I’m a history buff who also loves to travel, so when I heard about the grand opening of Carr Mansion, a historic bed & breakfast in Galveston, Texas, I knew I had to pay this establishment a visit!
At just a little over an hour away from my front door, Galveston feels like a world away with its coastal breezes, swaying palm trees and rich history. This coastal city suits many types of tourists, from beach-goers to thrill seekers to those who want to marvel over the architecture, charm, and history. I’d have to say I’m a combination of all three of those types of tourists which is why a stay at Carr Mansion was an absolute delight.
More on our stay at this charming bed and breakfast below!
Can’t kick off this post without a bit of style now can I? I packed this darling maxi dress with me and it’s like it was almost made to be worn on the steps of this blue & white 19th-century home. The front porch of Carr Mansion is what curb appeal dreams are made of, you guys. And waltzing down these steps in a flowy dress knowing a delicious seafood dinner is in store for you is a scenario that I’d like to relive 100 more times!
Patrick, Annie and I visited Carr Mansion earlier this summer for a family weekend getaway to Galveston. We spent time on the beach, time exploring town and even got to try a few highly recommended restaurants too.
The Mansion’s Common Rooms
But of course, the highlight of our Galveston visit was staying at Carr Mansion. My jaw was pretty much dropped our entire visit because I couldn’t stop swooning over every little detail that adorned this bed and breakfast. So much so, that I even looked up the interior designer’s name and am now following her on Instagram! (Shannon Eddings, please come decorate my house one day!!)
Carr Mansion was renovated and redecorated this spring and opened its doors to visitors once more just this past July. The bed and breakfast offers seven rooms inside the house with an additional guestroom in the carriage house out back. Each room has its own unique theme and decor, paying homage to a previous notable owner or visitor to the mansion.
One thing that I particularly loved about our stay, is that no matter which room you were sleeping in, each guest was able to enjoy the common areas like they were their own living rooms. While Annie napped, Patrick and I read our books on the leather lounge chairs above. We had breakfast and happy hour drinks with the other guests in the dining room and bar too.
Annie was quick to decide that she liked it here too!
Also, I think I am going to need my own version of this antique loveseat in my house stat! It’s absolutely stunning.
The Rooms
We arrived to Carr Mansion pretty early on a Friday afternoon, well before the other guests had checked in for their stay too. Jolene, the sweetest woman you’ll ever meet – who also happens to be the mansion’s proprietor, let us take a peek in each & every guestroom. I still don’t think I can decide which one was my favorite, they’re all so beautiful and unique in their own ways. Sharing snaps of them all below!
Several of the rooms come with their own private balcony spaces with a view of the lush courtyard below. Our room in the carriage house was just out back behind the patio and an absolutely perfect space for our family.
It’s hard enough to travel with a toddler, so being in a room where her cries wouldn’t bother anybody else put Patrick and me right at ease. Plus, it was so nice to have our own private patio space outside of the carriage house. After Annie would go to bed each night, Patrick and I sipped on a bottle of wine and played cards underneath the stars. I don’t even remember the last time we played a round of cards! It was so much fun to put technology aside and enjoy each other’s company in a different way.
The Food
Jolene, the mansion’s proprietor, is all sorts of amazing in more ways than one. She’s a wealth of information on Galveston and its history and she’s also an incredible cook too! She treated us to delicious mufalletas, fresh fish and shrimp tacos, and the tastiest caprese egg & toast dish I’ve ever had.
You won’t go hungry (or thirsty) for a moment during a stay at Carr Mansion.
annie’s romper is cecil & lou and shoes are freshly picked
We had so much fun watching Annie explore this big beautiful house. Seeing such a tiny tot standing against larger than life windows and rooms made her look all the more small and precious.
Don’t mind me, just making my grand entrance before Saturday night dinner!
Our little family had such a lovely time staying at Carr Mansion in Galveston. We could have easily spent the entire weekend nestled up in the house with oodles to do. But the coastal city was calling our name so of course, we had to go out and explore!
If you’re making your way down to Galveston anytime soon, be sure to check out Carr Mansion and it’s many colorful rooms. And while you’re at it, head on over to my Galveston travel guide. I have a roundup of my favorite restaurants, shops, places to see and things to do all in one place.
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Thanks to you all for stopping by the blog! And thank you so much to Carr Mansion for hosting us this summer. It was such a treat and as always, all opinions are always my own.
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xo, alice
