I was born in Dallas and I've been to Galveston several times and I agree with the OP. The water is dirty as fuck with a shit ton of people in the summer months so it's not really a beach to go and relax and enjoy the scenery on.. It's more of a last minute, "I'm broke as hell but I really wanna just 'say' I went to a beach but secretly am dying for Maui" kind of thinking......