~ L. Hunter
I just don’t give 5-star reviews, but I had to make an exception this time. This is going to be a rave review. My wife and I got into Galveston on Friday afternoon and decided it would be a good idea to start with the tour, to get a perspective on the Island and what we would be doing the next couple of days. Ours was the last tour of the day and my wife and I were the only people on the bus, except for Rance, who had been helping with tickets and information, and our driver, Sue. Here is a lady who was born on the Island, and who is still in love with it, its attractions, and its people. She was jolly, knowledgeable, funny, articulate, and passionate. She was willing to give her opinion when asked (about places to eat, things to do, etc.), and it was easy to tell that we were NOT being subjected to a canned speech – I hate that kind of sing-song-I’ve-memorized-this-and-I-can’t-wait-to-get-it-over thing. But Sue and Rance were congenial and responsive, and even though I’ve been to Galveston at least twenty times before, my weekend began with a new and exciting understanding of what the Island is all about. Cool Tours, give this lady a raise! ~ Robert H.
On May 7, 2013, we “revisited” Galveston and decided to take a tour of your beautiful city. My husband and I would like to tell you that your driver, Sue, was SO informative, kind, and considerate to everyone – such a delightful lady to be around!!! Your Extremely Clean and Air Conditioned Bus, along with Sue, made this tour so much fun. And, when we return, we will make it a point to see her again. We thought you should be aware of how wonderful she is to everyone. Thank you SO much for hiring such a professional and loving lady! If we know of anyone going to Galveston or if anyone asks us while we’re in Galveston what to do in your city, we will definitely tell them about our wonderful experience with Cool Tours and, of course, Sue. ~ The Petersons
Where to begin! My family and I showed up to buy our tickets and were greeted with a smile by the ticket man (Rance). He joked with us and was able to answer all questions. Very pleasant. My family was very large and yet Rance and Shirley (our driver) treated us each like royalty. The tour was absolutely fantastic. The first half was done by Shirley and she knows so much about Galveston that it blew us away. Rance did the second half and he was very enjoyable. We were all impressed at how well he was able to keep us entertained while still teaching so much. Thank you Cool Tours! This was the icing on the cake for our vacation.
~ Carlos R.
Cool Tours is a great way to see the historic & Stand district in an air conditioned van. The guides were friendly and offered cold water. The pick up location is near Pleasure Pier on Seawall. ~ Anon
My husband and i can to visit Galveston from Austin for the first time so we wanted to do a tour, cool tours was the right choice!!! Shirley was our driver and she was awesome! She knew a lot about the history and she was funny! We did the hop on and hop off and it was easy and on time and very helpful, and way cheaper than parking!! We will do the tour and hop on and hop off again!! ~ Faith G.
Prompt, friendly. Tour guides very knowledgeable! Reasonably priced. Personal touches – a/c ride and ice cold water provided. Picked our group up at Hobby Airport in Houston and returned us to the airport 2 days later. When we arrived in Houston we received a text from the driver saying he was there & where he was parked. Very reasonably priced and friendly. Thanks Steve, Angie, Rance & Shirley! ~ Banananan
Took the cool tours bus tour today, and it was quite fun! The tour guide (an older lady) really knew a lot about Galveston, and was really sweet! I would highly recommend this! It’s also very affordable! ~ Tracy S
We spent the weekend in Galveston and thought we would try this tour. We had a great tour guide. Her name is Sue. She was raised in Galveston and she knew what was is going on. She made the whole tour so enjoyable with her stories and thoughts. The tour gives you maps and ice cold water and some great memories to take with you. We learned so much history and wow facts about Galveston that I was awe struck. This island has a great history and she made it come alive through her stories. Thank you Cool Tours for having her on your team. I would say do this tour first to get an idea of where you are and really appreciate the island better. ~ Greg R
Really nice ladies run this tour, very informative. They give you a free map and bottle of ice-cold water, drop you off at designated stops and pick you up! we learned more about Galveston in an hour than we ever knew! ~ Nate A
We used this tour all day on Saturday, June 22 for their tour and also their hop on hop off feature. The buses were extremely clean and cool and cold bottled water provided. The buses ran on time with pick-ups where promised. The drivers were knowledgeable, funny, polite and accommodating to all needs and requests. An easy and inexpensive way to get around Galveston and see the sights. ~ Marilyn A
Steve, the owner of Cool Tours, provided excellent customer service to our small group when we visited Galveston this weekend. He provided roundtrip shuttle service for us from the Hobby Airport to a hotel in Galveston. He was dependable and friendly, always willing to go an extra mile to accommodate our needs. The hop on hop off tour is a great way to see the major attractions of this island. Our guides Shirley and Angie have a great sense of humor and they are also very knowledgeable. They always allowed enough time for photo opportunities at the tour stops. Rance, the ticket agent, was also very pleasant and helpful. I would highly recommend taking this tour! ~ Bernie Y
Wonderful tour of Galveston, lots of history and lots of fun. I would recommend doing this tour as soon as you arrive in Galveston as you’ll pick up some great tips on things to do during your stay. Had the pleasure of having Miss Sue as our driver, she is a wealth of information and very fun. There is so much history on the island, loved seeing all the tree sculptures that were made out of damaged trees from Hurricane Ike. Boarding takes place right near Pleasure Pier, very convenient. Air conditioned van was a plus. I highly recommend this tour. ~ Kathleen R
I recommend Cool Tours to anyone going to Galveston who do not have their own transportation. I was in Galveston for a wedding and did not have a vehicle. The first driver I had when I “hopped on” the bus was Angie. She was very helpful in letting me know where the route took us, and she was also able to answer any questions I had about seeking transportation for the next day when I needed to get back to the airport. I booked my transportation service to the airport right there on the bus! I find the guided tour very helpful and interesting. Angie knew the history of the island very well and was very nice. I hopped off at the Baywatch Dolphin Tours and hopped back on the bus that Sue was driving. Most all of the reviews are about Sue, and they are all true. The rest of my guided tour was lead by Sue, who also knew the place really well and was able to tell us information that most would not know unless they were locals. She too was very nice with a warm personality, and I could tell that she enjoyed doing what she was doing. The next day, I was picked up by Steve, the owner, at the hotel that I was staying at to go to the Bush Intercontinental Airport. After our introductions, he looked up my flight for me to see if it was delayed or on time, which I thought was unbelievably nice. We had good conversation all the way to the airport. I was very impressed with this service and am very glad I found it. The prices were very reasonable. The best thing about it though were the three drivers that I had during the times I was using this service. I was on this trip essentially by myself, and all three of them made me feel a lot more at ease and calm. All three drivers that I had knew the history, were very nice, accommodating, funny, had an interest and love for what they were doing, and they made my trip so much easier. I highly recommend Cool Tours. If I ever visit Galveston again, I am definitely using Cool Tours. ~ Meghann K
I had the pleasure of touring Galveston Island last Tuesday June, 4th with Miss Sue as our driver and a fantastic tour guide whose name escapes me right now, maybe Rance? He was a college aged boy and he was just great. We had an awesome time on the tour, loved hearing all the history of the great island of Galveston. I am in process of submitting a review for Trip Advisor, I can’t recommend this tour enough. Great price, great people and great history! Thanks for helping us to enjoy Galveston! ~ Katie R
Since we did not have a car while in Galveston, Cool Tours was referred to us by the manager at our hotel. The starting point is at the Pleasure Pier. Sue was our guide and gave us all kinds of information about the town, places to see and where to eat. She suggested dropping us off at the Texas Seaport Museum where we saw the Tall Ship “Elissa” and a marvelous documentary of the 1900 hurricane. After we toured the Strand District, we called her cell and she came by to pick us up. One can get on and off if you stay within the time limits of their tours. We recommend them highly. ~Eve and Russ
We had such a good time on the Cool Tour with our guide, Sue. Having grown up on the Island, she’s a treasure trove of local history, lore, and gossip. She showed us all the best places to visit and to eat, and since we did the tour on our first morning, Sue’s recommendations were basically the road map for our three day visit. My husband, daughter, and I visited so many cool places and had fabulous food thanks to her. All this info and entertainment can’t be beat! ~Saxxton
It is all about Sue, she IS Cool Tour. Everything you have read before me is true. Her customer service is first rate. We stayed in Galveston longer than expected because Sue gave us the highlights and made suggestions on what we should see. She was on point on each attraction and restaurant she suggested. Funny, enthusiastic, and endearing. THANK YOU Sue for showing us a good time. ~Claudia C.
We were in Galveston last week and did a historic tour with the very wonderful Sue. It was fantastic. She is a very generous person, funny and kind. This was the highlight of our days in Galveston. We really love the place. Too bad we are Canadian, because I would really like to stay nearby Houston. But, that being said, Sue is the best in Galveston !!! ~Jasmin R.
My Mom and I toured with y’all this weekend. I actually took the tour two days in a row. I really, really, really, enjoyed Ms. Shirley. She was very informative, sweet and fun and definitely an asset to your company. We went to the visitors center first which is how we scheduled our tour with Cool Tours. We wish that we would have scheduled and ridden on your tour first because we were able to get to know where everything we wanted to see actually was instead of getting frustrated and lost here and there trying to find a few things we wanted to see. We thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Shirley and appreciated her going out of her way to be sweetly compassionate for my ill mom as well. She went over and beyond to give her the best tour experience possible. We will be referring all our friends to Cool Tours in the future. Thanks again Ms. Shirley; we may be back to see you again soon ;o) Thanks again ~Catherine and Rose
An excellent tour by a very knowledgable and enthusiastic guide. We were soaking wet from the rain when got on board. She gave us towels and blankets and even dropped us back at our hotel after the tour was finished. We certainly knew a lot more about Galveston as a result of this tour. They also provided a copy of the best map we found of Galveston. A truly wonderful experience. ~Surrey
One of the best tour guides ever, I really enjoyed the tour and learning the history of Galveston. Definitely worth it and good for hop on / hop off. Covers the major sites and attractions and Sue was knowledgeable and entertaining. Looking forward to come back with the whole family. ~Rosario Y
You and your staff did an excellent job taking a bunch of senior Aggies around Galveston. The accommodations for all members of the group were appreciated and everything went very well. All of the group was well pleased with the tour of Galveston. It was informative and the guides were very good. Even me, raised on the island, learned new bits of island history. Should I be involved in a similar event, I will certainly give you a call and recommend you to others which I might have knowledge. Thanks for your help making our reunion a success. ~ John W.
Sue was a great tour guide with so much knowledge of the island. We did the two day hop on hop off tour and it was great! It is a great way to pack a lot into two days. ~ Cool Mama
Used Cool Tours to pick us up At Holiday Inn Hobby near Hobby Airport and deliver us to the Galveston Cruise terminal and pick us up after the cruise and return us to the Hobby Airport after the cruise. I Spoke to Steve the owner about a tour of Galveston when we were picked up after the cruise and he and his staff were more than accomadating in all it was just a great way to end the cruise. If I am in Galveston again I will be sure to use Cool Tours again. Better still the price was great and would be hard to beat as I had done my home work as you should to. ~ Gordon M.
We just got off the tour with Sue. She was FABULOUS!! Very sweet with our 4, 6, 7 & 10 year olds. Accommodated the interests of both kids & moms. We can’t wait to bring our husbands back & take another tour!! ~ Maura O.
Had a great tour today…..Shirley was an awesome tour guide and very informative of the history of Galveston,TX…. thank you for a wonderful tour! ~ Donna E..
Sue was waiting when we disembarked our ship and quickly loaded the luggage and made way to a get me a Coke with a smile. We 4 were happy to be aboard w/her and she provided us w/a sunny (in spite of the showers) introduction to her Galveston enticing us to return. She is proud to share the history of her town while pointing out the sights and sounds assuring the best possible photo opportunity. Then a quick transfer from the mini bus to a smaller but still roomy and comfortable van w/Steve who took us to Hobby in plenty of time for our flight while still accommodating request for a stop at the Kolache Bakery along the way.
Making the arrangement was easy, cost was reasonable, service was very good. Just wish we had more time and sun in Galveston. We’ll be back and will include Cool Tours in our travel plans . . .FOR SURE. Highly recommended as part of a pre or post cruise package. Their main biz is showing off Galveston to groups (none too large or too small) and will gladly factor in transport to/from the airport if it means they have a chance to introduce visitors to their gracious and growing GALVESTON. ~ Barb B.
I think this is a good tour to do before you head out and do things in Galveston. It will give you a good idea of what is around. My wife and I used up one whole day just driving ourselves around and did not learn much, then we decided to take this tour. We liked the tour and learned about the history and buildings along with a few places we wanted to check out. TIP: I would take the tour first then take advantage of the hop on hop off service they provide! Have fun!! ~ LHF
We had a great time on the tour last Saturday. Sue & Shirley were the BEST!! Thank you! ~ Donna N.
My family and I were in Galveston for the day and we were tired of walking! So someone in one of the restaurants recommended this tour. We were the only ladies on the bus and the driver and tour guide were hilarious older women, I think one of their names was Shirley. We took this tour back in August of 2012. The bus didn’t take long to arrive and we were greeted with happy faces and cool bottles of water. The ladies were very informative, silly and made sure we had a great time. They also dropped us off at a restaurant during our tour and then picked us back up to finish the tour. Fantastic service!! ~ Ellie B.
This was a very good tour. We were the only ones on the bus and our guide gave us a very personal tour of the historic areas of Galveston. She was very knowledgable and made it a fun experience. She stopped to let me get off and take pictures whenever I wanted to. Catch the bus on the Seawall near the Pleasure Pier. Visited January 2013 ~ Dave
We really enjoyed exploring the island for our three day excursion with Cool Tours and appreciated the Texas hospitality since it was our first visit to Galveston! The tour guides and drivers were very informative and made our trip very memorable! Without your service we would not have been able to see everything and learn about the island history! We would definitely visit again and recommend the tour to our family and friends! ~ Glen V.
Our group of four was picked up at our hotel for the East End tour. I had been to Galveston twice before for cruises, so had not had an opportunity to see much of the city, but felt there was much to see & to learn. Boy! was that an understatement. Our tour was terrific and our lady tour guide/driver was awesome with a riveting knowledge of the history, tragedies, peccadilloes & resilience of her city of birth! I was so enthralled with her stories of the hurricane of 1900, I went online & purchased a Kindle version of “Isaac’s Storm: a Man, a Time, and The Deadliest Hurricane in History” to read during our cruise starting the next day. We now look forward to revisiting Galveston as our destination & not simply a start to a cruise. Thanks for a most delightfully entertaining & learning experience! I wholeheartedly recommend Cool Tours without reservation! ~ Barbara H.
This was a great way to learn about Galveston. We could get off the bus and different stops and the driver would circle back around at different times to pick up passengers. The bus was very nice and air-conditioned. We went off season so the length of the day ended early. If we had known we would have started out early in the morning. The driver took excellent care of us though and even gave us her cell phone number to make sure we could make the last pick up. Our driver was very knowledgeable about the city and we learned alot.~ Debra
Really enjoyed the tour with Sue and Shirley! Air conditioned bus and cold bottled water was a god send… getting us out of the unforgiving sun beating down on us as we walked along Seawall Blvd. Me and my hubby are new to TX. Went to Galvenston on a whim one weekend. We took the tour with out getting on and off the bus. It helped us get familiar with Galveston History and showed us cool places to explore when we visit again! Sue and Shirley were fun…. had lots of laughs! ~Angie F.
It’s always the guide who makes the tour, and on this one, we were blessed with a great guide and a great driver who piped in with facts as well. Laverne and Shirley as they referred to themselves (actually Sue and Shirley) were a hoot! Fun, sassy and well informed. For only $10, this hour tour in a cool bus (with complimentary water) is a bargain! . ~Alan
Sue and Shirley are the BEST! They did an outstanding job. We cannot wait to return to Galveston to do several things we did not have time for on Labor Day weekend. Sue and Shirley pointed out the things we want to come back for. ~Tina and Cathy
LaVerne and Shirley (Sue and Shirley) were great!!! Very knowledgeable. The tour (hop on hop off) were just what we were looking for. Lunch at the wall then back to the strand. Next time we will get started earlier now that we know what we are doing. ~Rosemary M.
Cool Tours rocks! ~Suzanne B.
We did the tour with a great guide named Ann! Perfect way to see a bit of Galveston on a 98 degree day! ~Lori L.
Just finished a great tour with Tamika and Cool Tours. We have lived part time in Galveston for over twenty years–Own Jungle Surf land where new family fun and Go Kart track is being built.Learned many things that we didn’t know about the city. Plus it was a lot of fun and good humor. Will recommend it to our friends and guests. ~Don and Jeanne M.
Cool Tour with Sue & Shirley is the best. ~Ruth D.
I live 20 minutes from Galveston and the last thirty years I have taken several out of town visitors to the island for tours. This was the most unigue tour I have ever been on. Timeka and Sue were a HOOT! I would highly reccomend the Monday tour. These two ladies made our day. I also really liked the hop-on hop-off concept. We were able to jump off and eat lunch on the strand and then picked up for the rest of the tour. ~Phyllis D.
Very nice ladies run this tour bus, they give you free ice cold bottled water, free map and are very enthusiastic and informative about the local area. They were very kind to my fiancee and I. One of the best parts of my visit to Galveston, Highly recommend. ~Natanael A.
Great tour of Galveston. Really enjoyed all the information about the island. Sue and Shirley our guides really rocked they were so much fun. Thanks again!!! ~Karen P.
I enjoyed my tour last night with Angie and Berenice! Thank you ladies. I learned a lot about Galveston Texas! ~Charlene Y.
Sue & Shirley were great !!! They really love their job. Information they shared was more than I expected. I will be telling all my Houston Friends to take the “Cool Tours” ~Ruth & Lee
We took the cool tour while on our vacation to Galveston, and it was great. The driver and guide were very polite and a lot of fun. It was nice to get out of the heat and enjoy hearing some of Galveston’s history while in the nice ac. We were able to be dropped off at the strand for some shopping and they picked us back up and brought us back to the sea wall. Will do it again on my next trip. ~Allen R.
We loved the tour. It was fun, informative and full of local color! DEFINITELY take this tour- the trip is awesome and guides and drivers are great! ~Ally
We had the best time!. Tamika and Sue are really wonderful; they kept the Tour very interesting and made us Laugh and have a great time even though it rained on the whole trip. I will definitely take the tour again and look up these 2 Lovely Ladies. Taminica and Sue work together on Mondays I hope you will keep them together always. ~Olene T.
Sherry and Shirley gave an awesome tour this past Saturday evening. Take the East tour…It’s definitely worth the $10! ~Justin T.
Great Tour! Laughed, learned about Galveston. Love the sculptures from tree trunks. Tamika and Sue were Great! ~Matt T.
“One of Galveston’s Best Attractions! The Cool Tours bus is the best way to find all that Galveston has to offer. And I guarantee you Stephen will be one of the nicest persons you will meet while in Galveston.
A story about the man who owns and operates this business: My husband and I were in Galveston 2 weeks ago on vacation and got caught in a downpour walking along the beach toward Pleasure Pier. We waited it out, but did not want to walk back the 2 miles to our hotel with rain starting again. We approached this beautiful bus and talked to Stephen about riding it back down to our hotel, and hopping off there. He told us that service was not available, but we had a wonderful visit with him and he told us all about his new venture. We wished him well and began our walk back. A few minutes later as the downpour began and we were looking for cover, someone honked at us. And there was Stephen, in his car calling for us to get in so he could drive us back to our hotel. He said he could not have lived with himself if he had not given us a ride. Wow. That is the kind of person you will meet if you take this tour! We were so impressed with him and his character and friendliness and compassion. And a bonus: He knows all things about Galveston and will not only tell you all about the great attractions, but will show you where they are—in a cool bus!
Don’t miss out on making your trip the best it can be by riding the Cool Tours bus with Stephen!” ~Pamela T.
“I chose this tour for me and my family because, #1: it had no reviews (I like giving things a chance), #2: the website stated it was only 2 weeks new, #3: It said “AIR CONDITIONED BUS”, #4: Complimentary bottled water, #5: Free map & Activity booklet for kids. That there alone was enough positives to make me forget the other tours I had in mind. The tour itself was about 45 min. Our driver, Tamika was super funny & had me rollin’. Our speaker was so sweet and helpful when we asked about things around town. The bus was so comfortable and they had that A/C kickin’. It really was an enjoyable trip. We learned tons of things and the map was a really nice souvenir. They also ask you to keep your receipt so that you can use it if you want to be dropped off at the strand & be picked up later (good for 24 hours from start of tour). That was such an awesome addition. No other tour around Galveston does this. I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to learn more about the area or just use as a ride to the seawall from strand or vice versa. It was my favorite part of the day.” ~Mona A.
I would just like to say I loved the tour. We enjoyed it so much! The tour ladies were great. We loved talking with them and you can just hear the love they have for the job. I just hope one of the lady’s get to go on their cruise. Hope you have fun. Thank y’all ladies. Loved the tour. ~Missy L.
Great tour !!! Guides were great , lots of cool interesting information. Loved the hop on hop off . Went to the Strand to do shopping , eating , and looking around . Would recommend to all !!! ~Alicia G.
Shirley and Sue were great! They made the tour wonderful and I will definitely be back..to see them! ~Heather P.
“I loved the tour with Sue and Shirley! They were so sweet, funny and informative! I loved how knowledgeable Sue was, answering questions and telling us about buildings we passed that weren’t highlighted in the tour! I also loved the hop & go option and cannot wait to go again! I felt it was really worth the money!” ~Madeline T.
“I loved the tour and the hop on & off! It was so convienant and Sue and Shirley were so sweet and informative!” ~Becca M.
“Great ride! The girls who gave the tour were great. They made the ride very enjoyable and informative.” ~Jerry H.
We really enjoyed our tour yesterday for our anniversary. We learned things about Galveston that we didn’t know before and got some great ideas for things to do when we go back. Thanks a bunch! ~Tim & Tonya
Had a great tour today in the Galveston heat, but the “Tour” was “Cool”. Lots of great places seen, and ideas for future visits. ~Roland B.
My husband and I were very glad to be invited on your tour this weekend! It was great! Learned tons and saw lots of great fun things to do on the island! Mostly the shopping! Especially loved that everyone was SUPER friendly… Even after my husband wouldn’t stop talking!! 
Maybe work on those dates those hmmm I’m sure not everything was built in 1894?! Lol!! ~Mikaela C.
