Galveston has its nuances.

It has salt air.  It has mosquitos.  It has a peculiar odor, either from the
marsh, or from the refineries across the channel.  It has good fishing,
either from land or on the charter boats.  It has a lot of history.  It has
fresh off the boat seafood.  The first week in April will be before the
summer crowd comes in, and the year long residents are a lot nicer than the
rowdy summer crowd.

Depending on what's left after Rita, it is an okay place.  It isn't all that
great, but it is okay.  I have lived there.  I am not crazy about the
humidity, but that early in the year, at least you won't have the heat to
compound it.

The drive you ask about is relative to the area of Houston you want to go
to.  Houston has heavy traffic, and your commute could take two hours or
more one way.

Steve

Galveston usually gets a bit crowded around that time.

That kinda depends upon (1) where in Houston you'd be going and (2) how well
you like to sit for hours in heavy traffic.

If you're heading for downtown Houston you'd be looking at about 2 hours
each way.