You sound like the couple we saw in Glacier National Park, headed to
Alaska in June 1995, with 1 driving a van pulling a travel trailer and
the other driving a van pulling an enclosed trailer with 2
snowmobiles. When we got into Tok 3 weeks later, they were in the same
service station gassing up, but already heading south. I ask them
about the snow & they said - WHAT SNOW??? Very disappointed!
I pays to inquire about conditions and plan ahead.
Tom J

It's a shame you and your family had such an awful destination
experience regarding the Galveston area, but I'm not at all surprised,
even though I haven't lived in that area in twenty years.  

As an alternative (albeit a bit too late), I can vouch for the north
shore of Lake Ponchatrain and the Fontainebleau State Park
<http://www.lastateparks.com/fontaine/fontaine.htm> in Mandeville
(Louisiana).  But, as nearly everyone knows, Hurricane Katrina has
severely wrecked that state park and a whole lot more and more :(   I'm
so grateful for the photographs I have of this park and other parts of
that area!

Spouse and I went to Fontainebleau SP for the Holiday Seasons during
2003 and 2004, mainly to ride our bicycles on the Tammany Trace Trail
<http://www.tammanytrace.org/>.  Alas, we didn't have that option for
last year's 2005 holiday season, regardless of "Katrina's" damage.  I
understand it will be many months/years before the area recovers.  I
also understand this SP will be used to house FEMA trailers, but I'm not
wholely sure of that information.

I KNOW (!) first-hand that the Illiniwek CG
<http://www.co.rock-island.il.us/FP.asp?id=146>, located on the
Mississippi River out of Hampton, IL and operated by the Rock Island
County Forest Preserve (not at all very far away from Davenport, IA --
even on bicycle <g>!), is one heck of a lot better camp ground than
anything located on Galveston Island or its near vicinity :)  Heck, the
same goes for Fisherman's Corner CG (USArmy Corps of Engineers)
<http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/missriver/CampingPage/Fisherman.htm>,
too, which is located just up the road (er, east/north) from Illiniwek
CG!  The Illiniwek CG is located down-river of Lock #14 on the
Mississippi River, while the Fishermans' CG is located up-river from
Lock #14.  Both are very nice and well kept.  It's a hoot to watch all
the barges.

Skyhooks
   h m a r d i s
       ""aahhtt""
             u i u c
                  ""ddoott""
                        e d u

P.S.  Spouse and I camped at Illiniwek in September 2005, and the lack
of barge traffic on the MS River was quite noticeable in the aftermath
of Hurricane Katrina, even as far upriver to northern IL.

I didn't want to suggest it's a wonderful place if it currently looks like a
bombing range.