“Changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes,
Nothing remains quite the same.
Through all of the islands and all of the highlands,
If we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane…” – Jimmy Buffet
Relaxing at The Ritz
The Ritz of Crystal Beach is a well-appointed home with six separate bedrooms. Each is nicely decorated to give each member of your group their own personal space to retreat. Five of the bedrooms are located on the top floor, each with a large sliding glass door to view the beach, go out for early morning coffee, or have a late night conversation with friends on the top deck.
Eating at The Ritz
When it comes to eating at the Ritz, we recommend shrimp, shrimp, and more shrimp. Go buy your shrimp right off the boat and boil it up fresh. Chicken salad with grapes and nuts makes a great treat to enjoy while lying on the beach, and spinach dip and chips is an awesome snack for all-day munching for your group.
The beach level of the house catches a great breeze and is the perfect (and safest place) for boiling crawfish or firing up the grill for juicy steaks or fresh fish with lemon. This tends to be the outside cooks’ zone for cooking conversation, snacking off the grill, and pre-dinner drinks.
No need to haul groceries from wherever it is you call home. Take a trip to the Big Store, also known as the Gulf Market. They are sure to have everything you need for fresh meals and forgotten swim suits.
Entertaining at The Ritz
Work a Puzzle
Working a puzzle is a great way to pass the time at the Ritz. Work a group puzzle and take shifts. You can get 2-4 puzzles done in a week if you are ambitious!
Cards & Dominoes
Play a Game of Pool
This pool requires no swim suit! The house has a pool table and is a great way to bring out the competitive spirit of the guests. Even the smallest children enjoy rolling the balls from one end of the table to the other to try and get a hole in one.
Lounging at The Ritz
Deck Time
The deck provides the perfect place for early risers to enjoy their first cup of morning coffee. Take a moment to watch the sun come up and birds circle the beach while the night crowd sleeps in. Take a nap or read a book in the hammock and let the wind and wave take the stress away.
A batch of margaritas is a great way to enjoy the views from The Ritz and lounge on the deck.
Star Gazing
The deck is a perfect place for star gazing, hunting for shooting stars, and watching satellites.
Cruise Ship Lookout
Monitoring the cruise ships coming in and going can become somewhat of a sport in the house. There is always someone in your group who will tell you the daily ship schedule: “Carnival left port about 4:30 today…”
Enjoying Nature at The Ritz
Dolphin Watch
In the morning hours, you can often catch a pod of dolphins working their way down the beach about 100 yards off shore.
Pelican Fly-over
The Ritz sits directly under the pelican expressway. The pelicans typically fly in formation of about 12 birds in group at about 40 feet above the deck. Their wingspan is quite remarkable as well as their ability to dive-bomb for fish. Most attention-grabbing splashes that you’ll see or hear are not sharks, but likely pelicans grabbing a bite to eat from underwater.
Feed the Seagull
Take two sacks of bread. It will be worth every penny. All you need is one seagull to get in on the action, and soon it’s a contest to see how many direct catches you can throw. You get bonus points if you can throw the bread low enough that it results in a bird swooping down on your screaming friend.
Beach
Take a morning stroll holding hands. If you have the kids with you, take them with you to gather sea shells.
For the more adventurous souls, a trip to the beach at night for a crab hunt is always super fun. Armed with flashlights and buckets, kids can take to the beach after sunset to see how many crabs they can catch.
Galveston Excursion
One Galveston excursion is a good idea if you are staying for the week and just want to see some action for a few hours. Load up the car and head to Moody Gardens or Pleasure Pier for the day. Everyone enjoys the ferry ride to Galveston.